History

Peter Allan Memorial Address

The Peter Allan Memorial Address was/is held each year to commemorate the long-time GLWA member and benefactor, the Rev. Peter Allan.

In 1993 a rather unusual volunteer joined GLWA and helped us with planning our future. He was Peter Allan, an Anglican priest who had been for years involved in the human rights movement. He was known to some of us a member of the Concerned Christians group established in the early 1980s to protest against some of the excesses of the Bjelke-Peterson era in Queensland. With them he took part in many street marches and other protests. Read More...

The History of GLWA through the eyes of Rev. Ivor Holmans

Early in 1984 Lance Haines approached the executive of the Free Business Association (the Gay and Lesbian Business Network) for permission to address a monthly dinner gathering at The University of Queensland. Lance had a notion, which was supported by others within the community, to form a counselling team which would offer support and referral and information services to the gay and lesbian community. There was a great need for an accountable service to which people could go regularly for help. Read More...

Early GLWA History by Lance Haines

GLWA was originally known as the Homosexual Community Welfare Service (HCWS). 'Homosexual' was used for a number of reasons - it was an inclusive word at a time when the distinctions between gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people had not become as clearly defined as they are today. At the time The Courier-Mail newspaper would not print the words 'gay' or 'lesbian' in the HCWS advertisement for the counselling line.

The HCWS was founded in the context of social change - the passing of the old and the unfolding of the new. Read More...