The government is investing $43.9 million to put Australia on track to eliminate transmission of HIV on its shores by 2030. This investment will fund a range of measures aligned with the recommendations of the National HIV Taskforce, which reported in November last year.
 
The Taskforce was chaired by Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler MP and deputy chaired by Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Ged Kearney MP.
 
These measures will result in better prevention of HIV, access to testing and information, reduced stigma, and training on HIV for the health and support workforce. The centrepiece of the package is a $26 million investment to provide subsidised access to Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for people living in Australia who are not eligible for Medicare.
 
The new measures funded in last week’s Budget will be delivered in partnership with community groups who are vital to the efforts to contact and support hard-to-reach population groups at risk of HIV.
 
These include- $26 million over two years from 2025–26 for subsidised pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) HIV prevention medication for people living in Australia without access to Medicare; $3.8 million over two years from 2024-25 for the national implementation of the HIV testing vending machine initiative; $3.7 million over two years from 2024-25 to peak HIV organisations to continue activities that support the national response to HIV; $3 million over two years from 2024-25 for the continuation of the Emen8 website; $2.5 million over two years from 2024-25 to expand the national HIV self-test mail out initiative; $2.1 million over two years from 2024-25 to continue funding for the HIV Online Learning Australia; $1.6 million in 2024-25 to develop a workforce education and training pilot on HIV prevention; and $1 million in 2024-25 to establish a national HIV multicultural peer navigation programme.