With parliament adding an additional sitting week to their calendar for next week the government will be hoping they can ush through the bill before the end of the year, but opposition MPs and minor parties have a long list of questions about the bill.

Debate on the bill began in mid-October and its been progressing at a glacial pace. During the committee process of analysis the bill, which sees parliamentarians look at the legislation line by line, there’s been a huge range of motions to amend the legislation.

Liberal leader Basil Zempilas told The West Australian that his members were not deliberately slowing down progress of the bill.

During the last session there were attempts to change sections of the bill relating to the use of materials from a partner who had died. Alongside a push to increase the age of people who could serve as a surrogate, and current requirements that they have already given birth to at least one child.

There was also a call from The Australian Christians member Maryka Groenewald to introduce background checks for people wanting to start a family via surrogacy, it also failed to pass.

Each amendment failed, but line by line the debate dragged on.

As debate resumed on Tuesday with a push to ban any advertising about surrogacy services, it also failed. While the government put forward an increased the penalty for people found to be undertaking commercial surrogacy rather than an truistic endeavour.

The proposed legislation had 369 clauses when it arrived in the Legislative Assembly, and they’re currently looking at clause 112.

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In conversation with Dr Norman Swan she highlighted the challenges in the current global HIV funding environment, particularly in the context of the withdrawal of US funding from PEPFAR and other international funds.

“The world has the tools to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” she said. “The HIV response that was born from activism, solidarity and science remains one of humanity’s greatest collaborative achievements. So to preserve it, we need we must protect what works. Invest in what is new and never forget who is most at risk of being left behind.” Dr Grinsztejn said.

In her talk Dr Grinsztejn noted that discrimination, stigma, and access to lifesaving HIV prevention and treatment also persists around the globe.

The David Cooper Lecture honours the legacy of the Kirby Institute’s founding director, Scientia Professor David Cooper AC, who passed away in 2018. Professor Cooper was an internationally renowned scientist and HIV clinician who laid the foundations for Australia’s ongoing leadership in the fight against the global HIV epidemic.

Dr Grinsztejn reflected on the early days of HIV research and advocacy.

“In those days, HIV was not just a virus; it was a mirror reflecting who we were as a society,” Dr Grinsztejn said. “Many of the first people I cared for were gay men whose lives were devastated not only by an illness for which no treatment existed, but also by prejudice and rejection.

“The suffering I witnessed was not only biological but deeply social. People were dying from lack of medicines, yes, but also from loneliness, discrimination and the system [was] totally unprepared to care for them.”

It was during this time that she learned to view medicine as a field where “science and justice must walk together”.

The International AIDS Society President said the world had the ability to end HIV as a public health threat, but it as concerning that many countries were reducing their funding to the global challenge.

“The world has the tools to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,“ she said. “What is missing is sustained political will, predictable and adequate funding and the courage to confront inequity head-on.

“We also need to preserve investment in science and in preparing the new generation of scientists to continue the work.”

Dr Grinsztejn also highlighted that the criminalisation of homosexuality in many countries also created a huge challenges for providing effective services.

The US decision to reduce their contributions through the PEPFAR and USAID programs, and put limits on the conditions preventative medication can be deployed, and new system of setting up agreements would have a massive impact on the challenge.

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The Network 10 show has been a ratings success, and producers might be kicking themselves that they opted for a curtailed season of just a few weeks. With the show heading to its finale on Sunday night Big Brother will need to shed quite a few residents over this week.

Monday night saw a new round of nominations from the housemates and it ended up with Vinnie, Emily and Coco facing potential eviction – but when that night be is not completely clear.

First the housemates heard a parting message from the show’s most recent ejected – Perth based model Holly who was expelled on Sunday night.

In a video message Holly didn’t hold back, she said Connor was someone she never got on with, she dubbed Vinnie as someone who is “performative” and not authentic, and laid into Coco as well.

“Thank you for reminding me why I don’t trust females.” Holly said, describing her whole friendship with Coco as totally fake and said Coco was someone who was “slithering around”.

