Activists argue over group’s make-up

Press, 2 May 1988, Page 9

Activists argue over group’s make-up

PA Auckland Homosexual rights activists are arguing over who should represent homosexuals on a group set up to advise the Minister of Health, Mr Caygill, on A.I.D.S.

The Auckland Gay Task Force had appealed to Mr Caygill to reverse the appointment of a Wellington Gay Task Force activist to the newly formed National Council on A.I.D.S.

The 23-member council was meant to replace the A.I.D.S. Advisory Council, another quango created by a former Minister of Health, Dr Bassett. The new organisation met for the first time on April 28. But neither its head nor the Health Department would reveal its membership or how much it was costing the taxpayer.

Council members are said to be representatives of churches, youth groups and women’s groups. Although male homosexuals are one of the highest at-risk groups for A.1.D.5., they have only .one the

council, said a Wellington Gay Task Force member, Mr Phil Parkinson. He was appointed to the council by the Health Department’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Karen Poutasi. The Auckland Gay Task Force co-ordinator, Mr Peter Wall, said he told Dr Poutasi that the Auckland homosexual community could not work with Mr Parkinson, and asked her to enlarge the council to 24 members so that Mr Wall could also join.

She declined his request, and so he has appealed to Mr Caygill. A national homosexual conference in Christchurch sought the appointment of three homosexual men. Dr Poutasi declined. The feud between two homosexual task forces over who should represent homosexuals on the council came after several years of sometimes bitter rivalry between the two organisations, the newspaper reported.

The Auckland task force represents homosexual men only, bpi the

Wellington group has lesbian members. Both organisations decry each other’s tactics and membership structures, and each claims to be more representative of the homosexual community than the other. Mr Parkinson declined to give details of the council’s membership on the ground members had been told to keep membership secret when they met for the first time on April 28.

He said he believed the main reason for the secrecy was because legislation had to be passed to enact the formal creation of the council. He believed a bill would be introduced in Parliament soon. “Members of the council did not know who each other were until they got to the meeting,” he said.

The terms of reference of the council — in a letter Dr Poutasi sent to Mr Wail — said the organisation will offer advice to Mr Caygill and the Health Department on all matters relating to A.I.D.S.