All language subtitles for In.Our.Blood.S01E02.1080p.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-WH

AIDS. Is it something
we should be concerned about?

The Center for Disease Control
in the US is keeping us updated.

There's more and more people
come down with AIDS.

Believe it?
I don't know. It's pretty scary.

Oh, it sounds like a beat-up.

I heard it's only happening to guys
that sleep around a lot.

I don't know.

By the time reports from the US
get here, there's a new theory.

Promiscuity, drugs,

immune overload from constant bouts
of STIs, take your pick.

Which one is it?

Could be one of them,
it could be all of them.

There are men in America
who have walked into clinics,

two weeks later, they're dead.

If our calculations are correct,

then 10% of the men in this room
tonight may already be infected.

You could be giving it to each other
without even knowing.

Make sure you understand
what it means.

It means surveillance and control.

Is the government paying you
to say that?

(AUDIENCE CHEERS)
(MOUTHS WORDS)

(POP SONG INTRO)

# We can dance if we want to

# We can leave your friends behind

# 'Cause your friends don't dance
And if they don't dance

# Well, they're no friends of mine

# Say, we can go where we want to

# A place where they will never find

# And we can act like we come
from out of this world

# Leave the real one far behind

# And we can dance or sing

# We can go where we want to

# The night is young and so am I

# And we can dress real neat
from our hats to our feet

# And surprise 'em
with a victory cry

# Say, we can act if we want to

# If we don't, nobody will

# And you can act real rude
and totally removed

# And I can act like an imbecile
Say

# We can dance, we can dance

# Everybody, look at your hands

# We can dance, we can dance

# Everybody's taking the chance

# Oh, it's the safety dance

# Oh, well, the safety dance

# Oh, yes, the safety dance

# Well, it's a safety dance

# Well, it's
a safety dance

# Well, it's a safety dance. #
Fuck off, Sister Bertrille.

The meeting at the town hall
did confirm at least one thing.

That AIDS is here.

The question is,
how widespread is it?

Results are in from the volunteer
trial the task force organised.

They tested 500 men. 40% of them
were found to be immunosuppressed.

40! My God!

The task force
were working on a figure of 10%

and even that seemed high.

Presumably some of these men
weren't showing symptoms.

No.

40%.

We have to assume that some of them

may well have had
more than one sexual partner.

So the rate of infection
could actually be much higher.

Well, if you extrapolate from that,

the entire gay male population
of Sydney.

Yes. And the death rate?
Rising.

Nothing further from the task force?

Their research is continuing.

Right.

There's something else
we need to consider.

There are rumours
Hawke's calling an early election.

He's on a 75% approval rating.

There's no way he's going to ignore
an advantage like that.

And he's delivered on the promise
of Medicare.

The fact we got that up and running
is a huge plus.

And a huge minus is
there's a highly infectious disease

in certain sectors of the community.

The prime minister
is acutely aware of that.

With all due respect, it's madness
to call an election right now.

Do you want to tell
the prime minister that?

In the United States,

several haemophiliacs have
contracted AIDS-related pneumonia.

The suggestion is the infection
might be from blood products

and it's incredibly difficult

to trace the source
of the infected blood.

Factor VIII, the blood-clotting
protein haemophiliacs receive,

is made of plasma gathered
from thousands of donations.

Anything else, Mitchell?

Yes. I've been contacted
by a doctor in Sydney

who's proposing promiscuous gay men
be banned from donating blood.

They've started doing it in the US.
Why?

Because they think
some people have been infected

through contaminated blood.

Well, at the risk of stating the
bleeding obvious, this is not good.

It's disastrous.

Imagine what would happen

if all the blood banks
had to destroy their supplies?

Sorry, folks, hold off
on having a car accident

or any sort of surgery for a few
months until we get this sorted.

If AIDS escapes into the community
through infected blood,

it will be impossible to track.

Yes, right, well, until
we have further information,

we need to act quickly
and conservatively.

How do we police a ban? Can we
trust people to self-identify?

