Over the past 20 years, the Positive Living Centre (PLC) in Adelaide has provided a safe place for HIV-positive people to meet; practical assistance to meet the costs of HIV treatment; health and treatments information; peer education; support for people who are newly diagnosed; and informal counselling.  We also advocate for individual HIV-positive people, help them to challenge experiences of discrimination, and lobby on issues affecting the HIV-positive community.  Positive Life SA, which runs the PLC, also coordinates the Positive Speakers Bureau - a group of HIV-positive speakers who provide invaluable education about the realities of living with HIV to the wider community - students, health professionals, community services workers, and more.

Positive Life SA is unique.  It is the only funded organisation in South Australia driven by HIV-positive people.  Australia's record in minimising HIV transmission has been widely attributed to the central role of HIV-positive and gay community organisations in the HIV response.   In South Australia, we have been particularly successful at minimising HIV transmission - with only 7 newly acquired cases of HIV in 2013 and only 29 cases over the past 5 years (2009-2013 - the most recent available data - see page 44 of the Kirby Institute's 2014 Annual Surveillance Report of HIV, viral hepatitis, STIs).  This is by far the lowest of any state, except Tasmania.

It is clear that HIV-positive people in S.A. are enormously responsible, and have played a key role in achieving these low rates of transmission.  It is also reasonable to conclude that the informal, friendly, peer-based  HIV education and support which is only available through the Positive Living Centre, has contributed to this outcome. 

Defunding a demonstrably effective organisation like Positive Life SA simply doesn't make economic sense.  Every new HIV transmission can be expected to cost the health budget between $½ and $1 million - with flow-on costs to other areas of the economy. 

Defunding Positive Life defies logic.  We're a tiny organisation (equivalent of 3½ staff) with a big impact!  We run over 25 events annually, and provide over 6,500 episodes of service.  We have more than 400 HIV-positive members (by some estimates, almost half the people living with HIV in S.A.).  It makes no sense to lose this direct pathway the HIV-positive community.  It will take many years for new service providers to build the level of trust required to develop a membership of this size!

This is not a budget savings measure.  Funding for services for HIV-positive people has been taken away from Positive Life SA and granted to larger, highly-resourced organisations.    Rather than community-based services, the limited available evidence suggests they are likely to provide corporate-style campaigns,  pre-packaged workshops and (isolating) in-home individualised support. 

This SA Health decision silences the voices of the HIV-positive community in South Australia.  It is our fear that, as a result, rates of HIV transmission will grow to the much higher levels experienced in the eastern states. 

The defunding of Positive Life SA is due to take effect on 30 June.  Please sign our petition asking the South Australian Minister for Health to reinstate $400,000 funding to this demonstrably successful service, as a matter of urgency. 

AND … help us to build community awareness of HIV and become more financially independent through participating in the (fun!) #condomrescue challenge and contributing to our crowdfunding efforts.  (Details and links at www.condomrescue.com).