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First Review: Rampant

The theme for the 1983 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade was ‘On our way to Freedom’. Two years later it was ‘Fighting for our Lives’. The HIV virus was here.

The press release for Rampant: How a City Stopped a Plague boldly promises the story of how “poofters, junkies and whores contained the AIDS virus.” Twenty years ago we probably would have baulked at such terminology, but aside from the unfortunate play on words with “contained,” I like the fact this doco speaks my language.

If Oxford Street was the theatre of war, then St Vincent’s Hospital and the Taylor Square Clinic were arguably its frontlines. As Dr. Helen McCabe and Basil Donovan tell us, and as if we needed reminding, these were desperate times. But it was hardly an ideal time for Neal Blewett either, educated on ‘GRIDS’ the day after he was installed as Federal Health Minister in the 1983 Hawke Government.

Blewett, who admits to earlier homosexual experiences in his uni days, was determined to forge an inclusive, national response to the virus. Supported by his openly gay senior advisor, Bill Bowtell, Blewett sought the support of both the opposition and the gay community. As the Reagan administration fiddled Nero-like, Blewett encouraged advertising campaigns promoting safe sex. Here were government-sanctioned posters of naked men actually enjoying condoms.

Ita Buttrose, editor of the Daily Telegraph, was drafted to head up the National Advisory Committee on AIDS. She became our Liz Taylor, a woman who championed safe sex, who didn’t shy from a fight and who, contentiously, sold a message to the masses with the divisive ‘Grim Reaper’ campaign.

Meanwhile, illegal brothels were engaged in political dialogue. Needle exchange programs were initiated with IV drug users. The end result of this mammoth, uncharted medical campaign was that ‘society’s lowlife’ were indeed forging a war that has since won international admiration.

With recollections of Bobby Goldsmith, haemophiliac advocates and key interviewees including Professors Ron Penny and David Pennington, ACON’s Bill Whittaker, DJ Stephen Allkins (and yes, even Fred Nile) this is a virtuous archival documentary. It doesn’t tell us enough about how gay men were ignored by bureaucrats while their lovers died. Its victories will be small comfort for those who remember shame, fury, violence and death.

But as this response to a living virus continues with every passing day, it is worth acknowledging some of our achievements, too.

Rampant: How a City Stopped a Plague airs 8:30pm Monday Dec 3 on ABC.

Saturday December 1 is World AIDS Day.

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