The NSW Users & AIDS Association

In December 1933 the 18th Amendment to the United States constitution was repealed, signalling the end of Prohibition and making alcohol legal once again. Although not the only reason, the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed played no small part in Prohibition’s fall. Almost overnight America’s appetite for expensive moral adventurism evaporated as millions of people found they had more pressing concerns — such as feeding themselves or finding work.

Julie Bates played a leading role in Australia’s early response to HIV/AIDS and has spent the past three decades working to improve the legal and human rights of marginalised people, specifically sex workers, injecting drug users and people living with HIV/AIDS. Julie was a foundation member of ADIC (the AIDS Drug Information Collective, the forerunner to NUAA) and was the first coordinator of NUAA. Today, Julie heads up Urban Realists, which provides advice and support to the sex industry. In this interview with User’s News editor Gideon Warhaft, Julie talks about the early days of HIV in Australia, specifically its impact on injecting drug users.

D.I.Y. Detoxing

Well, here I am again. Waiting for a place in rehab. And barely two years after swearing blind that I’d never piss on demand under the scrutiny of a public servant again. But here I am, nevertheless. And this one depends on a D.I.Y. detox, requiring three cleans per week, until a bed becomes available.