Page 4208 - Week 13 - Thursday, 14 December 2006
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For instance, there have been 9,759 individual AIDS diagnoses over the last 25 years across the country. Again, assuming that the ACT has two per cent of the population, we would expect somewhere around 200 individuals to have been diagnosed; in fact the figure is only 102, so we are running at half what we would expect. Unfortunately, if we look at deaths attributed to AIDS-related illnesses in the last 25 years, we see that 6,594 Australians have succumbed. Again assuming that the ACT has two per cent of the population in Australia, we would expect something like 130 deaths in the ACT, but, fortunately, there have been only 79—a number that is way too high, but much better than 130.
I think that situation has arisen because, as a community, we have had leaders who have been quite willing to get out, talk the talk and get there to make sure that people understand the message that HIV/AIDS is not something that is confined to the gay community—it is not a gay disease—but is something that affects us all. It is only by continuing to talk about it that we can prevent a rise in the infection rates, particularly amongst those in the new generation, who never saw the grim reaper ads and did not see what was happening to the community at the height of the infection rates. Unless we can continue to educate young Canberrans, in particular, about safe sex practices and the dangers of sharing needles, we can expect a rise in the rate of infections in the ACT.
Fortunately, we are not seeing that. Figures for the number of infections for the last year show about seven diagnoses, with two deaths attributed to AIDS-related illness. This shows that, with a strong response from a unified community, we can fight this, and fight it very effectively. The actual number of diagnoses—seven—is slightly up, but there are factors, such as people coming and going and other factors, that impact upon the figure. The experts in the field consider it to be static—certainly not increasing—which is a bonus. I guess the question is how we make the level decrease.
As Ms Porter said, on 1 December we had the Chief Minister’s breakfast. Unfortunately the Chief Minister could not make it, but there was a large and quite impressive selection of diplomats from 11 different diplomatic missions. That shows that there is an understanding overseas of the importance of this. From New Guinea through to South Africa, the ambassadors take this very seriously.
Earlier in the year, there was a vigil at the National Museum of Australia, which has graciously hosted the national memorial celebrations each year. Mr Corbell was there that night, I believe. We had the High Commissioner for Uganda give what I consider to be the most powerful speech I have ever heard on this issue. He told the assembled people—and the theatre there at the National Museum was full—how he had just returned from his country and from burying people in his village who had died of AIDS. Diplomats do not often bear the problems that affect their countries, and they do not often do it in such a stark and real way. I honour the High Commissioner for Uganda for what he did, the way he did it and the grace with which he did it. I honour him for the plea that he put for his country—that they need assistance. They look to the western world, and to countries like Australia, to assist them to cope in the way that we have coped.
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