At Christmas time in 1988, the naked body of a young gay man was found at the bottom of a cliff called Blue Fish Point at North Head near Manly on Sydney’s northern beaches.
The young man was named Scott Johnson. He was a brilliant 27-year-old American mathematician who had moved to Sydney to finish his PhD. He was handsome and sweet looking, with sandy blonde curly hair, and a kind smiling face in photos. He had a long-term boyfriend. He had just completed his doctorate. He had everything to live for.
His clothes were found in a “neatly folded bundle” at the top of the cliff at Blue Fish Point where Johnson had plunged to his death.
At the time, the police in Manly told the local paper there were no suspicious circumstances. The investigating detective told the Coroner’s court in 1989 that that particular patch of scrub-covered headland was not known as a place frequented by homosexual men. His death was ruled a suicide, never investigated and dismissed.
His older brother Steve Johnson never believed it for a moment. Years later, when a 2005 Coronial inquiry into three other young gay men who died in Tamarama and Bondi in the 1980s found that they had not fallen accidentally (as police had concluded) but had in fact been murdered by gangs of “poofter bashing” men who threw them to their deaths, the Johnson family and Scott’s former partner began wondering if Scott had met a similar fate. The family hired an investigative reporter from Newsweek to start digging, and eventually a 2012 inquest threw out the original suicide finding.
26 years later, Steve Johnson and Scott’s family have successfully petitioned to the NSW Coroner to order a fresh third coronial inquest into his brother’s death on Monday. His family launched an appeal – supported by ACON – to bring Scott’s killers to justice and the state have offered a $100,000 reward for information that might lead to an arrest. His family also appealed for the Sydney LGBT community to turn out at the coronial hearing on Monday to show that there was a public interest in his death being investigated. As Steve Johnson told reporters outside the court, the perpetrators are most likely still alive and local. With a NSW police taskforce estimating that hundreds if not thousands of gay men might have been killed in Sydney gay beats from the 1970s until the late 1990s, we can only hope that finally the truth will out.
In other news of something a long time coming, the newly elected Labor government in Queensland have pledged to introduce legislation to abolish the so-called gay panic defence. That’s the provocation defence law that allows someone to kill a gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans person and claim their actions were somehow justified because that person hit on them and they were so shocked they decide to kill them. These partial defence laws mean that what would otherwise be considered murder is reduced to manslaughter. Let that sink in for a minute: In Queensland it is a defence to murder to say that the murder victim made a pass at you. There is of course no straight panic defence. Imagine if every time a straight guy came on to a lesbian, she could kill him and claim it was because she panicked.
In Melbourne last week, it was announced that the first LGBT aged care and retirement village for elderly gay men, lesbians, bisexual and trans people is being planned for Prahran. Aged care provider Lifeview announced that a site has been purchased for $20 million, and the $50 million project is set to start building within two years. Rather than having to go back into the closet when entering aged care, this facility will mean that older LGBTI people can remain close to their communities and even to gay bars.
On Friday April 17, CLOSET is back after a longer than usual hiatus for their monthly Fitzroy party. This House of Cards-inspired edition is encouraging gays of all persuasions to get their suits and ties on for the occasion. DJs Sveta from Sydney will be joined by resident JLAW, CC:DISCO! and more. Hundreds of Northside (and some Southside) queers and queens will pack out the dancefloor, so as usual arrive early to avoid the queues. Doors open 10pm till 5am. Entry is $15 on the door (cheaper for early birds who arrive before 11pm). For full details and for the chance to win free entry, visit facebook.com/closetpartyoz.
If Fitzroy doesn’t float your boat, on the same night, the bearded homos behind much loved Tumblr The Bearded Homo will be holding the razor and breaking out the techno for their next BARBA party. This time, the BARBA Party will be held at Hugs & Kisses in the CBD, after their previous dungeon home The Liberty Social closed down. DJs That Fahri Guy, Lucca Tan, Eastwoods, Luke Bowditch and Steve Ward will provide the techno. Presumably you will provide the sweaty beards. For details, visit facebook.com/barbaparty.
On Saturday, the Sapphic sisters of Grouse are back at their new digs in Smith Street. DJs Crushcore, the Perry Girls and DJ Melo will be on the decks. The venue is the bar formerly known as A Bar Called Barrys but now transformed into the upstairs venue Woody’s Fine Liquor (above beer barn Forester’s Hall), 64 Smith Street, Collingwood with $5 schooners till midnight and $5 Sailor Jerry’s all night. 10pm till 4am. $10 on the door. For details, visit facebook.com/grouseparty.
