M.P. calls for isolation of gays

Press, 30 June 1983, Page 10

M.P. calls for isolation of gays

NZPA Sydney The Rev. Fred Nile has called on the Federal Government to quarantine Australian homosexuals when they return from gay week in San Francisco to prevent the spread of the mystery disease A.I.D.S. Mr Nile said yesterday that an estimated 1200 Australian gays were among 300,000 people in San Francisco on Monday for the annual Gay Freedom Day parade in the city. Yesterday Mr Nile sent off urgent telexes to the Immigration Minister, Mr

Stewart West, and the Health Minister, Mr Neal Blewett, calling on them to quarantine the gays on their return to Australia, and enforce medical tests for AJ.D.S., or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Mr Nile, director of the Festival of Light and a New South Wales member of the Legislative Council (state member of Parliament), said that the Australian gays were right at the heart of the A.I.D.S. epidemic. “They are in the eye of the storm. It will be a miracle if at least one of

them doesn’t pick up the disease.” Mr Nile said that he could only hope the Australians did not engage in sexual activities while in San Francisco. “But that is a forlorn hope,” he said. Mr Nile believed that the gays would be easily identifiable on their return as most had arranged to travel under group package deals advertised in gay newspapers. A.I.D.S. is regarded as one of the most frightening medical puzzles in the world today. The so-called

AJ.D.S. epidemic has created near hysteria in the United States as it is said to kill nine in every 10 people it strikes. Homosexuals, intravenous drug abusers, Haitians and haemophiliacs are the risk groups for the disease and account for more than 94 per cent of its victims in the United States. Of more than 1600 confirmed AJD.S. victims in the states, over 1100 were identified as homosexual or bisexual. Mr Nile said that there had been 19 suspected cases

in Australia and he believed the disease could have been introduced by homosexuals returning from the gay Olympics in San Francisco 18 months ago. Meanwhile, the spread of AJ.D.S. is slowing in New York City, partly because of changing lifestyles among homosexuals and possibly because the disease is less virulent than previously thought, said New York’s Health Commissioner. Dr David Sencer said that might mean the spread of A.I.D.S. would slow in other parts of the country as well.