Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Smith, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) 1 December 2014 is World AIDS Day,

(ii) the aim of World AIDS Day is to:

  (A) encourage all Australians to be aware of HIV,

  (B) take action to reduce the transmission of HIV by promoting safe sex practices, and

  (C) ensure that people living with HIV can participate fully in the life of the community, free from stigma and discrimination,

(iii) in July 2014, Australia hosted the AIDS 2014 conference in Melbourne which highlighted that it was possible to end HIV globally by focusing on evidence based programs, such as increasing access to HIV testing and treatment, improving treatment options and implementing prevention tools like harm reduction, and

(iv) while much has been achieved, the challenge to combat HIV/AIDS remains with new HIV infection rates in Australia being at their highest in 20 years; and

(b) recognises:

(i) Australia's resolve to work with governments, the business community and civil society across the region to reach the goals That the international community has set—zero new infections, zero AIDS related deaths and zero discrimination,

(ii) the work of current and previous Australian governments in the development of national strategies to address HIV infection, and

(iii) the release on 7 July 2014 of the 7th National HIV Strategy and its commitment to working towards achieving the virtual elimination of HIV transmission in Australia by 2020, reducing the morbidity and mortality caused by HIV, and minimising the personal and social impact of HIV.

Question agreed to.