Couple face prosecution for AIDS cure claim

Dave Douglas and Pauline Avis, Auckland based natural therapists, may face possible prosecution following their claim that they can cure AIDS.

The couple have distributed flyers which claim their no drugs, no surgery method will kill the disease. The flyer claims that you have been tragically misinformed, Aids is curable - it has been cured.

The claims have brought warnings from the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF), Ministry of Health and the Commerce Commission.

Mr Peter Pratt, Ministry of Health team leader of compliance, said that the flyer was dangerous when there was no recognised medical cure. The Ministry has ordered the flyers be withdrawn and will send the couple a legal warning. If prosecuted the couple faces a $1000 fine for each charge under the Medicines Act.

Mr Tony Ewing, NZAF prevention programme manager, said cure claims were nothing new. We have had people on our doorsteps claiming to have cures since 1984. He also said that many people with AIDS used alternative therapies for comfort and relief. However to hold it out as a cure was morally wrong.

Mr Douglas defended his actions saying he welcomed the investigation. He said his methods revolved around rebirthing which took someone back to bad memories in the womb and early trauma. These negative, and often forgotten, experiences were at the heart of diseases he said.

Mr Douglas said participants had the option of staying on the prescribed drugs, although this was not advised.

The pair said there had been cases in the United States where rebirthing, and the closely related ‘primal therapy’ had cured AIDS.

Lesbian loses child custody case

Jessie Denholm, a Scotswoman living in New Zealand with her partner Carmel Carroll, lost her custody battle for her two daughters in a Scottish Court in Argyll, Scotland.

She said that I am positive that my lesbianism is the reason for my losing my daughters; the British Judiciary are homophobic. They do not like gay men or lesbians.

She said she had originally been advised that there was no point in applying for custody in Scotland because of her lesbianism.

She had originally hoped to have had the case heard in the New Zealand family court but the judge in that case decided that the case would have to heard in Scotland.

Minister of Customs Response to Hamilton Incident

In response to the allegations about improper actions by the Customs Department in a letter which appeared in the Seattle Gay News (see QNA 7 April 1996) Mr McCully the Minister of Customs has responded as follows.

... Extensive enquiries have been conducted to establish the extent and validity of Mr Daugert’s claims regarding his treatment on arrival at Hamilton Airport.

These enquiries confirm that Mr Daugert arrived in Hamilton.... He was processed through the Immigration Primary Line but was not selected for Customs search. This latter fact is supported by a Customs passenger computer system which does not record Mr Daugert being searched by Customs. Similarly, nor does the system record the seizure of any publication from a passenger on that flight, or, from any person with a surname of Daugert.

The above reporting system is specifically designed to enable Customs to identify passengers from whom publications or articles have been seized or detained. It is compulsory for any such articles so seized or detained to be recorded within the system.

During the course of the enquiries the baggage declarations for all passengers, who were subject to Customs search on the flight....in question, were recovered. The Customs Department retains all baggage declarations of persons subject to any form of Customs activity. Mr Daugert’s baggage declaration is not amongst those declarations officer who has involved with the processing of the flight at Hamilton. None of them can recall the Daugert incident.

The Supervising Customs Officer responsible for the Immigration function on the day in question has previously been responsible for the viewing of publications pursuant to the Indecent Publications Act. This officer has an extensive knowledge of what the Censor deems unconditionally restricted. Because of this experience he would have been consulted had a publication, that was considered to fall within this criteria, been detected. The officer has no recollection of any such publication.

The New Zealand Customs Department, although unable to corroborate any of the allegations made in Mr Daugert’s letter, does not condone the kind of behaviour outlined, if in fact it occurred, from any of it’s staff. Officers of the Department are currently attempting to contact Mr Daugert through the Seattle Gay News to discuss with him....

Male Call Final Count at 1847

When the New Zealand AIDS Foundation Male Call project finally ended on midnight last Sunday 1847 interviews had been completed.

