World AIDS Day

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:25): I rise to speak about a World AIDS Day 2016 event organised by PEACE Multicultural Services, a service provided by Relationships Australia SA. World AIDS Day falls on 1 December each year. I was pleased to lend my support to officially launch this year's HIV testing campaign, which a team of staff and volunteers worked extremely hard to create. The slogan of this year's campaign is: 'Together we can make a positive change: get tested, get treated, live longer'. This campaign serves as an important reminder that it is our individual and collective responsibility to examine and understand the range of resources that are available to us.

The annual World AIDS Day event is celebrated globally to raise awareness about the various issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. It is also a day for people to show their support for people affected by HIV and to commemorate the many lives that have been lost as a result of HIV/AIDS. Despite the advances and achievements made so far, we need to continue generating awareness about the issues still facing us today.

The goals of the National HIV Strategy 2014-17 in Australia are to work towards achieving the virtual elimination of HIV transmission in Australia by 2020, reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by HIV and minimise the personal and social impact of HIV. I am pleased that the government of South Australia is committed to achieving these goals through the various strategies identified in the South Australian HIV Implementation Plan. I commend the various committees and working groups, which PEACE Multicultural Services is part of, which have been set up to implement these strategies.

I am proud that the state government is also committed to commencing the HIV prevention drug pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) trial in this state. This trial is expected to reduce the risk of HIV infection for about 500 South Australians. I note that early diagnosis and commencement of treatment remain crucial for these targets to be achieved. It is heartening to know that we have reached a point where an HIV diagnosis is no longer a death sentence. These days, it is a condition that can be managed with available medication and support.

Sadly, I can remember a time when this was not the case. In the 1980s, when HIV was first discovered, I vividly remember the grim reaper ads that were shown on television at that time. There were a lot of misconceptions about the transmission of HIV and, unfortunately, misconceptions still exist within the community to this day.

This is why it is important to recognise that the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV continue to prevent people from getting tested. Any person affected by HIV has the right to live and participate in a community free from discrimination. We all have a role to play in creating this safe space by uniting and speaking openly, with the collective goal of challenging misconceptions and discrimination. A unique aspect of human nature is that we may tend to think that we are invincible and that nothing will happen to us—until it is too late. I encourage all members of the community to get tested, to know their status and to seek available treatment if necessary.

As we work together towards the elimination of HIV transmission, let us spread the message that HIV is not something to be feared and keep the conversation going throughout the community. If you are in a high-risk group, the message is: get tested, get treated, live longer. In closing, I commend PEACE Multicultural Services for their unrelenting efforts and dedication to working with diverse communities and to providing education and support for people living with HIV and their families.