Let's Get Serious About Peter Debnam

Penny Sharpe — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 01:00:00 -0700

The Member for Vaucluse, Peter Debnam wants to be the Premier in NSW. He has so far indicated that he will do or say anything to achieve this. He has made over $26billion worth of unfunded promises. The only savings appear to be from teh cuttign of 29,000 public service jobs.

For more details check out his record.

HIV/AIDS –the importance of bipartisanship

Penny Sharpe — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0600

Last night I attended the 21st Anniversary for ACON (AIDS Council of NSW). It was an evening of both reflection and celebration.

Reflection that in 25 years the HIV/AIDS epidemic has infected 70 million people worldwide and claimed 30 million lives. In Australia we have lost 6500 people, 3600 of them in NSW.

Celebration of how communities, and in the Australian context the GLBT community, can build a strong and dedicated community organisation that was prepared to fight the crisis unfolding around them.

Paul McLeay, the NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Health spoke, as did Justice Michael Kirby, Don Baxter from AFAO and ACON’s President Adrian Lovney.

All of them noted that the Australian experience of HIV/AIDS was different. There are many reasons for this but the most important was that Governments both state and federal were prepared to put public health ahead of politics.

In practice this meant a bipartisan approach that included significant funding for prevention, treatment and research. It also included support programs such as needle exchanges and sexual health education featuring the condom as the front line defence.

The bipartisanship that was exhibited in 1985 seems to be on shakier ground in 2006.

25 years into an epidemic that has yet to find a vaccine or a cure, it is a bipartisanship that must endure to save lives.

liberals

Let's Get Serious About Peter Debnam

HIV/AIDS –the importance of bipartisanship