Treat people as responsible
and that's how they'll behave.

Or not.

People couldn't be trusted

to put on seatbelts
without being ordered to.

The request to refrain from donating

has to be extended
to all high-risk groups.

We have to remind people
that this is not a gay disease.

Of course.

We need to be aware
that donations will drop.

Single young men make up
a high proportion of donors.

Perhaps we could urge
the blood banks

to launch a drive for new low-risk
donors at the same time?

Stop people panicking
that blood banks will run dry.

Do you think this could scare
people off donating?

How do you mean?

Well, if you can get it
from receiving blood,

could you get it giving blood?

No, not possible.

Well, that's something.

We need to convene a meeting

with the state health departments
as soon as possible.

I'll get onto that.

We have to give them
the money and support they need

to improve their blood collection
systems, whatever it takes.

Have you ever donated blood?
Yes, I have.

What can you tell me
about their systems?

Do they use disposable syringes,
tubing, that sort of thing?

I have absolutely no idea.

I've never had access
to that side of things.

But if they don't, we'll need
to look at all of their practices

to determine where the changes
need to be made.

Make sure there's uniformity
of approach across all the states,

one national strategy.

Stop this next phase
before it starts.

(PHONE RINGS AND KEYBOARD CLICKS)
(PEOPLE COUGH)

(DOOR OPENS)
MAN: Theo, want to come through?

I'm not sure if having an ex
test me is easier or harder?

I'm not sure either.

I don't have to give my name, do I?

I'll use the first two letters
of your first name

and the first two of your second.

I have to be able to identify
the sample as yours, Theo.

(CHUCKLES) Good point.

T-H-K-Y.

Do you want to roll
your sleeve up for me?

(TAPS RAPIDLY)

How long before I know?

This test will show
if you have a reduced T4 count.

T cells are part of
the white blood cells,

which the body uses
to fight infection.

A reduced count
shows immune deficiency.

It...won't prove that you have AIDS,
but...it's all we have at the moment.

I'm glad it's you.

Some in the gay community

have heard whispers of the proposal

to ask promiscuous gay men
to stop donating blood.

They asked to speak
to the blood bank people.

Wanted a chance to consult
on how it might be implemented.

They got no response.

Three days after their request,
the ban goes ahead.

Furious gay activists are picketing
the head office in Sydney.

They're protesting about
the lack of consultation,

but the protest has been
misunderstood by some in the media,

stirring up members of the public

who think the gay activists
are demanding the right to donate.

That they want to donate their blood
out of some sort of spite.

You wanted to see me?

I need to get out of this office
for a bit. Been here since 5:00.

Let's walk.
(CLEARS THROAT)

Donor numbers are dropping,
as expected. Both good news and bad.

Which at least proves
tell people the truth,

treat them as responsible citizens
and they'll come to the party.

I've been looking into exactly
how the blood banks operate.

As far as my research indicates,

there's no comprehensive
blood screening done anywhere.

Hep B but not much beyond that.
Seriously?

Well, there have been no other
bloodborne viruses before now.

That seems extraordinary.

There is another thing to consider.

All blood banks
are staffed by volunteers.

They're gonna need to be
properly trained and paid.

The entire system
needs to be overhauled.

Swings and roundabouts?

(SONG PLAYS FAINTLY ON TV)

# Life can be sweet and sour
but I am in control

# One day the wind
blows hot and cold

# Everything is sweet and sour
but I am in control

# It can chill me to the bo... #

Hey.

You look gorgeous.
And you look like crap.

Oh, thank you.

Did you get any sleep at all
in the nation's capital?

Now and then.

(SMACKS LIPS) You winning?

I don't wanna talk about it.

Oh, honey.
I don't.

I just wanna leave it in Canberra.

You're stressed.
I'm dealing with it, OK?

It's...full-on.

That's all I'm gonna say.
OK.

But I do have to work this weekend.

You're lucky I'm such a patient man.

Hmm.

Come here.

(YAWNS) Oh, sorry.

