Judy Nemer Collection (1941-)
Judy and John Nemer’s son Gregory Norman Nemer died of AIDS in 1988 and Judy became a volunteer educator with WAAC for over 30 years. She facilitated the WA Aids Council (WAAC) support group People Living With HIV and AIDS (PLWHA).
Judy started a Drop-in centre for PLWHA at 257 Walcott St, North Perth. When the North Perth Residents Assoc. disapproved of the SIDA Centre PLWHA was forced to move to 107 Brisbane Street, Northbridge (1990). When Perth City Council’s Lord Mayor Peter Nattrass then publicly opposed the Centre, Nemer took him to Court. In 1992 the Anti Discrimination Commission found Perth City Council guilty of discrimination against PLWHA.
The collection holds items from 1985-1998 which include: Committee records for PLWHA Community Centre Management (1987-1990), flyers, letters, speeches, invitations, interview with the ABC Radio National 1998, thank you letters, Minutes from the inaugural PLWHA meeting 1989, and the Community Centre Meeting with Perth City Council (03/01/1990). It also includes digitised Newspaper clippings collected by Nemer, which tell the story of the Centre.
Nemer took inspiration from the national AIDS Quilt Project and was instrumental in having a WA quilt made. She organised the unveiling of the WA quilt at St Mary's Cathedral on 27 November 1993.
Source: Westpride Archives Significance Assessment, Jo Darbyshire 26/06/2024
