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• The first diagnosis of Aids in Australia was recorded in 1982.
• The first diagnoses were predominantly among gay men.
• The first National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS) was formed by the then Minister of Health, Neal Blewett, in 1984.
• Transmission of HIV via infected blood occurred in the early to mid-1980s. People with haemophilia were most significantly affected by this, with a number of infections and deaths. Until a reliable blood screening test became available to the Red Cross in 1986 this continued to be a major health issue.
• By 1991, when Australia’s first National AIDS Strategy was launched, it was accepted wisdom that laws penalising homosexual behaviour were counter-productive.
• Laws enabling needle and syringe programmes (NSP) were first introduced in 1987. NSP programmes were rapidly funded in all States and Territories.
• By the mid-1990s, sex work in most States and Territories had been legalised or decriminalised, and sex worker education programmes were funded.
• The Sixth National HIV Strategy 2010-2013 frames the UN Political Declaration as a call on governments, including the Australian Government, to recommit to an effective domestic HIV response.
• In June 2011 Australia signed the United Nations 2011 Political Declaration on HIV/Aids, committing to targets by 2015, which include reducing the sexual transmission of HIV by 50%, dramatically expanding access to HIV treatment and reducing HIV transmission among people who inject drugs by 50%.
• In September 2012, a coalition of community HIV, research, clinical and other organisations launched The Melbourne Declaration, a petition calling on Australian governments to take necessary actions to achieve the targets that Australia committed to in the UNPD. The petition focuses on four priority areas: increasing testing; increasing access to HIV treatments; making PrEP available; and committing to strengthening Australia’s successful partnership response to HIV.
• In December 2012, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved the first rapid HIV test for use in Australia. The Determine rapid HIV test, produced by Alere, is able to provide test results onsite at a clinic or other location within 30 minutes, making the process of HIV testing easier and faster.
• On World AIDS Day 2012, the NSW Government announced a pioneering new HIV strategy with targets to practically eradicate HIV transmission in NSW by 2020.
• The first diagnoses were predominantly among gay men.
• The first National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS) was formed by the then Minister of Health, Neal Blewett, in 1984.
• Transmission of HIV via infected blood occurred in the early to mid-1980s. People with haemophilia were most significantly affected by this, with a number of infections and deaths. Until a reliable blood screening test became available to the Red Cross in 1986 this continued to be a major health issue.
• By 1991, when Australia’s first National AIDS Strategy was launched, it was accepted wisdom that laws penalising homosexual behaviour were counter-productive.
• Laws enabling needle and syringe programmes (NSP) were first introduced in 1987. NSP programmes were rapidly funded in all States and Territories.
• By the mid-1990s, sex work in most States and Territories had been legalised or decriminalised, and sex worker education programmes were funded.
• The Sixth National HIV Strategy 2010-2013 frames the UN Political Declaration as a call on governments, including the Australian Government, to recommit to an effective domestic HIV response.
• In June 2011 Australia signed the United Nations 2011 Political Declaration on HIV/Aids, committing to targets by 2015, which include reducing the sexual transmission of HIV by 50%, dramatically expanding access to HIV treatment and reducing HIV transmission among people who inject drugs by 50%.
• In September 2012, a coalition of community HIV, research, clinical and other organisations launched The Melbourne Declaration, a petition calling on Australian governments to take necessary actions to achieve the targets that Australia committed to in the UNPD. The petition focuses on four priority areas: increasing testing; increasing access to HIV treatments; making PrEP available; and committing to strengthening Australia’s successful partnership response to HIV.
• In December 2012, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved the first rapid HIV test for use in Australia. The Determine rapid HIV test, produced by Alere, is able to provide test results onsite at a clinic or other location within 30 minutes, making the process of HIV testing easier and faster.
• On World AIDS Day 2012, the NSW Government announced a pioneering new HIV strategy with targets to practically eradicate HIV transmission in NSW by 2020.
