This discussion paper helped set the direction for AIDS policy in Australia. This is the first time a digitised version of the paper has been made publicly available.

In November 1982 Australia's first case of AIDS was diagnosed. In May 17, 1985, the then Minister for Health, Dr Blewett, stated to Parliament that AIDS was "one of the most serious and expensive public health problems to face Australia since Federation". There had been 79 cases of AIDS, which had caused the death of 32 people, and it was estimated that tens of thousands of Australians had been exposed to the virus. By the time this report was written and tabled, Australia had experienced 1,100 cases of AIDS, of which 538 people had died.

The public health crisis posed by AIDS was not only urgent, but at risk of being heavily politicised. The populations that were most affected by HIV - homosexual men, intravenous drug users, and people in the sex industry - were stygmatised or criminalised. This discussion paper recognised the problem, and proposed a reponse that was (0) "characterised by a respect for the human rights of those affected and a recognition of the inter-dependence of governments and affected communities in working jointly to respond to HIV."

From the introduction:

This Discussion Paper has been written to help individual Australians, public health authorities and governments to consider and agree on the best possible ways of working together to minimise transmission of the virus and to support, care for and treat those infected with it.

The aim of this Paper is to encourage and provoke informed debate on appropriate responses to the epidemic and to assist in the analysis of possible policy components. Community discussion of the issues is important to promote agreement and to reach a consensus on the best way of responding. The Paper does not make recommendations but identifies and discusses a range of possible policy components for achieving the objectives.

The first part of the Paper sets out what is known about the presence of the virus in Australia, the way infection affects people, what behaviour and factors make people vulnerable to infection, the financial cost so far, and what human resources have been required. It provides the factual information needed to understand the nature of the problems and to elicit appropriate responses.

The second part provides a possible framework for a national AIDS strategy. It proposes three broad objectives for a national strategy: to minimise transmission of the HIV virus; to support, care for and to treat people infected with the HIV virus; and to educate and prevent infection among people who care for infected individuals.

Because many of the issues on which policies are needed are extremely complex, the Paper identifies some key principles to guide the development of policy. Agreement on these principles by governments and the community will be a significant step towards agreement on the national response.

The last part of the Paper deals with Australia's involvement in the international response to the global pandemic, with the research needed to support a national AIDS strategy and with monitoring and evaluating the Strategy's programs.

For each of the broad objectives, the Paper identifies a range of possible policy components. Each component listed is to be assessed for its ability to contribute towards the achievements of the objectives of the strategy. Many of the components may be rejected during the course of the community and governmental discussion of the issues. Some components are clear alternatives; others are complementary.

This discussion paper was the prelude (0) to an extensive consultation, which resulted in Australia's first national HIV/AIDS strategy being released in 1989 and has influenced the national approach (84) to AIDS since.
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Part of the Policy History Collection. Digitisation of this report has been supported by the National Library of Australia.

Reproduced with permission of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.