Saturday Magazine

8 Feb 2025

Saturday 8th February, 2025: Rodney Croome, Calls for Australia to follow NZ in Lifting Blood Donor Ban

Current Affairs, Interview, Joy, Joy 94.9, Joy Media, Media, News & Politics, Podcast, Saturday Magazine, Society & Culture

Macca and Paul talk to Rodney Croome, spokesperson for Let Us Give offered congratulations whilst calling for change here in Australia.

In Australia the Let Us Give campaign are calling for Australia to follow suit, praising the changes in New Zealand.

Currently Australians face the same ban on donating blood and plasma as those in New Zealand.

“Gay men, bisexual men, transgender women and some non-binary people who have sex with men, are expected to abstain from sex for three months before giving blood because of outdated fears about HIV infection” they state on their website.

“We congratulate New Zealand’s blood authorities for taking a step that will mean a new source of safe for New Zealanders in need and less discrimination in blood collection” he said.

“New Zealand now joins the UK, US, Canada and an increasing number of other countries that assess all donors for their individual sexual risk, rather than barring entire groups regardless of individual risk.”

“We urge Australia’s blood authorities to follow New Zealand’s lead as quickly as possible, or risk being seen to maintain a blood collection system that is archaic, inefficient, discriminatory and out-of-step” he concluded.

https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/calls-for-australia-to-follow-nz-in-lifting-gay-blood-ban/235101

https://www.letusgive.com.au/

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11 Jan 2026

Sat, 10th, Jan, 2026: Karen Bryant, CEO of Midsumma, What’s Happening in 2026?

Art, Current Affairs, Interview, Joy, Joy 94.9, Joy Media, Media, Midsumma, News & Politics, Podcast, Pride, Saturday Magazine, Society & Culture

Nevena and Macca are joined in the studio by Karen Bryant, CEO of Midsumma @midsumma as she updates us on the festival, ...

11 Jan 2026

Sat, 10th, Jan, 2026: Bruce Wolpe-Snr Fellow US Study Centre, Donald Trump takes Venezuela – is Colombia next?

Current Affairs, Election, Interview, Joy, Joy 94.9, Joy Media, Joy Media, Media, News & Politics, Podcast, Saturday Magazine, Society & Culture

Nevena and Macca are joined live on air by Bruce Wolpe-Snr Fellow US Study Centre, Donald Trump takes Venezuela - ...

11 Jan 2026

Sat, 10th, Jan, 2026: Luke Dennehy, Public relations, Tennis Australia, Australian Open, Pride Slam

Current Affairs, Interview, Joy, Joy 94.9, Joy Media, Media, News & Politics, Podcast, Saturday Magazine, Society & Culture, Sport

Luke Dennehy, Public relations, Tennis Australia, joins Nevena, Macca and as they discuss the Pride Slam, Australian Open and so ...