Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was established in 2002 to provide necessary funding for international programs to deal effectively with these diseases,

(ii)

HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria are diseases that affect proportionately more people who live in poverty, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region,

(iii)

more than 6 million people die from these diseases each year, and despite rapid increases in treatment, only one-fifth of people with HIV who need anti-retroviral treatment are receiving it,

(iv)

TB is a leading killer of people infected with HIV, however, with the proper treatment of TB, this can prolong the lives of people with HIV by years and at a very low cost,

(v)

the Global Fund has received $US6.7 billion since its inception but reports that significantly more is required in order to adequately combat HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria,

(vi)

Australia’s past contribution to the Global Fund totals $AUD55 million and in the 2007-08 Budget the Government indicated it would allocate a further $AUD45 million,

(vii)

by 2010, Australia’s fair share of support for the Global Fund is calculated by RESULTS Australia and other international non-government organisations to be $AUD220 million per year, and

(viii)

at the recently concluded G8 meeting, world leaders promised $US60 billion to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria over the next few years, which includes a $US30 billion commitment from the United States of America to fight HIV/AIDS over a 5-year period;

(b)

urges the Australian Government to support the G8’s commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria by realising its fair share of funding for the Global Fund; and

(c)

urges the Australian Government to make a 4-year commitment to the Global Fund of $AUD640 million.

Question put.