SYDNEY: The eminent Sydney queer writer, poet and journalist, Ian MacNeill, has died after a battle with liver cancer.

SYDNEY: The Gay and Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW (GLCS) will merge with LGBTI youth agency Twenty10 after a vote was taken by members of the long-standing counselling service at a meeting last weekend. 

SYDNEY: After a great year full of inspiring highlights, Freedom 2 b[e] – Australia’s leading support and advocacy group for LGBT people from Christian backgrounds – will be holding its Christmas Dinner party at ACON on Friday, December 2, with all welcome to attend.

SYDNEY: Sydney’s iconic Mardi Gras will go back to the future, after today announcing the launch of a new logo, the return of the legendary Laneway after-party and a name change to its original moniker, the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.

SYDNEY: 'Emergence’ will be the theme for next year’s IDAHO Exhibition, which for the first time will be based in the western Sydney suburb of Parramatta to mark International Day Against Homophobia, held worldwide each year on May 17.

SYDNEY: Operation of the Mardi Gras parade’s Glamstand will from next year be managed and produced by New Mardi Gras (NMG) after the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF) announced yesterday that it will no longer be involved due to increasing costs.

SYDNEY: This Saturday night, members of Sydney’s LGBT Masters swim squad, Wett Ones Swimming Club, will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their club in style with a grand function at Surry Hill’s White Horse Hotel.

SYDNEY: From originally meeting in homes and halls, Sydney’s gay Catholic group Acceptance will help commemorate December’s World AIDS Day with a special evening Mass at Newtown’s St Joseph’s Catholic Church, as the group prepares for its 40th birthday celebrations early next year.

SYDNEY: With superlative performances expected by the likes of Guy Sebastian, the Sydney City Youth Ballet Company and the aerial gymnastics of Aeralise Theatre, this year’s World AIDS Day Dinner at Paddington Town Hall on December 1 is sure not to be missed.

SYDNEY: After two sold out sessions earlier this year, the ever-popular Women Say Something forum and panel discussion will be returning to Slide for a night of ideas, views, food and debates around the always contentious ‘F’ Word – Feminism.

SYDNEY: A now debt-free Taxi Club is still destined to close early next year if it cannot find another club to amalgamate with, according to weekend media reports.

SYDNEY: David Moutou will be retiring as chairperson of the Aurora Group with Marcus Bourget announced to take over the position, during a special fundraiser last night in honour of former High Court justice Michael Kirby and his partner, Johan van Vloten.

Singer and media personality Ricki-Lee Coulter is set to add charity queen to her burgeoning CV with her new role as ambassador for the Red Ribbon Appeal which continues until World AIDS Day on December 1.

SYDNEY: Two key events are being held over the next fortnight to pay tribute to people from the intersex and transgender communities.

The front of St Mary’s Cathedral will be a flower lover’s delight this Sunday with the City of Sydney to be giving away over 10,000 of its most stunning plants for free, following the end of the highly successful Living Colour spring floral display.