You, handsome,
are gonna sleep right now.

Oh, no, no, no. it's OK.
I'm not that tired.

Mm-hm. You're no good
to me like this, baby.

Mmm.

Sleep now and I'll have my way
with you later.

Come on.

Hi, sweetheart.
WOMAN ON PHONE: Hi, honey.

Am I too late to say goodnight
to the kids?

They're asleep. Coming home soon?

No. Still in the office.

Time just sort of got away from me.

(CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY)

Are you alright?

(SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY)

Well, that's something, I suppose.

He was very proud.

Alright, I should go.

I've got a thing to go to.

Oh.

Love you.

Love you too.

'Bye.
'Bye.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACH)

Your weekend looks like mine.
Hmm.

I'm missing a netball final

and prep for an exam
on the Tudors and Stuarts.

Football.

And French vocab.
Mm.

I appreciate you
wanting to have a chat about AIDS,

especially on a weekend.

It's always better to talk

when there's as few people
around as possible.

Well, this would be it.

God, this AIDS thing is
turning into a bit of a nightmare.

Is that your medical opinion or
that of the shadow health minister?

Take your pick.

We want you involved
in what we're going to do.

We're not gonna keep
anything from you.

We want full multi-party support,
a secular cooperative response.

The last thing we need

is to go down the extreme right
religious path like the US.

And that place is
in all sorts of shit.

And I'm hoping the state governments
will come on board too.

There's not much point
having one without the other.

There's plenty of good Nationals
in the state parliament.

But we all have a problem
with Queensland.

Even so, this crisis needs to be
seen as above party politics.

Absolutely.

What are you thinking?

Nothing radical.

Prevention, care, treatment,
education, research.

(SIGHS) Have I left anything out?

Sounds pretty comprehensive to me.

This thing's probably
going to outlive us.

There needs to be irreversible
structural change.

Of course.

You don't want it revoked
at the first opportunity

should we happen to triumph.

Which we will,
whatever the polling suggests.

Go for it.

Mmm. (SIGHS)

(OPENS DRAWER)

Wanna play straights?

You bought condoms?

No, they were giving them out
at the club.

Not many people were interested.

But I thought I'd grab a few.

Who's giving them out?
I don't know.

There was a bowl of them at the bar.

Oh.
Not many takers.

Oh. Delicious bar snack.

The sexiest sex toy I've ever seen.

(LAUGHS)

They should be giving away
those black ribbed ones.

What? I've been around.

They're on eye level at the chemist,
right next to the lube.

Black. Ribbed. Flavoured.

Flavoured?
Yeah. (LAUGHS)

There's a place specifically for
people who have just been diagnosed.

They can talk you through
what the next steps might be.

Yeah, they'll help you contact
any previous sexual partners,

discuss with you what...
what you might wanna say to them.

MAN: I'm so sorry.
How can I help you?

(PHONE RINGS)

Mmm!
Yes!

Where have you been all my life?

(PHONE RINGS)
(PEOPLE SPEAK ON PHONE CALLS)

Can someone get that?
Hm.

AIDS Information Line.

Some financial assistance
is available, yes.

Yeah, have you got a pen?

Ah, so the number is 550-0111.

God loves you too, honey.

Arsehole!
Hey.

(PHONE RINGS AGAIN)

Just for a second, please,
so I don't yell at anyone?

Deb?
Yes.

Any tomatoes?
Oh, they went into the...

Oh, OK. Cheese?

You're out of toilet paper.
MAN: I'll grab some.

You know what,
I'll just buy my lunch.

Wait, wait, wait.

Here.

I'm sorry, it's crazy here.

It's OK. I gotta go.

Ding-dong!
Oh, bless you, Sister.

Ciao! Mwah!

Your lovely assistant is ready.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.
Let's go.

Oh, the loo paper?

(PHONE RINGS)

AIDS Information Line,
this is Deb speaking.

Yes.

I'm so sorry.

How can I help?

Yeah.

(MILK HISSES)

Thanks for meeting me on a Saturday.

