Ministry of Education and same gender couples

Wellington student David Robinson has been refused a couple allowance because the Ministry of Education doesn't recognise same gender couples. He applied for a couple allowance in February. Married students and people in mixed de facto relationships can get the student couple allowance. This was declined on the basis that his partner is male. The Ministry's legal opinion is that student allowance regulations refer to married students and that the Marriage Act doesn't include same sex partners.

The Ministry of Education interpretation of the Marriage Act was set out in a letter to the student president Michael Gibbs. The sutdents association had taken up the case on Mr Robinson's behalf.

The letter concluded: "The couple allowance for two eligible full-time students is less than that payable to two single students, which means that if we were to recognise homosexual couples as being in de facto relationships some would receive less than they do now".

In Mr Robinson's case his partner, Greg Crimp, earns very little so consquently would be likely to receive more.

Mr Creech, the Minister of Education, said that the Ministry was reveiwing policies and regulations in reltaion to the Human Rights Act. Any changes were likely to take at least a year.

Mr Robinson, a Canadian, said government agencies were inconsistent on the issue as he had received permanent residency last year based on his four year relationship with Mr Crimp.

Sexual and reproductive health strategy announced

Jenny Shipley, the Minister of Health and Women's Affairs announced last week a major stategy on sexual and reproductive health. The focus in the media has been on the decision to make oral contraceptives free, except for the $3 prescription fee. This brings oral contraceptives onto the same basis as condoms.

However the strategy included a number of other initiatives which are aimed at both reducing unwanted pregnancies but the rate of STD infection. The initiative includes the following points:

Free consultations for those groups of women experiencing high abortion rates.

Developing public health programmes to improve reproductive health and sexual health of Pacific Islands people.

Evaluating the implementation of the school sexual and reproductive health curriculum for forms one and seven. (The released policy document amongst other things says celibacy is an option and always use a condom unless you are in a long term faithful relationship).

More research to develop better sexual and reproductive health programmes for Rangatahi, Maori youth and young adults.

Policy development to improve programmes on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.

The policy was announced with a $20 million budget. The majority of this will go on the provision of oral contraceptives.

Hamilton Airport Custom Incident

Last week the Auckland Custom office, they provide customs service to Hamilton airport, contacted us regarding the Seattle Gay News story. They said they had tried to contact Mr Daugert but had been unsuccessful as the Seattle Gay News had lost Mr Daugert's letter.

They did confirm he had entered NZ on the date through Hamilton on the day concerned. However they said their was no record of any seizure or incident at Hamilton. On the day in question they adviced that someone with substantial background in indecent publications was in Hamilton on the day in question and has no record of the incident. They also assured us that under no circumstances would they sieze the publications under question.

The Auckland custom office concluded by stating that if the incident had hapenned, to which they had no written evidence that it did, then it clearly breached customs policy.

Male Call launched

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) Male Call research project was launched on Friday. Ian Roberts, an Australian rugby league player, helped launch the project which is aimed at getting men who have sex with men to telephone an 0800 line (0800-996969) and answer candid questions about their sex lives. The information will be used to improve and develop HIV prevention programmes and to boost data on men who have sex with men.

Mr Russell Holmes, a project co-ordinator, said ideally NZAF would have preferred to had a well known and openly gay New Zealander who appealed to a range of people, but no one fitted the bill.

The Health Research Council has provided $300,000 of funding for the project. The phone lines will be open from midday to midnight every day until June 16. When they are closed the research will be collated and reports will be published.

Auckland City Council Meeting

The Auckland City Council Meeting on Thursday 16 May will been hear a delegation from the Auckland gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.

The delegation will seek the establishment of a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender council liaison committee.

Gay TV and Radio

Television

Express Report every Monday 10.15pm on ATV, Capital City, Coast to Coast, Southern and CTV.

Shortland St, TV2, Monday to Friday 7pm.

Pets Win Prizes, TV2, Saturday 6.30pm.

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

Wellington Lesbian Mountain Bike Riders - 19 May 1996
Auckland Community Church - 19 May 1996.
Auckland Gay Bowling Association - 19 May 1996
Team Auckland Runners - 19 May 1996
Nationwide Beacons of Hope Ceremonies - 19 May 1996
Dunedin lesbian indoor cricket team - 19 May 1996
Wellington Lesbian Library (LILAC) - 18 May 1996
Team Auckland Swimmers - 18 May 1996
Auckland City Council Delegation - 16 May 1996
Christchurch Ascent - 16 May 1996
Team Auckland Swimmers - 16 May 1996
Nelson Spectrum - 16 May 1996
Dunedin Queerspace - 16 May 1996
Wellington Lesbian Library (LILAC) - 15 May 1996
Team Auckland Swimmers - 14 May 1996
Dunedin Beyond the Closet - 13 May 1996
Auckland Gay Tramping Group - 12 May 1996
Wellington Lesbian Overland and Cafe Club - 12 May 1996
Auckland Community Church - 12 May 1996.
Auckland Gay Bowling Association - 12 May 1996
Dunedin lesbian indoor cricket team - 12 May 1996
Team Auckland Runners - 12 May 1996
Wellington Lesbian Library (LILAC) - 11 May 1996
Team Auckland Swimmers - 11 May 1996
Wellington Out Takes Queer Film Festival - 10 to 22 May 1996
Team Auckland Swimmers - 9 May 1996
Wellington Gay Association of Professionals - 9 May 1996
Nelson Spectrum - 9 May 1996
Dunedin Queerspace - 9 May 1996
Wellington Lesbian Library (LILAC) - 8 May 1996
Auckland City Council Pre delegation meeting - 8 May 1996
Team Auckland Swimmers - 7 May 1996
Auckland Community Church - 5 May 1996.
Auckland Gay Bowling Association - 5 May 1996
Team Auckland Runners - 5 May 1996
Wellington Marriage Discusssion - 5 May 1996
Galaxies - Wellington - 5 May 1996
Wellington Gay Association of Professionals - 5 May 1996
Dunedin YES group go rock climbing - 5 May 1996
Dunedin lesbian indoor cricket team - 5 May 1996

Events - Previews

None this week

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

What is happening on the Internet

Copyright, Subscription and Contribution information

Overseas media who utilise any or all of the above material please credit QNA as your source. Thank you.