Saturday Magazine JOY 94.9 - Queer Podcasts for all our Rainbow Communities: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Questioning, Asexual, Ally, LGBT, GLBT, LGBT+, LGBTQ, LGBTI, LGBTIQA+, LGBTQIA+

This Sunday is  Annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, 19th  May. Fiona and Nevena talk to Brenton Geyer, Comms manager, Living Positive about this important day.

Nevena and Fiona are joined live in the studio by Dechlan Brennan, ppen letter urges Victorian government to cover the “exorbitant” cost of prisoner phone calls

A coalition of legal and community groups used Mother’s Day to call for the Victorian government to fully fund the cost of phone calls for incarcerated people.

In an open letter addressed to the Treasurer, the Minister for Corrections, and the Minister for Children, the thirteen organisations said they were disappointed there was no funding in the recent state budget to subsidise calls for prisoners.

This is despite the Yoorrook Justice Commission recommending in their interim report last year that Aboriginal prisoners be able to “make telephone calls for free or at no greater cost than the general community”.

https://nit.com.au/13-05-2024/11373/open-letter-urges-victorian-government-to-cover-the-exorbitant-cost-of-prisoner-phone-calls

Nevena and Fiona talk to Joey Moloney is the Deputy Program Director of Grattan Institute’s Economic Policy program. He is an economist with experience in public policy research and implementation.

Joey, Fiona and Nevena discuss the coalition’s super-for-housing policy would only help wealthier homebuyers.

https://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/coalition-s-super-for-housing-policy-would-only-help-wealthier-homebuyers-20240505-p5fp0g.html

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he wants to turn this around, and has appointed Senator Andrew Bragg as the new shadow assistant minister for homeownership to develop policies for the Coalition to take to the next election and reverse this decline.

Nevena and Fiona are joined live on-air by Jocelyn Bignold OAM, CEO of McAuley Community Services for Women



Jocelyn Bignold has been the CEO of McAuley Community Services for Women since 2008. McAuley Community Services for Women has a track record of innovation in providing support for women and their children who are experiencing family violence, and women who are homeless. Jocelyn was an expert witness before the Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence.

Jocelyn has over 25 years’ experience in community services, policy development, management and advocacy. Her work has led to an extensive collaboration with Government and other non-Government organisations to improve policy responses and service systems designed to support those in need.

Jocelyn was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the 2020 Australia Day Honours. The Award recognises her service to the community through social welfare organisations and her leadership and commitment to making lives better for women and children who have faced family violence and homelessness.



McAuley Community Services for Women

Family violence is sadly a common topic currently and remains a crisis in Victoria, reportedly rising by 23% since 2017 and amounting to police responding to a family violence call every six minutes. With up to 80% of cases remaining unreported, robust intervention and support strategies to suit individual situations are crucial to ending the cycle.



Current intervention strategies in the state focus on supporting victims fleeing from abuse; however, with over 32,000 women and 12,000 children rendered homeless in the state annually fleeing family violence, it is evident further efforts need to be made to support earlier intervention to prevent this escalation.



The pilot Safe at Home program is reimagining intervention strategies in the state, creating an early intervention model which works alongside all family members – including perpetrators of violence, victims and children – to address their individual needs and keep women and children safe in their own homes.

Fiona and Nevena read the messages and emails from the listeners.

Nevena and Fiona are joined live on-air by Simon Ruth, CEO, Thorne Harbour Health. IDAHOBIT, Thorne Harbour leaving Twitter, and Mpox.  Yesterday was IDAHOBIT – How did Thorne Harbour recognise the day this year? Why did Thorne Harbour decide to leave X? Why is standing up against online abuse especially important for our communities? Speaking of protecting our communities, can you tell us what’s happening with Mpox? And can you remind us what steps we can take to stay protected from Mpox?