Just another working day these days.

Are you here for long?
Just the weekend.

There's a lot of freaked-out people
coming to see me.

That, ah, must be very confronting.

Some of them blame themselves.
Why wouldn't they?

They've been told that they're sick
all of their lives.

Some of them believe people who tell
them that it's what they deserve.

This is gonna sound very clinical
and you know it's not meant that way,

but is there anything
that links them?

Some of them admit
to sleeping with lots of men

but they can't remember
or never knew their names.

Others have only been
with a handful of partners.

Some use poppers, some don't.
Some use drugs, some don't.

There is no definitive profile.

Hospitals are turning them away
simply because they don't have room

and they can't get in-home care.

Nurses won't go there.

I hear that, uh, condoms
are being handed out at the clubs.

Community's starting
to take preventative measures

because we think that
this, well, this thing

could be sexually transmitted

but no-one's gonna stop having sex,
are they?

Education can take...

..so many forms.

Right this way.

My God, how handsome you all are.

A blessing upon us all.

My name is Sister Mountin' Him.
(MEN CHEER)

Ooh, you're quick but I bet
all the boys tell you that.

Now, contrary to unpopular opinion,

God has not sent the plague
to smite us all.

Yeah, fuck that!

He knows how much we love

to worship the heavenly bodies
we find within our orbits.

Ah!

And he's given us
so many ways to do that.

It's not all about his...shall
we say, his, um, penetrating gaze?

(MEN EXCLAIM)

Now we could do what I do
in the convent garden

when I'm rubbing up against
the ferns and azaleas.

Then perhaps a little stroking.
Ooh.

Maybe a little...kissing.

(MEN SMACK LIPS)

Now, before you stick your manhood
in a manhole,

just remember to cloak the bishop.

MEN: Boo!
Oh, nah, nah. Boo!

Oh, quicker than a Hail Mary.

Suitable sizes for all gentlemen.

Got any extra, extra, extra large?

Ah, hold on, hold on.
This is serious.

OK, God's truth.

Now who wants some?

(MEN MUTTER)
Nah.

There's plenty here.

I'll have some.

Oh, wonderful.
OK. Good.

Um, I'm thinking a medium?
Medium to large?

Hi. Hi.

Hey, I saw you at town hall,
didn't I?

Yeah.

Are you the ones
handing out condoms?

BOTH: Yeah.
We've been doing the same.

A few of us sex workers.
Up on the streets at the Cross.

And in some of the brothels as well.

That must be tough.
'Tough's an understatement.

Beside from anything else,
if the cops raid a place,

they can use condoms as evidence
to shut it down.

So nobody's keen on them.
Wow.

What about the, um, the clients?

How do you convince THEM
to wear a condom?

I'm still trying to figure that out.
It's so hard.

We've been handing out
clean needles.

Are you lot doing that?
No.

You might wanna think about it.

The IV drug users,
they fly right under the radar.

You should come in. Be so good
to hear more about what you're doing.

The address is on the flyer.

I might see you there.

Cool.
Keep up the good work, huh?

Yes.
Cheers. 'Bye.

Hi. Oh, you've got one.

(GRITTY DANCE MUSIC PLAYS)
Good.

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

Mate, you alright?

Are you OK?

Need a hand?
Ah, I fainted.

Came out here to get some fresh air.

You're sick, aren't you?

That obvious?

I was too scared
to go to the hospital.

So you came to a nightclub?
Yeah.

Didn't know what else to do.

Let's get you home, eh?
Where do you live?

(SOBS) I don't have anywhere to go.

Nowhere? No friends?

I don't want them to know I'm sick.
(SNIFFS)

How about you come and stay
at our place for a few days

until we can find you somewhere?

We're collecting strays.

It's a new hobby.

I don't want to kick you
out of your room.

Well, you need it
more than we do now.

Plus Deb loves camping.

She's been trying to get me
to sleep on the floor for years.

Such a lesbian.
You love it.

Thank you.

As soon as I can find
somewhere else...

