World AIDS Day

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (17:21): I move:

That this council—

1. Recognises that 1 December is World AIDS Day.

2. Notes that the Australian theme for 2024 is It Starts With Me.

3. Notes that approximately 1,400 people are estimated to be living with HIV in South Australia.

4. Acknowledges the success of South Australia’s public health response to HIV, and that new infections have been declining over the last 10 years with people living with HIV now able to live a long, healthy life as a result of:

(a) antiretroviral therapy medication;

(b) community-led initiatives through grassroots organisations;

(c) peer education by including priority populations in responses;

(d) harm reduction through needle and syringe programs; and

(e) prevention through regular testing and interventions such as PrEP and condom use.

5. Calls on the Malinauskas government to continue the commitment to virtually eliminate HIV transmission by 2030 and reduce the impact of HIV on those living with the virus in the community by committing to the full implementation of the Ninth National HIV Strategy:

(a) empowering communities to educate, raise awareness and combat stigma and discrimination;

(b) allocating sufficient funding for high-quality HIV testing, care and treatment, prevention, advocacy and research; and

(c) expanding access to high-quality support services to affected and at-risk communities.

This motion is recognising that 1 December is World AIDS Day. It notes the Australian theme for 2024 is It Starts With Me, and it notes that there are approximately 1,400 people living with HIV in our state. It also acknowledges the success of South Australia's public health response to HIV and notes that new infections have been declining over the last 10 years, with people living with HIV able to live long and healthy lives.

It also calls on the Malinauskas government to continue its commitment to virtually eliminate HIV transmission by 2030 and reduce the impact of HIV on those living with the virus in the community by committing to the full implementation of the Ninth National HIV Strategy. Some of the elements of the strategy are outlined in the motion.

World AIDS Day is an international day that began in 1988. It is held on 1 December each year to help raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that affects the immune system. It gradually destroys cells called CD4 cells, which usually help the body stay healthy by fighting off disease. While there is no vaccine or cure for HIV infection, there are effective treatments that can prevent the transmission of HIV and the progression to AIDS, and help ensure a near-normal life expectancy for people who are HIV positive. These treatments are known as antiretroviral therapy. They stop the virus from reproducing itself, which can lead to a lower viral load. The treatment involves a combination of drugs being used together.

HIV positive people who take antiretrovirals daily, as prescribed, and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load are not able to sexually transmit the virus to a partner who is HIV negative. That is one of the really great innovations that we have seen in HIV prevention in this country over the last few years, and it is one of the reasons why it is so important that people who are at risk of acquiring the virus, in particular men who have sex with men, should ensure that they are being tested regularly for HIV. If they are considered to be at high risk of acquiring the virus, in consultation with their doctor they should get access to PrEP, the medication that can be taken daily which reduces the risk of HIV significantly.

Thanks to the improvement in HIV treatments, infection is now a manageable chronic disease for many people in countries like Australia. Globally, there has been a 60 per cent reduction in the number of new HIV infections since the peak of the virus in 1995. According to the Kirby Institute at the University of New South Wales, Australia is tracking well towards the elimination of HIV transmission in our country, with just 555 new diagnoses in 2022. This represents a decline of 48 per cent over the last 10 years. That is really significant.

Australia is also leading the world in HIV reductions in gay and bisexual men, achieving a remarkable 57 per cent reduction in new HIV diagnoses since 2013. This really demonstrates the success of comprehensive approaches to HIV prevention that have been made within the LGBTI community. I think it is worth noting what some of these approaches are. They include:

community-led health promotion strategies, such as those run in SA by SAMESH;

regular sexual health testing and treatment through facilities like the O'Brien Street Practice and the Adelaide Sexual Health Centre;

treatment as a prevention, and by that I mean the finding that an HIV positive partner on effective HIV treatment cannot transmit the virus to a negative partner; and

the rollout of PrEP.

I have spoken a bit about PrEP. Indeed, I was proud, during my time in federal parliament, to advocate for PrEP to be listed on the PBS, and I certainly welcomed the decision of the Turnbull government to do so. That has been carried on by the successive Labor government. Other effective preventative measures more broadly include increased condom use and harm reduction through a needle and syringe program, such as the Clean Needle Program that is run by SA Health.

In South Australia there are estimated to be 1,400 people who live with the HIV virus. Worldwide, though, there are still estimated to be 39.9 million cases. Whilst we have made huge strides here in our own country, and indeed here in South Australia, in tackling the AIDS virus and preventing transmission, sadly this is still a prevalent virus around the world. There are many people who are continuing to die from AIDS because they do not have access to treatment, particularly in developing countries.

World AIDS Day is also a time to reflect on the huge social effect of HIV and AIDS and the terrible loss of life that has occurred over the last 40 years. Indeed, more than 42.3 million people have died as a result of AIDS-related illnesses throughout the world. Of course, we honour them on World AIDS Day and we grieve for the loss of life.

I think it is worth noting, when talking about World AIDS Day, that such was the stigma associated with HIV at the height of the AIDS virus that many people, particularly gay men, were forced to die in isolation, separated from family and friends at this tragic time in their lives. I think one of the great changes that we have seen in Australia over the last several decades is that the campaign to end stigma around HIV has been very effective, and there is a broader understanding of the HIV virus and, in particular, a broader understanding of how this virus is transmitted and what can be done to reduce the transmission. That understanding has meant that people who are HIV positive are able to live happy and fulfilling lives and are able to be members of the community that can live their lives free from discrimination.

The theme of the 2024 World AIDS Day event in Australia is It Starts With Me, which highlights that the fight against HIV is still far from over and calls on everyone to take the actions they can to raise awareness, challenge stigma and support people living with HIV.

In closing, in the lead-up to World AIDS Day on 1 December, people may be asking what they can do. This is a time for members of the South Australian community to show their support for people living with HIV, to raise awareness about HIV prevention, treatment and care within their communities, to do what they can to eliminate stigma and discrimination around HIV and to remember people who have died of AIDS-related illnesses.

It is also a time for governments to continue the commitment that has been a multiparty commitment in Australia over many years now to reduce the prevalence of HIV in the community. This includes adopting initiatives such as empowering communities to educate, raise awareness and combat stigma and discrimination, and allocating sufficient for high-quality HIV testing. I note the Malinauskas government recently made rapid HIV testing available at some key sites in South Australia. I welcome that, I think it is an excellent innovation. It is excellent that people are able to get their results in a timely manner and are able to access support from healthcare professionals when they deal with those results.

It is vital that we continue care, treatment, prevention, advocacy and research in this area, and we need to expand access to high-quality support services to affected and at-risk communities. I believe that it is possible for us to end the transmission of the HIV virus in Australia. We need to do what we can to combat this virus internationally as well and support people, particularly in developing countries, to access the treatment and support they need. With that, I conclude my remarks.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.