Australian customs officials confiscated about 150 bottles of illegal steroids disguised as "gay lube oil." Customs spokesman Richard Janeczko said "These goods are found mainly coming through the mail, express mail, some of them have come in through passengers, others have come in through people carrying them in. So what we've found is that this is a concentrated effort to try to beat Customs control by disguising these goods." [ABC AU]

"[An Australian] man who flew into a violent rage and stabbed his homosexual lover seven times has been jailed for at least a year. Jamie Christopher Kelly stabbed his lover seven times in the back and chest and almost severed his left thumb in a what Supreme Court Justice John Sulan described as a "frenzied attack.'" Janet Leigh sums up our reaction. [Adelaide Now]

An Australian city council gave the green light to a gay retirement community in Ballan, an hour outside Melbourne. The entire project will cost about £12.7, which is about $ 24.5 million. [Telegraph]

Pope Benedict XVI told reporters that he will work for "healing and reconciliation with the victims" of sexual abuse during his trip to Australia this week. While many victims appreciate his conciliatory remarks, they're still clamoring for more. Said one activist, "He made some general remarks about regret to reporters and that's not good enough. We want action, not words." The Pope previously addressed the abuse during his trip to the States, but stopped short of an official apology. [POQ]

"More than 100 gay Australian couples have paid $80,000 to create a baby using rent-a-womb women in the United States, a fertility clinic says. The controversial scheme, branded as 'one-stop baby shopping', is becoming increasingly popular among professional gay men in Sydney and Melbourne, according to The Fertility Institutes based in Los Angeles." [News Ltd]

"The organizers of Catholic Church's World Youth Day which is being held in Sydney next month, have intervened to stop a forum about homosexuality as part of the official program. The group Acceptance was hoping to hold an event to discuss the issues around young Catholics who are gay or lesbian. Initially it was rejected from the official Youth Festival, but the Jesuit group MAGiS offered to include it in its event. But MAGiS was contacted by World Youth Day officials and instructed to withdraw its support." [Radio AU]

"Hobart City Council [in Australia] will apologize to the gay and lesbian community for actions dating back 20 years. In 1988 the council banned a gay reform stall at Salamanca Market, which led to 130 arrests. The Council tonight voted to make an apology to mark the 20th anniversary of the confrontation." [ABC AU]

It took nearly four years, but Australian radio host Steve Price has agreed to apologize for calling Queer Eye guy Carson Kressley a "pillow biter" and a "pompous little pansy prig." Price's employer, 2UE, will also make a $10,000 donation to an HIV/AIDS non-profit. [Herald Sun]

"Australian researchers said Wednesday they have developed a means of producing a "natural condom" which could prevent the spread of AIDS. The Melbourne researchers said they believe men could reduce their risk of contracting the HIV virus, which causes the deadly disease AIDS, by applying the female hormone, estrogen, to their penis once a week. University of Melbourne researcher Professor Roger Short said that use of an estrogen cream could quadruple the thin layer of the protein keratin on the skin and thereby provide a natural defensive layer. "You create what you could call a natural condom," [said] Short." [BreitBart]

The Australian Capital Territory saw its first gay civil union this weekend. [ABC]

"A majority of women do not support the war in Iraq or Australia's immigration policies, a new survey has found. They do, however, support gay rights and the push for an Australian republic… Nearly a third of the women disagreed with the decision to send troops to Iraq, with many women believing it has tarnished Australia's reputation. About 60 per cent said immigration should be more tightly controlled. More than 70 per cent said same-sex couples should have the same rights as heterosexual couples." [News AU]