It's all good. We'll find a doctor
to come and take a look at you.

Mm. Good luck with that.

He could get really sick.

We couldn't have left him
on the street.

No, of course not. I just...

You know, it's a big responsibility.

I know. Um, I'll call Paul tomorrow.

Maybe he can come
and take a look at him.

Maybe find him a bed somewhere.

Oh, shit.

Someone's gonna have to be
with him the entire time.

At least at the flat.

Will you be OK to look after him?

I can't take any time off work.

Yeah, of course.

Um, no, you go to work. I'll...

I'll sort it.
Someone's gotta pay the rent.

Don't forget all
the purloined stationery

and the endless secret photocopying.

I am serious.
So am I.

If I had to make vats of lentil soup
and paint banners all day,

I think I'd go off my head.

I love you.

How could you not?

(ALARM CLOCK BEEPS)

(TURNS OFF ALARM)

It's not even light yet.

(SIGHS) Go back to sleep.

(SIGHS)

The Reagan Government
refuses to acknowledge AIDS exists.

American doctors can't get any money
to treat their patients.

Gay men are just...

(AEROPLANE FLIES OVERHEAD)

..being left to die.

But at last
the virus has been identified.

Although there's a battle on

between the French
and the American researchers

over who was the first to do it.

Finally an answer.

But there's not
a lot of comfort in it.

HIV targets the body's T cells,

the cells that provide us
with immunity to infection.

It doesn't just attack them.

It uses the cells'
own replication system

to create new copies of itself.

This causes the host T cell
to pretty much explode,

leaving the body defenceless.

You never know
what you might pick up.

Come on, Jamie.
Just a few mouthfuls.

Gabe swears by it.
It's his mum's recipe.

You should burn those sheets.

You kidding? They're my favourite.

You're too close.

You are not going to infect us.

Who is that?
Virginia Woolf.

She looks so unhappy.
(LAUGHS)

Maybe focus on
Evonne Goolagong instead.

She's unstoppable.

I thought I was unstoppable.

What am I looking at?

I think this is the message
we should be promoting.

The gay community are not waiting
around to be told what to do.

They're getting on with it.

Some people would call
this pornographic.

The genius of this is that
it's in a form and language

that's familiar to the gay community.

It's frank and honest.

They're trying to make sex safer
and safer sex sexy.

This sort of image will grab
their attention.

It grabbed mine.

Its tone is positive.

We need to lift our game
on prevention and education.

Trust me on this.
I know this community, how it works.

You're serious.
We treat people like adults.

Give them the information
in a language they understand.

It worked for stopping
blood donations.

That was a legal activity.

All these things - anal sex,
IV drug use, sex with sex workers -

this is the real world.

This is all stuff that we need
to bring out of the shadows,

talk about, admit that we all do it.

Well, some of us.
Some of us.

We should let the affected
communities lead the response.

It does take it out of the hands
and mouths of the politicians.

That could be useful.
We have to keep it apolitical.

These high-risk activities,
they're all criminal.

Yes, they are.

So we'll have to include
the state police ministers

as well as the health departments.

I met with Patrick Stratton
on the weekend. He was supportive.

No doubt he'll find that flyer
very illuminating.

Hey, Mich, any word from Paul
about a bed?

No. I think Jamie will be with us
for a little while yet.

(PHONE RINGS)

You need your couch back.
No.

You're fine. This...
That floor is good.

This couch is way too soft
for my back.

You two have too much
going on right now.

You got Jamie in your bedroom.

You got the campaign headquarters
in your kitchen.

The least I can do
is give your couch back.

Liam, please don't worry about it.

It'll be an adventure.

Who knows what I might find?

Or who.

(JAMIE SPLUTTERS)

Your meeting with
the NSW Police Department adviser

has been shifted by two hours.

You're now meeting at midnight.
Midnight? So late?

She believes there's no point
in meeting any earlier.

Right, I suppose she has a point.
See you Monday.

Thank you for giving up your evening
to be my tour guide.

