A number of gay bars in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra; and gay community newspapers The Sydney Star Observer, Melbourne's Southern Star Observer and Queensland's QNews have announced plans to raise and/or donate funds to the victims of the Queensland floods.
According to the Sydney Star Observer, Melbourne's Xchange Hotel will hold a special fundraiser night on Sunday, January 23, where funds will go directly to the Queensland Premier's Flood Relief Fund. So will Sydney's Slide Bar on Oxford Street, according to gay website Samesame.com.au. It also reported that Brisbane's Fluffy nightclub, which was unaffected by the water damage, will be donating all door profits to the Queensland Flood Appeal and cash will also collected by bucket-shakers at the club through the weekend. Canberra's Connections club has promised to match the dollar amount donated by customers this weekend. Several others including Melbourne's Disgraceland/JettBlack; Sydney's Saturday Fucking Night/Nevermind, The Stonewall Hotel and Midnight Shift have also announced plans to raise funds this weekend.
SSO Media, publishers of the Southern Star Observer and the Sydney Star Observer, has pledged 10 percent of all advertising sales from issue 1056 of the Sydney Star Observer and 118 of Southern Star Observer, including sales that have already been made, to the Queensland Premier's Flood Relief Appeal. Brisbane-based QNews will donate 10 percent of new bookings and upgrades across issues 264 and 265.
As of Friday, Jan 14, QNews reported on its website that its phone lines have been restored after power was shut off around 1.30pm on Wednesday. Its Paddington office, which has not been damaged by the floodwaters, is located just 250 metres from one of the worst hit areas in Milton.
[Update on Jan 17: Ray Mackereth, publisher and managing director of QNews, told Fridae in an email on Monday that his office was temporarily relocated to St Pauls Tavern (who had offered their conference facilities) after the power cut so that they could complete and digitally send the magazine to the printers. The fortnightly magazine was distributed over the weekend and staff will continue to do so early this week wherever possible.]
QNews is also running a billeting program for those who are affected by the flood as "emergency shelters are not always welcoming to trans, gay and lesbians especially couples" and for pets, according to an update on its website. It says the paper has received 100s more offers of accommodation than are needed thanks to the overwhelming generosity of their readers.
It also reported that the ALSO Foundation is holding a fundraiser at their Midsumma Carnival Fair Day in Melbourne on Friday, Jan 14. Funds raised will benefit the Queensland Association for Healthy Communities (QAHC) relief fund.
Brisbane and other parts of Queensland now face a massive task of cleaning up and rebuilding as floodwaters recede after leaving some 26,000 properties – with 11,900 homes completely under water and another 14,700 are partially flooded – in the Brisbane area after the water level peaked early Thursday morning. Fifteen people are confirmed dead, while 55 are reportedly missing. Media reports say the flooding which began in late November in northern Queensland has affected an area roughly the size of Germany and France combined. Some 65,000 homes and businesses in the south-east part of the state are still without electricity – most of those are in the Brisbane area. Meanwhile above-average cyclone activity is expected through to end-March.
The Alliance is a coalition of organisations from across Australia that provide health-related programs, services and research targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse people (LGBTI).Australia's National LGBTI Health Alliance and other organisations and businesses have also set up a range of support services for people affected by the floods in Queensland. Support services include LGBTI-friendly accomodation, clean-up, counselling and financial assistance. They are also calling for donations to a special fund to assist LGBTI people who are not able to ask mainstream providers for support on sensitive issues and to assist LGBTI community organisations who have experienced loses. Find out more at www.qahc.org.au/floods or by calling 1800 177 434 or (07) 3017 1777.
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Reader's Comments
I am living through these floods. I have lost my car and home and have been quite badly injured because of them. The help I have had from the community I live in has been huge. Not one gay group has come to help us, we have relied solely on the mainstream groups providing assistance and it has been amazing and encompassing. No one has cared wether we are gay or straight.
These stories do more to damage the gay community than to help it. The help being provided is regardless of bias.
I find this story very hurtful to those of us who are living in this night mare. Maybe some positive stories about the floods and the gay guys who are shining through it would have been better.
I totally agree with what you said. Not a very helpful article written from a bit of a skewed perspective.
"emergency shelters are not always welcoming to trans, gay and lesbians especially couples"
I simply dont believe that .
Sounds like a thoughtless off-cuff-comment which would offend so many compassionate volunteers from all communties.
Homophobia, racism, is widely exaggerated in australia.
These groups raising funds for only GBLT's is further exacerbating the "them and us" syndrome that many of us seem to want to propagate.
We should be raising funds and contributing to all people affected by disaster.
This is a human tragedy affecting all parts of society and should (and as is the case in Queeensland) require a humane response from all parts of society.
LGBT people wishing to assist with the clean-up operation can ring QAHC to volunteer and people that do not wish to use mainstream support can also contact QAHC for assistance.
The Gay and Lesbian Welfare Association has counselling available from 7pm-10pm on (07) 3017 1717 or 1800 184 527.
The QAHC web site has further details about emergency and support contacts, transport, general clean-up assistance and financial assistance.
QAHC has also arranged its own special flood recovery fund to assist LGBT people who need assistance for sensitive items but are not comfortable seeking help from mainstream groups.
We as a community would of course naturally show our compassion and human-ness by contributing to all. Sexuality should not come into it.
