South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance (SARAA) was founded in 2013 out of the ashes of the former AIDS Council of South Australia (ACSA), a community-led organisation that supported LGBTI communities and people living with HIV for over 25 years.
Concerned that the closure of the AIDS Council of SA would lead to a lack of representation for LGBTIQA+ communities, a small group of passionate community members including Ian Purcell AM, got together to form the Gay and Lesbian Health Alliance (GLHA), now known as the South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance.
In 2020, SARAA received it’s first funding of $50,000 from the Department of Human Services (DHS) overseen by then Minister for Human Services Hon. Michelle Lensink MP to establish a Community Advisory Group. Disability advocate and former State politician Kelly Vincent was hired as the organisation’s first employee between 2019-2022.
SARAA has since grown to be a member-based peak body championing LGBTIQA+ South Australia’s health, safety, inclusion, equity and equality.
In October 2024, SARAA appointed its first Chief Executive Officer Varo (they/them), a queer non-binary health and social policy leader.
We thank all the volunteers who have dedicated their time over many years to build up our organisation into a powerful peak body for LGBTIQA+ South Australians.
Vale Ian Purcell AM
1947 – 2016
We honour Ian Purcell AM who dedicated his life to advancing the health and rights of LGBTIQA+ South Australians over may decades of activism.
Fondly known as the “Godfather of the Gay Community”, Ian was the first Chairperson of the SA Rainbow Advocacy Alliance.
He was founding member of the Uranian Society, a cultural forum for gay men, and the Gay and Lesbian Community Action lobby group, which was formed to counter political and social conservatism at the height of the AIDS epidemic.
He also represented the LGBTIQ+ community on various state government departmental committees, including the Ministerial Advisory Council on Gay and Lesbian Health and the SA Police Gay and Lesbian Liaison Committee.
In 2005 Ian Purcell became a Member of the Order of Australia for his advocacy.
His wisdom and humanity will be much missed.
We owe so much to Ian and we hope to honour him by continuing his work.