Whatever we can do to assist.

(CAR PULLS UP)

(CAR ENGINE STOPS)

(BACK CAR DOORS SLAM)

We're in Darlinghurst Road

heading for what they call the Wall.

It's the most infamous
gay pick-up strip in Sydney.

It's at the rear
of the Supreme Court of NSW.

We love a good dose of irony.

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC)

Some of these men are so young.

We want to regulate sex work,

keep the workers safe
from everything.

Someone gave you the wrong
directions there, honey.

But hey, if the pay's right...
I can be versatile.

I'm not looking, thanks.

# Pushed around and kicked around

# Always a lonely boy

# You were the one
that they'd talk about

# Around town as they put you down

# And as hard as they would try

# They'd hurt to make you cry

# But you never cried to them

# Just to your soul

# No, you never cried to them

# Just to your soul

# Run away, turn away, run away,
turn away, run away

# Cry, boy, cry

# Run away, turn away, run away,
turn away, run away

# Crying to your soul

# Run away, turn away, run away

# Turn away, run away

# Crying to your soul

# Run away, turn away, run away

# Turn away, run away... #
(CAR DOOR OPENS)

(CAR DOOR SHUTS)

(DOOR SHUTS)

(SIGHS AND DROPS KEYS)

Gabe.
What?

Hi. I'm Liam. Um, you must be David.

What are you doing on my couch?

And where is Gabe?
At work, I think.

Gabe said that I could crash
for a few nights.

You're not supposed to be home
till the weekend.

I've got a couple of meetings here.

(OPENS AND CLOSES FRIDGE)
(BOTTLES CLINK)

Good excuse to come home early.

This picture gives me wing envy.

It's Icarus.

Is it wrong to find something
so heartbreaking a turn-on?

Good luck with the couch.
You're gonna need it.

(SIGHS)

(SIGHS)

Is this yours?

I never wear a watch.

I haven't had sex
with your boyfriend.

He's a nice guy. He's just...
He's really not my type.

I would tell you if I had.

I spent way too long keeping secrets
and I don't do that shit anymore.

(PHONE RINGS)

(PHONE STOPS RINGING)

(SIGHS)

(PHONE RINGS)

David Westford.

Minister. (CLEARS THROAT)

Yes. Good morning.

Now? Uh, of course.

(HANGS UP AND SIGHS)

I asked a police department adviser
to take me on a tour last night.

The Cross. The Wall.

I wanted to see for myself

the kind of places high-risk groups
congregate.

The Wall?

Some of them are so young.

Do you think they're homeless?

Ah, I don't know.
I'd say some of them probably are.

I had no idea.

The number of homeless gay men
is rising. I do know that.

They're being kicked out
by terrified landlords,

their...their families sometimes.

Families?

This is where their respective
communities can help us.

You know, they can speak
to them directly.

Thank you for organising
a meeting so quickly.

..politic speak is we'll give it
to you in 10 years' time.

We do need some financial promises
being made by the end of this.

(ALL CHATTER)
Good morning, everyone.

Morning, Minister.
Hi.

Hello.

Is, uh, Gabe joining us?

I haven't seen him.

Well, thank you all for meeting
with us this morning.

Thank you.
I'm Deb Ferguson.

There are a bunch of us here
as you can see.

We're from three different
volunteer organisations

but there's plenty more out there.

I'm Katerina. I'm here on behalf
of a group of sex workers.

I'm Aseel Rais.

Alessio Santangelo.

We've already met and discussed
our concerns.

Great. Thanks, Deb.

And I appreciate you all being here
at such short notice.

All of us here have the same goal -

to prevent the spread of AIDS

and to provide assistance
to those already affected.

We're talking to the top
epidemiologists in the country

and keeping a close eye
on developments overseas,

especially in the United States.

We're seeking multi-party support
for a national AIDS policy.

But I'm here to ask you
what you need from us.

Money.
Money.

Cash.
Seriously.

A bunch of us
are single-handedly trying

to get condoms
accepted by all our clients.