She made paramour Colin the Head Housemate giving him the power to assign jobs over the next week, and also save someone for eviction.

In the Big Brother Diary Room Allana said Holly parting message was malicious and not based on the truth.

Before the nominations Big Brother added another unexpected twist. A pile of presents were placed under the Christmas Tree and each housemate was asked to select one.

Only one box had a gift inside though, and it was picked by Edward. It gave him double to votes at this week’s nomination round, he could assign 10 points while the others only had five each.

As the housemates headed into the diary room to cast their votes they revealed who was getting on their nerves and who was judged to be a game player.

Colin gave four points to Coco calling her a “game player” who made him annoyed him, and then gave his ither point to Vinnie saying he wasn’t genuine. Emily gave three more points to Vinnie saying he was a “people pleasing game player”, and gave her other two points to Bruce saying she’d had enough of his temper.

Bruce gave three points Allana saying she didn’t listen to other people’s perspective, and gave two points to Emily saying she was a threat to his chances of winning. Allana also nominated Vinnie for three points saying they were not connected, while giving two points to Connor saying he could end up a winner and should be eliminated.

Vinnie gave four points to Allana sensing they were not having a good vibe, and then gave his remaining points to Coco. Coco have three points to Edward saying he was “two-faced” and gave two points to Vinnie describing him as someone who could not be trusted.

Connor nominated Emily for three points, saying she needed to be taken out because as a wonderful person Australia would be loving her and she needed to be evicted. He then nominated Coco, despite her being his closest friend.

The tally board put Vinnie, Allana and Coco at the top of the tally board, but then Edward got his massive 10 votes to deploy.

Edward gave Vinnie seven points, saying he was giving too much life advice and relationship advice for someone of a young age, and said he agreed with the assessment Holly and Jane delivered in their messages labelling him a “fake”.

Edward said Coco was getting his final three points, because she was a potential winner. Edward’s choices didn’t change the top nominations, but Vinnie ended up with 16 points.

Allana was saved from the chopping block when Colin used his Head Housemate powers, pushing Emily into the eviction club.

Tune in to see what happens next on Ten and 10Play.

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The Health Safeguards for People Born with Variations in Sex Characteristics Bill 2025 would place restrictions on unnecessary or deferrable medical treatment until the individual can give informed consent.

The legislation would also see the formation of an independent expert panel which includes people with lived experience and experts from the fields of human rights, mental health, ethics and law, who will be empowered to oversee medical treatment plans for children with variations of sex characteristics.

Treatment will only be able to be approved if the person faces significant harm without it, and no safer, effective alternative exists. Urgent and medically necessary medical care would continue without interference.

Patients and their families will be now be supported with consistent information about the relevant intersex variation, proposed treatments, risks and benefits and alternatives, including deferring or not intervening at all. Parents will still need to consent to medically necessary treatment on their child’s behalf, and clinicians will continue to lead medical care, supported by new safeguards and processes. 

Drafting of the Bill has been informed by years of advocacy from intersex advocates and LGBTIQA+ organisations, and guided by the (i) Am Equal report and the state’s LGBTIQA+ Strategy. The reforms also come in light of calls from the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Medical Association to better protect intersex people.

Advocates welcome introduction of the Bill

Intersex advocates and LGBTIQA+ organisations have welcomed the news, among them Executive Director of Intersex Human Rights Australia (IHRA), Dr Morgan Carpenter.

Dr Carpenter explains people with intersex variations routinely undergo harmful practices.

“[We undergo] unnecessary medical interventions before we can consent – to make our bodies fit gender stereotypes or to mitigate hypothetical risks of stigmatisation.”

“Unnecessary medical interventions without personal consent don’t reduce stigma – they reinforce it. The resulting loss of sensation, function and bodily autonomy all contribute to adverse physical and mental health. For decades, InterAction and our founding organisations have sought legislative protections from harmful practices. 

