Address by Brent Allan, CEO Living Positive Victoria as part of the HIV Sector Roundtable on Crystal Meth

Address delivered by Living Positive Victoria CEO, Brent Allan, to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement Inquiry into crystal methamphetamine PUBLIC HEARING on Wednesday 29 July 2015:

“Thank you Mr Chair and to committee members for the invitation to address this public hearing.

As a member of the leadership team at Living Positive Victoria our mission to support, advocate and champion PLHIV as central and vital in the collective effort to end HIV in Australia.

My opening remarks encourage a reflection and consideration of how a collective, bipartisan partnership response (which acknowledges the voice and action of affected communities as powerful agents of social change), to a complex social and health issue has already been led and modelled by Australia.

It is without question that Australia is internationally renowned for having one of the most contained HIV epidemics in the developed world and this is due to one simple fact – Australia acted early in the HIV epidemic to implement pragmatic non- judgmental public health and social action interventions such as wide spread NSP, community led education and support services as well as risk and harm reduction advice predicated upon community knowledge and achieved this in the context of widespread community fear of HIV and PLHIV often fuelled by misinformation and stigma.

The success of the Australian HIV response embodies social action on health it is an example of what can be gained when pragmatism trumps moralism, when the voices and experiences of affected communities are harnessed to support not punish, when the reaction of those in power and authority to enact punitive laws is set aside in favour of promoting health and wellbeing, human rights and civil liberties because further marginalizing already marginalized communities is unethical, unjust and unfair.

However, effective social action on health can be easily diminished when community fears are fuelled by ill-informed political rhetoric and media hysteria for this not only creates a platform for misinformation it exacerbates the shaming, silencing and marginalisation of the people most in need of health promotion, social programs and community building services.

PLHIV know all too well the damaging effects of shame, silence and stigma and we stand in solidarity with our community members facing the same effects because they are a person who uses illicit or recreational drugs such as methamphetamines.

But unlike methamphetamine users, PLHIV have access to education and health promotion resources which speak to them about ways to reduce risks and harms in their lives and much of this often comes directly from the lived experiences of others living with HIV.

But where are these resources for people using methamphetamines so that they can learn from their peers’ experiences in order to reduce the risk and harms of their use?
Where is the political will to endorse community-led peer programs and the investment in community leaders to support and advise upon research, policies and strategies to divert people from the harms and risks of use before it can become problematic?

And how do we even open a community dialogue that acknowledges that drug use is not a social evil or a personal failure and its presence is ubiquitous across our communities; and although its form and nature may change – it is how we educate, inform and support our communities which mitigates and minimizes any potential personal or social harms from drug use.

So why is it that we continue to tolerate the misinformation and absence of quality targeted harm reduction resources on meth and the stereotyping of people who use it?
Australia must recognize that is has a model of international best practice which has demonstrated how to tackle complex social and health issues and it is not predicated upon silencing and shaming affected communities or denying community harm reduction education, information and support programs.

I fear that an effective and coordinated national policy is being negatively affected by a political tone and media response that promotes a narrative of fear and a seemingly blinkered view to continue to promote failed drug law and health policy responses.
We know that investments in scaling up community leadership and mobilization creates market appropriate and accessible information and support programs so that people at risk of harm are not left trying to figure out for themselves strategies what should be available without judgment or condemnation or the censorship from those to whom these services are not directed.

We must urgently change the current community dialogue which continues to scapegoat those who use methamphetamine to a more informed and sophisticated discussion across the jurisdictions of justice, health and education which acknowledges use, encourages responsible use and equips people with the knowledge and skills to use safely.

It’s ironic that Australia’s early response to HIV was, and at the time, seen by some as “permissive” and that enabling marginalised communities such as gay men to run community-led education and support was seemingly contrary to the prevailing notion that only sound professional respected direction provided by experts and authorities was needed in such urgent and dire circumstances such as HIV.

I believe that our challenge is this – are we brave enough to enable and equip yet another marginalized community – people who use drugs to respond to the gaps in education, treatment, care and support using their community wisdom and insights like we did with the Australian response to HIV or will we continue to support political fear mongering and scapegoating until the solutions are well and truly out of reach.

