Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Back for the question. Australia is the largest health donor in the Pacific.

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Senator Carr, if you kept quiet you might learn something. Just listen.

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

Absolutely, Senator Carr—this is a very serious issue. But we had to wait till yesterday to get a question from the ALP on a very important area. Australia is the largest health donor in the Pacific. In 2015-16 we are providing $150 million for health, water and sanitation as well as basic nutrition. Australia's overseas development assistance supports Pacific countries to build strong health systems that are capable of detecting and responding to existing and emerging health threats such as TB in Papua New Guinea. We closely monitor the spread of infectious diseases in the Pacific and support the region to strengthen disease surveillance and response mechanisms. Papua New Guinea has the highest rate of TB infection and is in the global top 10, with an estimated 39,000 cases and 25,000 new infections each year. We have committed $60 million between 2011 and 2017 to improve prevention, detection and treatment of TB, and this is, most importantly, in the Western Province, which is close to the borders at the Torres Strait. Recent outbreaks of zika virus infection have been reported in the Pacific and, of course, mosquitoes do not respect borders—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Well, they don't—they don't respect borders! Therefore, it is very important that we ensure that zika virus is not imported into Australia from affected areas. Therefore, the local risk of transmission particularly in Central, Northern and South-West Queensland— (Time expired)