“Victoria is the first state and the second jurisdiction in Australia to introduce these vital reforms. We thank the government for its heartfelt support, we invite all members of parliament to support these measures, and we encourage other Australian governments to step up.”

Veteran intersex advocate and Co-Chair of InterAction for Health and Human Rights Tony Briffa says this Bill is about safeguarding every person’s right to make decisions about their own body.

“Procedures that alter sex characteristics raise profound and deeply personal questions – questions that I wish I had the chance to answer for myself,” Briffa said.

“Today is very emotional for me – I have spent 25 years fighting to see these reforms make it to parliament to protect future generations of intersex children in Victoria.

“I commend the government for introducing legislation that protects a child’s right to make these incredibly personal and intimate decisions for themselves when they are mature enough, and I call on other states to adopt similar protections.” 

Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown adds that the Bill marks a significant development in advancing the human rights of intersex people in Victoria.

“These reforms will ensure intersex people can decide what happens to their own bodies, so they are not left with the physical and psychological scars of unnecessary medical decisions made about them without their say.  

“Too many intersex people have had to live with the consequences of decisions they had no real part in – and which could have waited until they were old enough to have a say.  

“We urge all MPs to back these reforms and help protect future generations from harm.” 

If passed, Victoria will follow the Australian Capital Territory in introducing these protections for intersex children, becoming the first state to do so.

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The book opens with Dan peddling his bike across the deserted country town of Chipping Hollow late at night. His destination was his girlfriend Libby’s place because he needed to have a face-to-face conversation with her about something that couldn’t wait.

Unfortunately, he never made it to his destination because he didn’t see the truck as it crested the hill until it was too late. And the driver of the truck didn’t see him because Dan never got around to getting the bike lights fixed.

While Dan lies in a coma at the local hospital, Libby finds out that she has become the target of a hate campaign at school. There is an online posting of her supposedly cheating on her boyfriend and the school hallway and classrooms echo with snide remarks calling her a ‘slut’, a ‘whore’, a ‘bitch’ and a ‘tart’.

I suppose it is wishful thinking on my behalf that this kind of behaviour had become extinct, but abusive sexualised name calling and insults and spreading rumours of a sexual nature online is alive and well.

Neha, who arrived in the last year of St Hilda’s co-ed school half-was through the school year, was finding life difficult and friendless as well. She could avoid the subtle racism, but being queer at a Christian school in a quaint village where everyone seems to have known each other since birth was a difficult hurdle to navigate.

Neha keeps her sexuality a secret because she feels that exposing her sexuality would make her more of an outcast. As the bullying of Libby turns from verbal to physical, Neha decides that she has to befriend her and protect her from the poisonous teenagers at the school.

When Libby finds herself falling for Neha, she worries that if she follows her heart she will betray the people she cares about most. Can she discover who she really is before she loses everyone, and what secret did Dan want to share with her as he sped towards her place?

Lezly Herbert

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American composer Aaron Copland died on this day in 1990, just a few weeks after his 90th birthday.

Born in New York in 1900, his family were immigrants who had come to America from Lithuania via Scotland, along the way changing their name from Kaplan to Copland. The young Aaron Copland began composing music at an early age and went on to study at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

After further study in Paris, and travelling around Europe he returned to the USA where he began his career as a composer.

His works involve slow changing harmonies, which many feel capture the wide openness of the American landscape and evoke a feeling a patriotism.

Appalachian Spring is one of the most admired works by composer Aaron Copland, surpassed perhaps only by his earlier work Fanfare for the Common Man.

Appalachian Spring (A Ballet) was commissioned by choreographer Martha Graham, and the work made it’s debut at the USA’s Library of Congress on October 30, 1944 with Graham dancing the lead role.

Copland later spoke about how it amused him when people told him the score perfectly captured the feeling of the Appalachian Mountains, because the decision to name the piece Appalachian Spring came after the music was written. He had originally simply titled the piece Ballet for Martha, and it was Graham who suggested naming the piece, taking inspiration from a Hart Crame poem.