If we do not rise to this challenge the result will be more people unable and without the ability to identify and understand successful harm reduction strategies and the real control over their own use.”

Address by Brent Allan, CEO Living Positive Victoria as part of the HIV Sector Roundtable including Linda Forbes (AFAO), Nicolas Parkhill (ACON), Tony Maynard (NAPWHA) and Craig Cooper (Positive Life NSW).

More information about Living Positive Victoria’s position, information and services around crystal use can be found here.

Living Positive Victoria – Board of Directors 2013-2014 nominee Tony White

Board nominations for 2013-2014 have now closed and we have 9 candidates. For election at the AGM, read the statements, think about who you would like to represent your interests on the Living Positive Victoria Board of Directors.

To have your interests represented you need to be in attendance at the AGM on Thursday 10 October at 6pm, RSVP here.

Statements appear in alpha order by the surname of the candidate, the ninth here is from Tony White:

Hello, my name is Tony White. I have been positive for more than a decade now and have seen many changes with-in our community, some good, some not so.

One of the leading lights in the darkness of infection has been Living Positive Victoria from the speakers’ bureau to cutting edge education campaigns ,the solutions have always been best (in my opinion) with positive people being involved in all stages of the process.

This is why I am nominating for the board for a second time and hope to be a part of our communities’ greatest asset.

I have worked in the HIV sector in both paid and voluntary roles, currently I am doing volunteer work at the Positive Living Centre, which allows me to have a lot of contact with many positive people and get insights into the many ways we live our lives day to day. This I believe will inform my work with Positive Living Victoria and lead hopefully to better understanding of our needs and how current the ever changing policies of various bodies(both government and non-government) affect the way we live.

Living Positive Victoria – Board of Directors 2013-2014 nominee Mitchell Payne

Board nominations for 2013-2014 have now closed and we have 9 candidates. For election at the AGM, read the statements, think about who you would like to represent your interests on the Living Positive Victoria Board of Directors.

To have your interests represented you need to be in attendance at the AGM on Thursday 10 October at 6pm, RSVP here.

Statements appear in alpha order by the surname of the candidate, the eighth here is from Mitchell Payne:

As a 23 year old male, I am a pmi of a new generation of people living with HIV, those that did not have to live through the initial fear and grief of HIV and AIDS, but I identify with the lingering challenges that many individuals living with HIV face such as stigma, discrimination and the reliance on pharmaceuticals to survive on a day-to-day basis.

My journey has not been an easy one. Prior to seroconversion, I endured 4 weeks of Post Exposure Prophylaxis where I battled the most severe side effects. My diagnosis brought on extreme anxiety and when my physical health started to deteriorate, I was put on treatment and all most immediately admitted into the Alti•ed hospital with an allergic reaction to the medications.

I’ve been called “Brave”, a “Fighter” an “Inspiration”; but this is just one story, my story. Thousands of young people around the world are faced with daily battles much like mine and many far worse. My fotiune are my amazing suppmi networks that have turned this ordinary, average 23 year old into an activist. An activist with a clear vision and passion for empowering people to embrace their own true selves.

Living Positive Victoria – Board of Directors 2013-2014 nominee Greg Mutter

Board nominations for 2013-2014 have now closed and we have 9 candidates. For election at the AGM, read the statements, think about who you would like to represent your interests on the Living Positive Victoria Board of Directors.

To have your interests represented you need to be in attendance at the AGM on Thursday 10 October at 6pm, RSVP here.

Statements appear in alpha order by the surname of the candidate, the seventh here is from Greg Mutter:

I am a gay man who has been living with HIV for the last 10 years.

I am seeking re-election onto the Living Positive Victoria Board for a second term.

My initial university training was in accounting and business management and
I previously worked as a chartered accountant for 12 years in various roles, but for the last 23 years, I have worked in the education sector within educational management positions in two states of Australia.

I was a board member of the Immunodeficiency Foundation of Western Australia for 3 years.

I am re- nominating to the board to continue to contribute my expertise and experience to assist people living with HIV (PLWHIV) to be represented at a state and national level, and also to further develop my skills in public speaking, strategic planning and governance.

