The following release is a Media Release response to the article
in today's issue of The Age newspaper in Melbourne which refers
to Prime Minister Howard's further consideration of banning, or
movement monitoring, of HIV positive visitors to Australia.
"It would be staggering indeed if Prime Minister Howard's
HIV ignorance is such that he's reportedly written to his immigration
and health ministers asking if HIV/AIDS poses a public health
risk, with a view to monitoring or forbidding entry to Australia
by HIV-positive visitors
"If the Prime Minister himself has to ask such questions
some 20 years into the HIV/AIDS pandemic, Australians have real
cause for concern.Perhaps it explains why the Budget provision
for HIV prevention was so dismally low.
"It was bad enough that Mr Howard gave a king hit to Australia's
international HIV response reputation by his recent remarks that
he'd consider banning HIV-positive people entering Australia;
remarks aspiring Prime Minister Rudd has yet to condemn.
"Stigma and discrimination are the twin fuels that have already
powered global HIV infection to the frightening level where over
40 million men, women and children are now struggling to live
with with the disease, while five million others are being infected
every year.
"But it's far worse if the Prime Minister is now actually
considering any move to tag the movements of HIV visitors to Australia.
This is just a step away from what the Nazis did to Jews, homosexuals
and gypsies, by having them wear distinctive patches on their
clothing.
"Vitally, urgently, how long before all HIV positive Australian
residents themselves would be required to report to government
monitors as they move between Australian States, especially given
increasing and headline reports of deliberate HIV infection in
Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia.Such
thinking at the very highest level of Australian government should
trigger alarm bells throughout the nation. Pursuing HIV-infected
individuals known to be criminally intent on deliberately infecting
others is altogether different.
"We would expect all political parties,civil libertarian
groups, States Attorneys-General, anti-discrimination bodies,
and society and church leaderships in Australia to quickly condemn
any such thinking about general HIV monitoring of individuals
that could only further stigmatise anyone living with HIV."
Brian Haill
President,
The Australian AIDS Fund Incorporated,
Melbourne, Australia.
Email: bhaill@bigpond.net.au
Website: www.aids.net.au
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