Gay TV and Radio

Express Report every Monday 10.00pm on ATV, Capital City, Coast to Coast, Southern and CTV. and repeated on TV One, Saturday 12.15am

Shortland St, TV2, Monday to Friday 7pm.

Radio

Regular gay and lesbian shows

Auckland - G & T Show, 810AM Access Radio, Thursday 7 to 8am
Auckland - This Way Out, 810AM Access Radio, Saturday 11:40am
Auckland - In The Pink, 95BFM Student Radio, Sunday 8 to 9pm
Auckland - Girls Own Show, 95BFM Student Radio, Sunday 7 to 8pm
Hamilton - Different Strokes, Contact 89FM, Sunday 6 to 8pm
Wellington - Gay BC, 783AM Access Radio, Gay BC, Saturdays 11:15 - 12:15
Wellington - Reading Lesbian Writers, 783AM Access Radio,Saturdays, 1.00 - 1.15
Wellington - Lesbian Radio Programme, 783AM Access Radio,Sundays, 10 - 11 am
Wellington - Boy Trouble, 89FM Student Radio, Sunday 6-7pm
Top of the South - Dyke FM, 99.4FM Fresh FM, Sunday 10am
Top of the South - Gaytime FM, 99.4FM Fresh FM, Sunday 11am
Christchurch - RDU 98.3FM Student Radio, has no specific queer show but does have queer news, play queer artists and all the rest as part of their daily programme.
Christchurch - Outwaves, Plains, 96.9FM , Monday 8pm
Christchurch - Lesbians on Air, Plains 96.9FM Monday 9.30 - 10pm (note 9-9.30pm from 18th March)
Dunedin -Dykes on Mikes, 91FM Radio One, Tuesday 8pm
Dunedin -Tea with the Boys, 91FM Radio One, Sundays 9-10pm

Reviews

None this week

Events - Upcoming

Mr Gay NZ - 28 July 1996
Auckland International Film Festival - 19 July to 3 August 1996
Auckland Gay Tramping Group - 14 July 1996
Auckland Ten Years Dance - 13 July 1996
Auckland Community Church Gay Law Reform - 10 July 1996
Auckland 10 years on social event - 9 July 1996
Auckland Miss Aotearoa Queen of Queens Pagent - 30 June 1996
Auckland Community Church - 30 June 1996
Auckland Gay Tramping Group - 29 June 1996
Auckland Community Church - Every Sunday 8pm
Auckland Gay Bowling Association - Every Sunday 5pm
Team Auckland Runners - Every Sunday 10am
Team Auckland Swimmers - Every Tuesday and Thursday 8pm, Saturday 10am
Te Waka Awhina Takatapui Kapa Haka - Every Tuesday 7pm.

Hamilton International Film Festival - 16 August to 29 August 1996 Hamilton KD LANG **** ALL YOU CAN EAT **** PIZZA NIGHT To celebrate the arrival of the DIVA herself in NZ At Pizza Hut, Hamilton East, Grey St. WEDNESDAY 26th June Dinnertime (from 6.30pm onwards)
Hamilton Gaylink dropin - Every Wednesday 8pm

New Plymouth Community Brunch - June 20
New Plymouth Pride Ball - June 29
New Plymouth Picnic - June 29
New Plymouth smokefree dessert evening - June 28
New Plymouth Board Game evening - June 27
New Plymouth workshops on holistic health topics - June 25 and 26
New Plymouth Dog Walk - June 24
New Plymouth Ten Pin Bowling - June 24

