Qtopia Sydney Founder & LGBTQ+ Hero David Polson AM Honoured In State Funeral

The life of David Polson AM, veteran HIV activist, Qtopia founder and legendary figure in the Sydney LGBTQIA+ community, has been honoured at a State Funeral after his passing on February 10, 2025.

Hundreds of people gathered for the official memorial at Sydney’s City Recital Hall at 10:30 on Wednesday morning to remember one of Australia’s most significant queer figures.

Polson, lovingly known as ‘Polly’, was one of the first 400 men diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Australia in the 80s, at the age of 29. He went on to volunteer in 28 HIV drug trials – arguably the most HIV drug trials undertaken by a person living with HIV globally.

His family asked that guests wear a “touch of red” in acknowledgement of HIV awareness and David’s contribution to finding a cure.

Long time friend Peter Campbell set the tone of the memorial as the first speaker, turning the portrait of Polson on stage before he began and asking wryly “David, what have you done?”

“David was an enigmatic amalgamation of paradoxes,” he said. “An atheist, who would have been thrilled by the moving tribute he received in the Catholic Weekly. Politically centre-left, he would have have been overjoyed that his death was announced so beautifully and promptly in a Daily Telegraph obituary. And a gay man, who died in the arms of two heterosexual women he adored: his sister, Ruth and great friend, Amanda, not to mention his loving cavoodle Rosie, who I believe might also be straight.”

“He wouldn’t want me to hide his death behind a euphemism, because for David, why use a euphemism when an expletive could do? He even gave me the opening line for this obituary 20 years ago, and I’m not going to say it, but you can guess.”

Campbell, who knew Polson for more than 30 years, remembered his friend as “confident, charming, wicked, naughty, and generous to a fault”.

Tom Woods, whose family had been friends with Polson since Woods was a child, recalled stories where Polson’s warmth and penchant for theatrics shined.

“Everything was fun with David,” he said.

“He lived a fulfilling life and was absolutely adored by the people around him. Still, it is tremendously sad that he is no longer here, because we’ll miss him, and there’s so much more fun that we could have had together.”

The LGBTQI+ community work and contributions to HIV advocacy of David Polson remembered

Sydney’s first Queer Museum, Qtopia, also the largest Centre for Queer History and Culture in the world, was opened in Darlinghurst last year, with Polson as Emeritus Founding Chair.

CEO of Qtopia, Greg Fisher, citing that this is the first state funeral for a queer advocate, thanked Polson for his friendship, mentorship, and for the honour of being the founding CEO to a project that meant so much to him.

“He did not seek the spotlight. He sought solutions. David was an accidental community warrior who became a community hero. He never professed that the medical advances were all because of him. Rather, David would say that he chose to live, he chose to fight.

“Far from ever feeling sorry for himself, David chose to be a beacon of hope wherever he could. No one ever had to ask David twice to participate in a drug trial. David would talk to anyone who would listen, not only about the tough, lowly, painful, frightening times, but just as importantly, as he would say, the good times.”

The service was full of music, one of Polson’s great loves, with pieces handpicked for the service by Polson himself before his death. Proceedings opened with Chopin, NSW Premier Chris Minns read an excerpt from the song For Good, from the Broadway musical Wicked, and soprano Clarissa Spata performed a dazzling rendition of Sempre libera from La Traviata.

Polson will be remembered not only as a trailblazer in the LGBTQIA+ and HIV communities, but as a beloved and ever-present friend to so many.

Vale, David ‘Polly’ Polson – you will never be forgotten.