RaveSafe Qld needs Saving

RaveSafe Queensland is currently in a rather awkward position. We urgently need public liability and volunteer insurance.
This weekend RaveSafe Qld will only be able to attend Friday night of the Advent*Jah festival in Brisbane. The two night event is likely to require our services just as much on the Saturday, but our policy expires Sat 30th Nov. at 4pm
If you know of any other groups receiving cover, or of a broker specialising in this area, please post here or email us.
[email protected]
We're particularly interested in what are other state groups doing? If you are state funded surely you must have cover. Any ideas...anything...it's getting pretty urgent.
Thanks in advance from Team Leaders; Michael & Kerry, Jade & Aaron, Chris, Jacques, Ricki & Damian, and many dedicated volunteers trained over the past 4 years.

What's the story with your current policy? Have they declined to renew your cover?
Due to the high population of civillian low life and (for want of a better desription...) shitsuckingunclefuckingarsefuckinggoddamnscumofsocietylowerthanlow lawyers who sue for anything, liability insurance is harder to obtain in Australia any other country at the moment. There's no statistics on that, but it's from a source which doesn't get these things wrong.
I really hope you find something as you're doing a huge favour for the community. I'm going to move this into social as there's more chance of you scoring useful responses in there.
Best of luck.

Apollo: I've reopened this thread, as I think a cross-post over both Aus Forums is permissible in this case.
Any help from either forum would be greatly appreciated, I'm certain.
BigTrancer

i'll send you an email as well - but to be honest RS Melb did it without any direct insurance, but then we weren't funded direct, and i never gave it a whole lot of thought as it was my first work in the area and there was a lot else to think about. had anything happened we probably would have attempted to have it brought under the public liability of VIVAIDS as the auspice body, which did have some scope in the policy for off-site, outreach type activities, and possibly had the specific rs first aid/ support stuff on it as well, but possibly not. the employment arrangement also basically took on our peer educators as independent contractors, placing (at least formally) some of the insurance responsibility on their back (this was probably not the best arrangement and at times people did feel it was exploitative, but we were breaking new ground so its not possible to get it all right, especially not with the money made available.) much of this will have changed for the upcoming Ravesafe Melb, which now has ongoing funding and more stable, formalised arrangements.
so you might want to ring vivaids if you haven't already. sorry i can't be of more use
[ 29 November 2002: Message edited by: mibrane ]

Thanks mibrane, I'll pass the message on. Is there a contact for RS Vic? I thought you were it, but as I now understand, you've moved on to other projects.
Tonight is RaveSafe Queensland's last outreach under current insurance. Unless something changes over the next 4 weeks, the project as we have known it, will be finished.
Conveyed thanks to all those who responded, also to the countless supporters of RaveSafe Qld, and especially to Jason of Advent*Jah, a conscientious promoter who has always seen the importance of looking after his patrons

Ravesafe Melb is yet to hire (or hadn't a couple of weeks ago and i haven't seen anything advertised) a coordinator for their next project. probably best to talk to VIVAIDS coordiator Jill on 03 9419 3633 or email
[email protected]

^^ mibrane
RS Qld has received direct project funding, so each year before getting a service agreement we have had to provide a current liability policy. It's also quite common to be asked for a copy of the policy before being contracted.
Feedback has been great everyone, thanks heaps

I just got back from Earthcore and there was a good stall from Youth Services, which are funded directly from Dept. Human Services here in Vic. They were providing a lot of the same services as Ravesafe were doing (ie, exchanges, condom/lube giveaways, some government literature in the form of pamphlets) without as much as the full on crisis councelling when people flip out/can't take it/are weak ) Their main focus when not in the 'party' environment is roaming city exchanges, delivery, injecting advice, referrals etc.
There were a few familiar faces from Ravesafe of old (not the volunteers but those that were already full time employees).
Anyway.
One suggestion was to search for or be referred to offshore insurance agencies that don't quite have the mental attitude as the Australian ones. It may cost a little more due to exchange rate issues and the like (but you may be able negotiate it down because any claim will be converted to AUD anyway).
This is already happening in some niche areas where a conservative idiotism reigns, such as homebirth midwives. Homebirths - a common occurance in Europe but not really a normal thing to do here.

Thanks Soma
I guess the next option will be to approach off shore companies if current inquiries do not eventuate.