Over his life Copland created over 100 works. He was very private about his personal life, but it widely accepted that he was gay and comfortable with his sexuality. Throughout his life he had a number of companions who travelled with him, they were usually talented young men who worked in the arts.

Jason Collins was born on this day in 1978

Professional basketball player Jason Collins was born on this day in 1978. Born in Los Angeles, just a few minutes ahead of twin brother Jarron, he became the first person in his sport at a professional level to share that they were gay.

He made his announcement at the end of the 2012-13 season, the following year he was a free agent and didn’t play again until 2014 when he was signed by the Brooklyn Nets. While Collins made the history books in basketball, he is also the second player to come out while playing professional sports in the USA. Soccer player Robbie Rodgers who was playing for the LA Galaxy shared his sexuality in 2013.

During his career Collins played for the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawkes, Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and the Nets.

In 2025 Collins shared that he was undergoing treatment for brain cancer.

The post On This Gay Day | Composer Aaron Copland died in 1990 appeared first on OUTinPerth.

Organised by Equality Tasmania representative Trenton Hoare, the Living Proof forum featured experts in the field alongside Amilie Courtney, a young woman with lived experience, and her parents.

Eloise Brook, CEO of Australian Professional Association for Trans Health; Yalei Wilson, clinical psychologist and; Dr Miro Rainsford, counsellor and behavioural sciences researcher, also appeared at the forum.

“We planned for 70 people to attend today’s forum but almost 100 came, so there was standing room only,” Hoare said.

“There is a significant amount of misinformation about health care for young trans and gender diverse people and the forum helped to inform members of the public about what the scientific evidence tells us.

“It was great to see so many politicians, health professionals and members of the community attending today’s forum.

“They left with a better understanding of how affirming care saves young lives and keeps families together.”

Ahead of Living Proof, Equality Tasmania’s Rodney Croome launched a new group – the Parliamentary Friends of LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians, which will be co-convened by MPs from numerous parties with a mission to inform MPs on issues of concern to our communities.

Co-convenors of the group are the Liberals Minister for Health Bridget Archer, Shadow Minister for Equality Ella Haddad, Independent Members Kristie Johnson and Meg Webb, and Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff.

“The most important LGBTIQA+ law reforms in our state’s history – including the decriminalisation of homosexuality, anti-discrimination protections and gender recognition laws – have been achieved with politicians working together across the parliament,” Croome said of the group’s launch.

“The Parliamentary Friends of LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians group will foster cooperation across political lines, as well as raise awareness and support among MPs by conducting events highlighting the continued discrimination and disadvantages facing the LGBTIQA+ community.”

Images: Rod Spark Photography

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The series is set to return to Network 10 in January, and we’ve been tipped off to three celebrity visitors who will be heading to the wilderness next year.

Julia Morris will return as host, alongside Robert Irwin – fresh off his headline-making Dancing With The Stars win in the USA, where he followed in the footsteps of his sister Bindi who won the program in 2015.

Now for the clues – do you have an inkling who is joining the next outing?

“First up, a Hollywood sitcom star will be bringing their star power to the jungle and hopefully bringing the stars back to camp when they trade red carpets for tucker trials.”

“A Rugby Romeo will be trading scrums for chum as he gets his kicks from tucker trials. Will he find romance in the jungle? Or will his time in camp be a Shakesperean tragedy?”

“Joining them is an international supermodel, swapping designer clothes for what we believe is a very fashionable khaki set. With a connection to rock and roll royalty, this celeb is going to be rubbing shoulders with the beetles when she enters the jungle.”

Watch the teasers and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! premieres Sunday, 18 January 2026.

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City of Perth Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds said it was inspiring to see the community come together in such a powerful show of support.
 
“The Pride Parade is always one of the brightest nights on Perth’s calendar – and this year’s celebration was truly extraordinary,” Reynolds said.
 
“Our City of Light shone brilliantly as Northbridge transformed into a sea of colour, energy, and inclusion. Congratulations to Pride WA for once again creating an event that brings people together and reminds us that Perth is a place where everyone can proudly be themselves.
 
