October 1982. HIV/AIDS: Australia’s first AIDS diagnosis
In October 1982 Professor Ron Penny diagnosed Australia’s first case of AIDS, at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. The man was a tourist visiting from the USA and he subsequently returned to Florida.
The first diagnosis of an Australian with AIDS occurred six months later in April 1983 in Melbourne. In this case the man had recently returned from the USA, where he had lived for a number of years. In July 1983 he became the first Australian to die from the condition.
Four days after his death, at a public meeting in Melbourne, the Victorian AIDS Action Committee was established. This went on to become the Victorian AIDS Council. That same year, AIDS Councils were also established in South Australia and Western Australia.
In 1985 AIDS Councils were established in Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The following year the Northern Territory AIDS Action Committee finally received funding and became the Northern Territory AIDS Council.
Can you please please please tell me the name of the first Australian to die in Melbourne in 1983?
I believe him to be my boyfriend of 6 years from Valdez Alaska. He was able in 1981 when he left Alaska to return to Australia.
I’m afraid I don’t know the name of the first Australian to die Cathy as I wasn’t in Australia at that time and confidentiality rules would mean that no one not directly connected with his care would know either (and, in theory, they shouldn’t be able to tell you even now.) You could try posting something on the Australian HIV/AIDS History group’s Facebook page but – again – given confidentiality issues, you may have problems. In the first instance I’d suggest that you ask that anyone with any information sends you a Personal Message, rather than posts directly onto the Facebook page. I hope that is of some help. Colin