A.I.D.S. liaison welcomed

Press, 14 May 1987, Page 3

A.I.D.S. liaison welcomed

A new Parliamentary liaison group to deal with A.I.D;S. has been welcomed by the A.I.D.S. Foundation.

Mr Warren Lindberg, director of the foundation, said he was pleased with the idea.

“It is very important that members of Parliament be fully informed about A.I.D.S. and the issues that arise,” he said.

Politicians on all sides of the House have agreed to set up the liaison group to deal with A.I.D.S. The group will take a tripartisan approach on A.I.D.S. policies such as making syringes legally available. The idea for the group was put forward by the Minister of Health, Dr Bassett, last month when he wrote to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bolger. “I and my Cabinet col-

leagues are very conscious of the need to maintain the impetus of the New Zealand campaign to limit the spread of this major threat to public health," he said. "It will be tragic if elements of this campaign become a political football. I am pleased to say that Paul East’s (Opposition spokesman on Health) advice has, to date, been helpful on a

number of issues relating to A.1.D.5.” Dr Bassett said meetings of the group could be called by any of its members either to discuss issues with expert opinion or to consider new initiative to counteract the A.I.D.S. epidemic. “The subject is too important to be left to political whim based on ignorance or perceived party advantage.”