Over the last 12 months of being a board member of Living Positive Victoria, I have been a member of the Governance Working Group that has written and implemented approx 50 governance and operational policies for the organisation.

I am also a member of the HIV Legal Working Group that is a working group comprising of Board of Directors from Living Positive Victoria and the Victorian Aids Council working in partnership to change the recent trend in Australia of HIV exposure or transmission being pursued within a criminalisation framework, and instead to use public health regulations to manage exposure or transmission.

Since being elected a member of The Living Positive Victoria Board of Directors,I have attended 10 of 12 board meetings this year and recently received very positive feedback from the Board Performance Evaluation Review conducted in July 2013.

The issues that I am still passionate about are:

HIV Criminalisation

Recently there have been increasing criminal prosecutions of PLWIV and I have an interest in this area and a firm belief that there should continue be more high level advocacy to change this situation in Victoria.

Co Morbidity Effects of HIV Drugs

Long term use of anti retroviral drugs may cause higher risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and possible susceptibility to other major diseases. As a result of anti retroviral drugs, PLWHIV now have normal life expectancies and currently need to use these drugs for what could be a majority of their natural life span. I have an interest in advocating for research that will inform PLWHIV of these effects and actions that can be taken to minimize or prevent these additional health risks.

Discrimination of PLWHIV

People living with HIV are still experiencing discrimination in various forms, both within the GLBT and the wider community. I believe state & national bodies within the HIV sector, need to develop further effective strategies to assist create a community, which instead of judgment and discrimination, opens its arms to people living with HIV as valued leaders.

Living Positive Victoria – Board of Directors 2013-2014 nominee Ian Muchamore

Board nominations for 2013-2014 have now closed and we have 9 candidates. For election at the AGM, read the statements, think about who you would like to represent your interests on the Living Positive Victoria Board of Directors.

To have your interests represented you need to be in attendance at the AGM on Thursday 10 October at 6pm, RSVP here.

Statements appear in alpha order by the surname of the candidate, the sixth here is from Ian Muchamore:

I have now served on the Board of Living Positive Victoria for 20 months. Over that time I have been active across several areas including communications, research advice, strategic planning and fundraising. In 2013 my involvement and commitment stepped up further when I joined the Executive as Vice President. This role has given me deeper insights into our organisation, the expertise of staff, the needs and experiences of people living with HIV (PLWH) and the big picture organisational relationships that are needed to support our goals.

The governance of Living Positive Victoria goes from strength to strength. Overall the board has expertise across several important areas and personally, I believe I have brought key experience in medical research and public health, an understanding of planning and communications and a strong awareness of social and ethical issues. The development and recent publication of our draft strategic plan for the next three years articulates a clear vision where the organisation supports the health and wellbeing of PLWH. There is much to be done to ensure these good words are translated into meaningful actions and results.

I am pleased to have contributed to the organisation advocating that PLWH have the latest information about HIV treatments. Our organisation now has a clear, evidence-based position, available on our website, about the importance of early HIV treatment. From this strategic position, we are also advocating so that that the potential community prevention benefits of HIV treatment can be realised. The experience and resources of PLWH must recognised as central to HIV prevention.

One of the key areas expressed in the new strategic plan is to address the social exclusion many PLWH both feel and experience. This means continuing to challenge stigma and discrimination through community campaigns such as ENUF, a diverse range of peer-led support programs and a developing additional focus on the needs of older people.

An ongoing issue for many PLWH is the combined cost of multiple co-payments for Medicare scripts. PLWH in Victoria need fair access to the medications used to manage both their both their HIV and other medical issues. At Board Ievell have encouraged us to develop a comprehensive advocacy position and I expect this to be an active area for our work over the coming year.

A governance board composed of people living with HIV, elected by people living with HIV, means Living Positive Victoria can work and advocate with a strong and representative community voice. I will continue to advocate for greater diversity on the Board and the involvement of younger people, women and those from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

I very much hope that the new Board will balance both existing experience and ongoing commitment from current Board members with fresh opportunities for others from the community to become involved and contribute. Recent rule changes mean we can also co­ opt additional board members to increase the diversity of the Board.