As Mardi Gras season heats up, more LGBTQ+ community members are opting for house parties and underground events over costly ticketed festivals, but smaller gatherings come with their own risks. ACON's harm reduction project Between the Lines shares resources and information about a free upcoming Party Safe 101 event specifically designed to build helpful skills this Mardi Gras season.

It’s Your Right was designed by and for people who use drugs, and was developed to promote hep C testing and treatment to people who inject drugs. The campaign is part of a broader national strategy to work towards eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat in Australia.  

In this edition of Users News, Yvonne, Hep C Custodial Campaign Coordinator at AIVL and Brie, Outreach Lead at NUAA have shared some words about the campaign, its history, and how to get involved.  

Recently, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved lenacapavir for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This brings both exciting possibilities and important questions about access for people who want a pharmaceutical option to reduce their risk of contracting HIV.

The holiday season can be a challenging time for many people who use drugs. While December and January are traditionally times of celebration and family gatherings, they're also periods when overdose risks increase. The combination of social pressures, emotional stress, an easy access to alcohol and other drugs creates a perfect storm for potential harms.  

This World AIDS Day, NUAA Chairperson Andy Heslop shares his journey living with HIV and calls for an end to stigma. He calls on the community to drop outdated language, embrace people-first communication, and recognise that living with HIV today means living a full, healthy life.

After months of waiting, the NSW Government finally released its response to the Drug Summit on 28 October 2025, nearly a year after the Summit took place in December 2024. 

We had hoped to end 2025 on a positive note, but we are left feeling somewhat disheartened and conflicted. While there are elements of validation in the government’s response, it also highlights how much work remains to be done. 

The NSW Government has delivered its response to the 2024 Drug Summit Report, and there's both progress to acknowledge and work still to be done.  

The government supported or supported "in principle" over 50 of the 56 recommendations – a significant commitment that reflects months of consultation with over 700 Summit participants and 3,669 written submissions.  

While many in our community and the sector had hoped for bolder reform, there are genuine wins here that will make a difference to people's lives. 

Whether you're new to injecting or have been doing it for years there are always risks to be mindful of. The good news is that there are practical ways to look after your veins and keep them healthier for longer. Tony, a blood borne virus (BBV) outreach worker at NUAA, sat down with Users News to share his knowledge about all things vein care.