“Further strengthening our reputation as a city of inclusion, Perth has officially won its bid to host the Gay Games in 2030 – a global event that will bring together thousands of participants and spectators from around the world,” he said.

The Lord Mayor made many appearances during the festival appearing at the Pride Walk & Run, Fairday and other events.

Saturday night’s parade saw over 100 floats weaving their way through the streets of Northbridge with a sound of disco tunes and a display a rainbow colours.

Take a look at some of the photos from the big event.

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Five remarkable everyday Australians have been recognised for their leadership, support and advocacy for people living with HIV. 

Now in its fifth year, the Community Champions program continues to highlight the extraordinary contribution individuals make to the HIV response in Australia through their compassion, commitment and community leadership.

This year saw a record 56 nominations from within the sector, reflecting not only the breadth of experience within the community but also the significant role played by those who walk alongside people living with HIV. 

Among this year’s recipients are four peer workers whose lived experience strengthens the care they provide and a GP who has been a strong advocate for embedding peer support within clinical practice.

Together, they represent the many allies who offer insight, connection and practical support at some of life’s most challenging moments. 

NAPWHA President Scott Harlum said this year’s recipients demonstrate the power of lived experience in action.

“Peer support has always been at the heart of Australia’s HIV response and this year’s Champions embody that more clearly than ever. They remind us that progress is driven by people with lived experience, and by those who stand in solidarity alongside them. Their work brings dignity, hope and connection at a time when stigma and inequity still shape the lives of too many.” 

Gilead Sciences ANZ Director Public Affairs Lisa Maguire said the growth of the program reflects its deepening impact.

“Gilead is honoured to support the Community Champions program in its fifth year. The record number of nominations this year illustrates the continuing growth of the program and the enormous respect communities have for their peers, advocates and allies,” Maguire said. 

“We are proud to stand with NAPWHA and recognise those in the community who share our continuing commitment to reducing stigma and improving outcomes for everyone living with HIV.”

The 2025 Community Champions include two people from Western Australia. WAAC Peer Support worker Charlie Manley and Dr Fergus McCabe.

Manley spoke to OUTinPerth at Sunday’s commuity gathering ahead of World AIDS Day and shared that he’d found out about the honour while he was on holiday in Argentina.

“I was on holiday was getting all these phone calls and messages from people from work.” he shared, but like anyone away on leave he completed ignored their messages, until his team leader managed to get through.

“I was just so shocked, surprised and super grateful. It was really surreal, but it was really amazing.” he said.

In recent years Manley has often spoken about his own experience of discovering as a young man that he was HIV positive. Now he helps other people who are newly disagnosed with their journey. Work that he’s committed to and passionate about.

“It’s amazing to be honest, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I’m so grateful I work in the space and help the amazing people I work with. I’m just really grateful to support people and guide them through something that I have also lived through.

“I know what its like, and I know how painful and lonely it can feel. To be that support person it is amazing for me, and its incredible work.”

Find out about all the Community Champions

Babi – Overseas Born Community Champion. A trailblazing transgender woman and community leader, Babi supports migrants, international students and people living with HIV to navigate stigma, identity and complex systems with dignity, strength and care. 

Helen – Peer Community Champion. A Peer Navigator with Queensland Positive People (QPP), Helen walks beside people living with HIV with empathy and calm assurance, helping them reconnect with care, rebuild confidence and find community. 

Charlie – Emerging Community Champion. A peer worker and case manager at WAAC, Charlie provides grounded, compassionate support to people facing isolation, migration challenges and stigma, creating welcoming spaces where connection and belonging can grow. 

Ron – Bolder Community Champion. A social worker, researcher and long-time advocate, Ron champions the rights, visibility and wellbeing of older people living with HIV, using lived experience to guide connection, community and change. 

Dr. Fergus McCabe – Health Ally Community Champion. A respected HIV GP and strong advocate for peer-led care, Fergus centres patient choice and collaboration, empowering peers as leaders within a community-driven model of care. 

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