HIV Advocate & Former Mardi Gras President Bill Whittaker Has Passed Away

Bill Whittaker, who was a longtime and tireless advocate in Australia’s community-led response to HIV, the first CEO of ACON, and the President of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras at the height of the AIDS crisis, has sadly passed away.

Whittaker’s determined work in the space of HIV and AIDS helped dictate Australia’s response to the AIDS crisis to this day, including how those with HIV can access lifesaving treatment. In the 1980s he helped pioneer harm minimisation strategies for the LGBTQIA+ community, which have “since become a cornerstone of Australia’s public health approach to HIV prevention.

“His early work laid the foundation for many of the progressive policies that followed,” said Health Equity Matters and National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA). He also played a pivotal role in access to retroviral and lifesaving treatment for HIV in the 1990s, and in recent years he was instrumental in efforts to increase access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).

HIV/AIDS community organisations honour legacy of Bill Whittaker

Health Equity Matters and NAPWHA, the latter of which Whittaker was Special Representative on the Board of, released a statement this morning, expressing their deep sadness at the loss of Whittaker, “a visionary leader and tireless advocate in Australia’s community-led response to HIV”.

“Bill Whittaker‘s journey with HIV began in the earliest days of the epidemic, before effective treatments were available. His personal experience fueled a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of those affected by HIV and shaping policy responses both in Australia and internationally.

“Throughout his distinguished career, Bill held pivotal leadership roles in key organisations. He served as the first CEO of ACON (AIDS Council of New South Wales), a member organisation of Health Equity Matters, from 1986 to 1990. Upon stepping down from this position, Bill took on the role of President of the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (now Health Equity Matters) from 1990 to 1992, and again from 2000 to 2003. He also served as a NAPWHA special representative from 2013 until the present day. These positions allowed him to drive significant advancements in HIV policy, treatment access, and community support.”

“Bill Whittaker‘s passing is a profound loss to the HIV community in Australia and around the world. His legacy of compassion, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to health equity will continue to inspire and guide our work. From his early days as ACON’s first CEO to his later roles in national leadership, Bill’s impact on HIV policy and community support has been immeasurable.”

Current CEO of ACON, Nicolas Parkhill, also gave a statement expressing his sadness at the passing of his organisation’s first CEO.

“It is with great sadness that ACON notes the passing of Bill Whittaker – ACON’s first CEO and a giant in Australia’s HIV response.

“Bill Whittaker was one of the key architects of Australia’s response to HIV/AIDS who worked in HIV community development, policy and strategy locally and internationally for nearly 40 years.He was also a prominent, passionate and pioneering gay activist who worked tirelessly to promote the health and human rights of LGBTQ communities,” said Parkhill.

“Bill began his activism as a volunteer and then President of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, where he acted to strengthen the organisation’s role in fighting for gay and lesbian rights and countering homophobia. He was President of Mardi Gras at the height of the AIDS crisis in Australia in the mid-1980s, which saw unrelenting attacks on LGBTQ communities and on the Mardi Gras itself…

“In 1992, Bill was awarded an Order of Australia for his service to community health through HIV/AIDS organisations.

“Bill was a fearless, devoted, brave and bold advocate. His work has improved the lives of tens of thousands of people here in Australia and around the world. He will be dearly missed, but never, ever, forgotten.”

Whittaker was interviewed by the Powerhouse in Sydney in 2012, which outlines just some of his incredible work and impact:

Whittaker‘s endlessly persevering work was pivotal in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and his contributions to Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community has spanned decades. His legacy of working to save LGBTQIA+ lives will stand the test of time, and our community owes him an enormous debt.

The team at Star Observer express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and loved ones of Bill Whittaker. He and his significant impact on our community will be remembered for generations to come.

Vale, Bill Whittaker.