Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for his question and his continuing interest in this issue. I would also like to acknowledge the work that he is doing as chair of the Parliamentary Friends of HIV/AIDS, Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

The Australian government is investing $22.5 million over four years for prevention programs to help address increasing rates of sexually transmissible infections and blood borne viruses, including HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. People with STIs are at least two to five times more likely than uninfected people to acquire HIV.

In 2012, there were more than 230,000 Australians living with a chronic hepatitis C infection, predominantly through sharing needles. More than 207,000 have hepatitis B. These diseases are preventable. That is why it is critical the government strengthen our efforts to support health service providers and tailor our safe sex and prevention messages so that they actually connect with the people most at risk. The program targets priority populations, including gay and bisexual men, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally and linguistically diverse Australians, young people, people in rural and regional areas and people who inject drugs.

The government's program comprises $7.2 million to reduce high rates of STIs among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priority populations, particularly in regional and remote settings; $1 million for point-of-care demonstration testing projects to increase the HIV testing rate by offering tests which provide rapid results; $5.1 million for needle and syringe programs, particularly in rural and regional areas; and $4.6 million to increase uptake of testing and treatment for hepatitis B among priority populations. Australia has been a leader in minimising the spread of these infections, and the new investment will build on this work.