If we're gonna fight this thing,

then we need to revolutionise
the entire sex industry

and we can't keep paying for it
ourselves.

Exactly.
And the IV drug users.

That's another group that's
gonna need financial support.

Everything we're doing right now,
we're paying for ourselves.

Yeah, we sure are.

Either out of our own pockets
or rattling tins.

The work is being done by volunteers

doing unsustainable hours.

It's impossible.
Yes, that's right.

It is only going to get worse.

Infections are rising exponentially.

Oh, and we're all criminals. Yeah.

Except you, actually.

Lesbians can't have sex.
Isn't that the theory?

Don't have the right tools.

Look, just help us
do what we're doing.

We know what needs to be done.

Yes.

ASEEL: Why would we trust you?

Now, the government hasn't
exactly been pro-gay in the past.

That's right.
You can say that again.

We want to direct federal funding
to local community groups like yours

and ask the state health departments
to match that funding.

Good luck trying
to get the conservatives

to agree to that, am I right?

The conservatives are a lot better
than you might think.

If you can form an alliance,

bring your various groups together,

amalgamate and incorporate,
become properly constituted,

then we can get funding to you.

The decisions about policy,

where the money is spent,
whose call is that?

Yeah!
Yeah.

The responsibility will be yours.
Until the next election.

You lose power
and all of this disappears.

We're determined to make
these policies unassailable.

Who knew pollies
could be so reasonable?

Next step...lawyers, bank managers,
real estate agents.

Well, the wheels of government
don't exactly turn quickly,

so...I think it'll be a while yet.

You don't think he...

I don't know.

WOMAN ON P.A.:
Would the following passengers

please make their way to Gate 2?

David Hines, Elizabeth Armstrong
and Dimity Taylor.

(P.A. CHIMES)

Patrick.

I hate this place.

It's like a glorified bus depot.

And full of politicians.

How'd you go with your compatriots?

Well, the consensus is,
this is not a time for politicking.

Thank you for that.
I'm sure it wasn't easy.

Hmm.

We're looking at funding
community groups to run the response.

Right. Well, that's, um, radical,
to say the least.

I've met with some of them.
They're good people.

Nothing like that's
ever been done before.

I love it.

You do?
Yes, we do.

I'll support this as much as we can.

We all know we have to keep politics
out of this.

Some Nationals in Queensland
will hate it, of course,

but that's our problem, not yours.

Hello, handsome.

Mmm!

Got your note.
I wasn't expecting you till Friday.

There is something I need
to talk to you about.

(SCOFFS)

This?

I'm sorry you had to find out like
that before I had a chance to...

I was going to tell you.

There's a thing
called a phone, Gabe.

I wasn't trying to hide anything.

It's no big deal, really.

I spend so much time on my own now.
I got lonely.

That's all.

It was just sex.

I haven't seen him again.

I know this is what happens,
what gay men do. I get it.

I just didn't think it would be us.

I don't mind what you do in Canberra.

What I do in Canberra is work.

That's all I do.

Let's just move on.

I'm looking for someone named Jamie.

Jamie?
Yeah.

Surname.

I don't know.

I can't give out personal
information unless you're family.

I'm his chosen family.

His real family don't want
anything to do with him.

I'm sorry. I can't help you.

He's probably dying.

Are you happy for him to die alone?

Aren't you supposed
to care for people?

This isn't exactly caring.

Come with me.

There's no-one called Jamie in here.

I'm sorry.

They keep it locked. 24 hours a day.

That's not even a ward.
That's a room.

Until we get more space,
we're turning people away.

Which might be what happened
to your friend.

Does the food just sit there?

Well, some of us go in, of course.

The hospital requires that
we wear full protective gear.

Which I hate.

The patients
should be able to see us.

We were looking after
Jamie at our home.

We didn't use protective...

None of us have got sick here.

Thank you for looking after them.

For feeding them.

They're God's children too.

(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)

Is that you, Mich? We're in here.

Jamie's gone?

No, well... We don't know.

He just vanished.

