Chris Puplick takes a back seat

One of the central figures in HIV/AIDS politics in Australia over the past decade, Chris Puplick (pictured), is retiring from the limelight.

The expiration of his term as chair of the Australian National Council on AIDS, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases yesterday coincided with the announcement that he would also be standing down as chairman of the board of governors of the AIDS Trust of Australia.

AIDS Trust executive officer Terry Trethowan told Sydney Star Observer Puplick would stand down at the organisation’s AGM in October, having already flagged his intention to stand down last year.

Puplick has been the chair of the board of governors of the AIDS Trust for nine years, and ANCAHRD chair since 1996.

It has been a year of resignations for Puplick, who stepped down from his positions as chair of the Anti-Discrimination Board and NSW Privacy Commissioner in May, after it was alleged he had given preferential treatment to a friend who had brought a case involving homosexual discrimination before the ADB.

Puplick strenuously denied any wrongdoing, but the matter has been investigated by the state ombudsman and is currently before the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Puplick also resigned from his position as chair of the Central Sydney Area Health Service at the end of June.