AUCKLAND – New Zealanders will have the opportunity to pay tribute to the ‘Mother of Equality’ and New Zealand icon, entrepreneur, and inspiration, Carmen Rupe, (Ngati Maniapoto) at a maumahara (memorial service) in Auckland on Saturday, 11 February 2012.

New figures for HIV diagnoses are the first sign that a sexy new approach to HIV prevention of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) may be effective in slowing the recent surge of the HIV epidemic in New Zealand.

As HIV diagnoses continue to rise in New Zealand, the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) and New Zealanders affected by HIV, will mark World AIDS Day on Thursday, 1 December.

On Friday, 25 November (the Friday before World AIDS Day) Auckland commuters will be able to spot the Lt Gen Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, the Governor General of New Zealand, standing in Britomart under a bright red, zero-shaped balloon.

On Friday, 25 November (the Friday before World AIDS Day) collectors will be easy to spot on streets and in malls around New Zealand as they carry giant, bright red, helium-filled balloons shaped like zeros.