Wed 2 Jun 2010 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
The Anzac Ave premises OUTLine will temporarily set up its phone counselling service at the Auckland offices of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, after being forced to leave its current premises at very short notice. The head lease of the building it occupied at Anzac Ave in central Auckland was terminated this week by mutual agreement between the landlord and Lawrence Publishing, owners of the Out Bookshop and Westside Sauna. As earlier reported on GayNZ.com, owner Tony Katavich is winding up Lawrence Publishing's operations at the site. OUTLine Chair Lorraine Martin says it is unfortunate that circumstances have seen the organisation having to move with less than a week's notice. "However we fully understand the reasons behind it from both Lawrence Publishing and the building owner's perspective," she says. "When you are a community group working with very little funding you can occasionally be affected by decisions of others that are outside of your control." The New Zealand AIDS Foundation has offered OUTLine temporary accommodation, at no cost, which will ensure its services are not disrupted and give it time to find a permanent new home. NZAF Executive Director Rachael Le Mesurier says OUTLine provides an essential service and the organisation is very pleased to be able to accommodate it. "We're busy planning which NZAF staff will move where so that both organisations can share the space and continue to serve our communities without any noticeable difference." Martin says one of the great things about the glbt community is its resilience and resourcefulness at times of adversity. "It is the end of one era and we are merely transitioning into a new one," she says. "It's just business as usual - but we get to look out of a different window." Martin points out that Tony Katavich, John Kiddie and Lawrence Publishing have been strong supporters of OUTLine over many years and the group appreciates having been able to occupy the Anzac Ave premises for such a long time, at very little cost. Both Katavich and Kiddle were made Life Members of Outline in 2007 because of their tireless work for the community over many years. "It is because of John and Tony's commitment to the struggle for gay, lesbian and transgender rights in this country that organisations such as Outline were able to survive and provide a much needed service to those in need," Martin says. "People too easily forget the great work that Tony, John and the late Brett Sheppard did in our community, and although the decision for Lawrence Publishing to close the doors permanently affects us in the short-term, it is with a touch of sadness and humility that we say goodbye and thanks to one of our icons." The upcoming Outline AGM on Monday 15 June at 6.00pm will now be held at the NZAF National Office at 31 Hargreaves Street, St Mary's Bay, Auckland. "Our team is actually quite excited about the change of scenery and the Outline Board will spend the next few weeks looking for a new permanent home and we will use this opportunity to bring Outline even closer to the hub of gay Auckland," Martin says. Discuss this NZ gay community news story on the GayNZ.com forum
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 2nd June 2010 - 2:19pm