He's not at St Vincent's.

I checked at a bunch of clinics.

He left a note.

"Sorry."

Have you been out to The Gap?

Yeah. I went.

No-one's been found there today.

I'll go back tomorrow.

We could go to Patchs tonight.

So in the mood to party.

Someone there might have seen him.

(UPBEAT DISCO MUSIC PLAYS)

# Ladies' night Adonis

# Working after hours

# Ripples on my chest
Never got an address... #

(MUSIC DISTORTS AND DIMS)

Hello.

Boyfriend. This way.
Sorry.

They have no idea what's going on.

You know, maybe 40% of the men
in this room are gonna get sick.

And that's why you spend
95% of your time

away from home
to stop that happening.

We need to work so much faster.

(MICROPHONE FEEDBACK)

Alright, you criminals
and reprobates,

delinquents and malefactors,

underworld creatures, breakers
of laws, stealers of hearts,

we know how much you love
your illegal status

but we have some bad news to impart.

(CROWD SIGHS)

The NSW Parliament has decided
it does love sodomy after all.

(CROWD CHEERS)
We are no longer criminals!

(DRIVING DISCO MUSIC PLAYS)
Yeah!

How amazing is it to be legal?

It's not gonna save us.

Come on, babe, it's got to make
your job so much easier.

MAN: Hey, Gabe.

Who was that?
Some guy.

Nobody. Does it matter?

It does matter.

Can we please not do this here?

So they finally
let him out of Canberra.

Lovers.
How good is our government, hm?

Finally something useful.

Funding our community activists.

It must be amazing to be
in the middle of all that.

Yeah. Ah, sort of, I guess.

Oh, come on, I'd love
to be in your shoes.

There's a lot more people
than me involved.

Oh, you are so cute
when you're modest.

Mwah! Ohh!
Oh, we love you, Davey boy.

You are famous.

They don't know what they're saying.
Oh, come on, babe.

There's a whole department
involved, Gabe,

and we don't have it under control.

So stuff like that is just...

..ridiculous.

You need to lighten up.

Please tell me
how I should lighten up.

Tell me!

I work my arse off in Canberra,

I come home and find
some guy on the couch.

Who, Liam?
And someone's watch under the bed.

That was just one time.

How am I supposed to believe that?

I just saw you lining up
your next root.

I'm not gonna dignify that
with a response.

And I'm not gonna
sit at home knitting

while you're off fighting the war.

Good to know.

But I'm here for you completely.

And if you wanna play around
in Canberra...

Oh...
..I won't feel threatened.

This other stuff is nothing.
Just a bit of fun.

You know that and you know me.

I don't know anything anymore.

Honey, you're being
a little bit of a diva right now.

Fuck off.

David, I am not gonna stay
when I'm not wanted.

Fine.

(RAIN PATTERS)

(THUNDER RUMBLES)

(HEARTFELT MUSIC)

# Looking from the window above

# It's like a story of love

# Can you hear me?

# Came back only yesterday

# I'm moving further away

# Want you near me

# Oooh

# All I needed was the love you gave

# All I needed for another day

# And all I ever knew... #

(DAVID OPENS DOOR)

# Only you... #
(DOOR CLOSES)

(SIGHS)

(GROANS)

NEWSREADER:
..are currently on the scene.

There's been an unexpected
development in the AIDS crisis.

It has been reported today

that three babies
have died of AIDS in Queensland

and a fourth is critically ill

after receiving contaminated
blood donations

from the same donor,
a homosexual man.

# Only you. #

Everyone is shit-scared of
this thing and you should be too.

If one of my girls get it with the
guys they see, we'll all be fucked.

But we have to bring the rest
of the community to the table,

so we're making the table bigger.

This is our new ward.

Don't know if I'm meant to tell you
this, but Gabe has moved to Newtown.

So have a think about

whether you're really and truly
prepared to know the result,

because if it is positive,

that is not something you can unknow.

Captions by Red Bee Media

Copyright Australian
Broadcasting Corporation