Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 29 standing in my name for today, relating to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, before asking that it be taken as a formal motion.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended.

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) Australia and other donors are due to announce their 3-year pledges to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria at the replenishment meeting being held in Washington DC on the morning of 4 December 2013 (AEST),

  (ii) the Global Fund is seeking a total of $15 billion to build on progress in bringing an end to AIDS, TB and malaria,

  (iii) Australia should offer the strongest possible support to the Global Fund to continue an ambitious and successful program to fight AIDS, TB and malaria,

  (iv) in addition, Australia's contribution will support positive bilateral and multilateral relationships and will be seen as a measure of Australia's standing in the international community,

  (v) the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) is committed to saving children's lives and is on track to immunise 500 million children by 2015, and

  (vi) at the GAVI Pledging Conference in June 2011 the Australian Government increased Australia's commitment from $60 million over 3 years to $200 million for the period 2011 to 2013, of which $52.5 million remains outstanding; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) commit at least $375 million to the Global Fund for the period 2014 to 2016, and

  (ii) complete its current pledge and increase investments in GAVI to at least $75 million in both 2014 and 2015.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will not be supporting this motion, but I should point out that Minister Bishop and Parliamentary Secretary Mason today announced that Australia will commit $200 million over three years to support the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The national prevalence of HIV-AIDS in Australia is lower than in many comparable nations. However, it is estimated that around five million people in our region are living with HIV-AIDS. It is the leading cause of death globally for women and girls aged 15 to 44. Australia has spent $1 billion combatting HIV-AIDS in our region over the last decade. The global fund is the largest multilateral funder of health programs in developing countries. It invests around one-third of its funds, or around US$6.8 billion, in the Indo-Pacific region, where it has delivered HIV treatment to over 700,000 people, treated seven million cases of tuberculosis and distributed 51 million bed nets.

Question agreed to.