The above article seems to portray that the gay community here is doing something special by raising funds. Nobody needs a pat on the back. Its just natural. Its absurd. This is an Australian tragedy, and all Australians pull together.
The quote from 'Qnews' that emergency shelters are "not welcoming to trans gay and lesbians especially couples" is without substance and an rather inflammatory quote, one that the editor of fridae should have removed or "Sylvia Tan" might have tactfully not added to her article. There is enough pain, death, suffering and heartache in our country now without stirring up that type of hatred.
Thanks to ALL people for helping in this crisis, from the government of many countries,( even the Indonesian Government donated one million dollars), singapore and NZ have given practical aid of special forces and helicopters etc,...... businesses, community groups ( GAY & STRAIGHT) for raising funds, the thousands of volunteers straight, gay, and of all religions and colours of skin.
When it all boils down.... we are all human. This is a human tragedy. The response has been human.
Lets not politicize it.
Communtiy divisions not needed here... thanks but no thanks.
The above article is so out of sync with what is happening here (in regard to feelings, attitudes, public reaction to the disaster) the editor/author should have run-it-by an aussie before submitting on this site.
GBLT "orgs", groups and businesses raising funds for gay/lesbian/bi-sexual/transgender-related issues/needs is much needed as many are underfunded by the government.
Gay businesses and organisations raising money for public appeals to help in this crisis is commendable, as are ALL businesses, orgs, and groups, & individuals It is a naturally humane response to pain and suffering of our fellow humans.
We are gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and transgender, and we have a heart.
Straight people do too!
"Australia's National LGBTI Health Alliance has set up a range of support services for people affected by the floods and is seeking donations to assist LGBTI people who are not able to ask mainstream providers for support and to assist LGBTI community organisations who have experienced loses."
I need to ask here...... why cant these LGBTI ask mainstream providers for support? Is this a serious fact, or is it a ficticious embellishment to make an article sound dramatic?
LGBTI persons have no problem in normal circumstances asking for help and support form "mainstream"providers" whether it be from businesses, medical, social services.
Why would an emergency be any different.
so silly! Truly written by a person who has NO idea what society is like in Australia.
Thank you for your feedback.
I'm the author of the article above. As attributed in the article, the fundraising efforts were first reported by various gay newspapers in Australia, and the fundraising for LGBT individuals and groups affected by the flood is an appeal by the National LGBTI Health Alliance. The Queensland Pride newspaper similarly mentioned the same in a post on their website. Your question as to why LGBTI individuals aren't able to ask mainstream providers for assistance is perhaps best put to the Alliance.
On a personal note: As an alumnus of Griffith University and the Queensland College of Art, and editorial intern at the (now-defunct) gay Brother Sister newspaper's Fortitude Valley office, I'm personally very saddened by the disaster and I hope everyone gets the help and support they need.
I had a family, mum, dad and 4 kids under 15 turn up in my lounge room and ask me if i needed help, they didnt ask if i was gay... they probably didnt need given some of my art works on the wall. But they worked for hours, left their phone numbers gave me hugs. Now if LGBTI people cannot accept that help there is something wrong.
My neighbour who had more damage than me done, is a Transexual and he had 3 guys from one of Brisbanes well know rugby teams help at his house.... he will no doubt dine out on this story for months.
I am very well aware of all of these issues, but sometimes as gays we need to stop being precious about how/where we live and who we sleep with and realise that we are part of a huge community that when needed buckles in and helps.
I was on my way home from my office in Lockyer Valley last Monday afternoon and got caught in the torrent of water in Withcott. My car was pushed about 500 metres backwards down the road and ended up in a drain. I eventually had to escape from my vehicle and spent sometime standing between my vehicle and the one that had pushed into it, my car had tipped to a 45degree angle and was going to topple into a drain - meaning I would certainly be drowned.
I was fine for a while but got hit a tree being washed down the roadway. I lost my footing and was washed underneath my vehicle and had to grab hold of a road side speed sign as the water washed around me. I stayed hanging onto the post until eventually the water level dropped.
Physically I am very beaten up with most of the skin torn from my legs below my knees by the tree branches, lumps of wood and large pieces of bitumen. I have no skin left on my right fore-arm as I wear a silver bracelet on that arm and I held that bracelet tight to keep me from being washed away as I clung to the road sign. I have a great bruise on my ribs from being washed into the road sign.
I was very well looked after in the town that this occured in by the locals, but unfortunately it meant that I could not get to my own home and move things out before the flooding got to it.
I count myself very lucky amongst the people affected by the floods, I have received minor injuries which in a few weeks will be forgotten. I have lost things, and only things. What I hold precious to me is still with me.
I am sharing this so you may have some understanding of what people in this area have gone through.
Your physical injuries may heal, but be aware that the shock of such an ordeal may not have manisfested itself. I'm heartened to know that you were cared for by the local community, and hope that you continue to get support.
In the coming months many will need support other than medical and material. Emotional and psycological support will be a big issue.
I hope fridae follows up on this story and maybe relate experiences of our LGBTI brothers and sisters who have gone through this.
Take care.
Environmental catastrophe caused by global warming needs a concerted human responce equal to that put behind HIV prevention & health care which also started out very lacking
i still don't really know what constitutes a gay business from a straight one except for the sexuality of the owners, i guess the free market will decide the winners and losers, but its good people will reach out and help those in need
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