Palmerston North International Film Festival 9 August to 22 August 1996

Wellington Lesbian Overland and Cafe Club - 21 July 1996
Wellington International Film Festival - 12 July to 27 July 1996
Ten Years Out Lunchtime panel discussion - 12 July 1996
Ten Years Out Commemoration Parliament - 9 July 1996
Galaxies - Wellington - 7 July 1996
Ten Years Out The Magical History Tour 7 July 1996
Wellington Lesbian Overland and Cafe Club - 7 July 1996
Ten Years Out Blatent Dance - 6 July 1996
Ten Years Out Gay BC 783 Access AM special programme - 6 July 1996
GLEE International Conference - 6 to 8 July 1996
Hutt Lesbian Group - 5 July 1996
Ten Years Out Commemorative Dinner - 5 July 1996
Ten Years Out GaLaXies Concert - 4 July 1996
Gay Association of Professionals - 4 July 1996
Ten Years Out HUG (Heterosexuals Unafraid of Gays) reunion - 3 July 1996
Ten Years Out LAGANZ Law Reform Exhibition, 1 -12 July 1996
Ten Years Out Opening of LAGANZ Law Reform exhibition - 1 July 1996
Wellington Lesbian Doods Dance - 29 June 1996
Wellington Lesbian Library (LILAC) - Every Wednesday 6-8pm, Saturdays noon - 3pm

Nelson Express Decade Dance Party Saturday, 6 July 1996
Nelson Spectrum - Every Thursday 7.30pm

BLG is organising Pride Week - "we've been doing it for more than 10 years" to be held August 5 - 10 at the University of Canterbury Students' Association, 90 Ilam Rd. Activities include workshops, a 10 year timeline, dance party, entertainment, sculpture, and guest speakers. For more information, e-mail t.page@student.canterbury.ac.nz
Christchurch International Film Festival 2 August to 7 August 1996

Akaroa Lesbian and Gay Group meets every 3rd Saturday.

Dundin International Film Festival 26 July to 10 August 1996
Dunedin Pride 96 from June 23 to 6th July
26th - Queer night, Bath St
28th - Anniversary of Stonewall. Celebrate with a night out at gourmet pizza bar Filadelfio's. Enjoy a few drinks, a game of pool, and a reduced rate on the pizzas!
29th - Literary Soiree. Presentation of awards for the Out and Proud Short Story writing competition.
30th - Shop-in at Countdown - come and do your shopping for the week from 1-3pm for a "presence" at Countdown on Cumberland St...
3rd - Womens Night at Bath St
4th - Scrabble Tournament at the Pickled Penguin from 8pm (during Queerspace). Bring a board if you have one!
6th - Pride for '96 is capped off with the Masquerade Ball
Art exbihition 17th June onwards for two weeks
Dunedin lesbian indoor cricket team - Every Sunday
Dunedin Queerspace - Every Thursday
Dunedin Beyond the Closet - Every Fortnight

None

Gay Switchboards and information lines

AIDS Hotline - Auckland +64-9-3580099 Toll free 0800-802-437 24 Hours
Whangarei Gay Help - +64-9-437-7620, Tuesday and Thursday 7 to 9.30pm
Auckland Gayline - +64-9-303-3584 10am to 10pm weekdays, 2pm to 10pm weekends.
Hamilton Gayline - +64-7-854-9631, Wednesday 8 to 10pm
Rotorua Gayline - +64-7-348-3598, Tuesday 7 to 9pm
Napier Gayline - +64-6-835-7482, 5pm to 8am.
Palmerston North - +64-6-358-5378 24 hour answerservice.
Wellington Switchboard - +64-4-385-0674, 7.30pm to 10pm
Wellington Lesbian Line - +64-4-389-8082 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 7.30 to 10pm.
Greymouth/Reefton Gayline - +64-3-768-4366, Wednesday to Friday 6 to 9pm.
Westport Gayline - +64-3-789-6027, Friday 7-8.30pm
Hokitika Gayline - +64-3-755-6270, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 7-10pm
Christchurch Gayline - +64-3-379-4796 Mondays 8-9pm, Saturday 7.30 to 10pm
Christchurch Gay Information line - +64-3-379-3990 24 hour recorded service.
Dunedin Gayline - +64-3-477-2077 24 hour recorded service. Answered on Wednesday 5.30 to 7.30pm, Friday 7.30 to 10.30pm
Dunedin Lesbian Line - +64-3-477-2077 24 hour recorded service. Answered on Tuesday 5.30 to 7.30pm

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