“Why can’t we be first?” is the question being asked by Victoria’s HIV sector at the 2026 Australasian HIV & AIDS Conference.
The Melbourne HIV Consensus Statement 2026 brings together community-controlled organisations with world-leading researchers and clinicians. They are calling on the next Victorian Government to commit to sustained funding and health equity ahead of the November election.
The statement, released on Wednesday, calls on all political parties to commit to the virtual elimination of HIV by 2030.
During the conference, new figures on HIV diagnoses were released, showing that after a decade of declining numbers, the number of new cases has plateaued.
Over the past decade, HIV diagnoses in Australia have declined by one-quarter, falling from 1,006 in 2016. After accounting for Australia’s growing population, the rate of HIV diagnoses has dropped by around one-third over the same period. In 2016, about four in every 100,000 Australians were diagnosed with HIV. By 2025, that figure had fallen to approximately three per 100,000.
Australia’s next goal is to achieve the 2030 target of virtual elimination of HIV. Under that target, there would be 90 per cent fewer HIV diagnoses than in 2010, equating to approximately 90 new cases nationally each year.
The new consensus statement argues that Victoria has a historic opportunity to achieve the virtual elimination of HIV transmission.
Chad Hughes, Chief Executive Officer of Thorne Harbour Health, said the goal is within reach but requires ongoing government support.
“Decades of community action, clinical excellence, and bipartisan leadership have brought virtual elimination within reach. We’re asking the next Victorian Government to finish the job.”
Researchers and health experts noted that diagnoses continue to decline overall, but progress is uneven. A growing proportion of new diagnoses now occur among overseas-born gay and bisexual men, as well as heterosexual men and women. Late diagnosis also remains a concern, particularly among women.
The statement also notes that Victoria remains the last major state charging a co-payment for HIV medicines.
Richard Keane, Chief Executive Officer of Living Positive Victoria, said removing that barrier should be a priority for the next Victorian Government.
“It’s a little bit shameful and embarrassing for the second-highest population state of people living with HIV to be at the back of the queue. We understand the challenging fiscal environment, but we don’t want that to be used as an excuse.”
“We’ve seen Victoria move from crisis management to near elimination. Instead of saying, ‘Let’s take a step back’, why can’t we be first?”
The statement calls on the next Victorian Government to:
- Fully fund the Victorian HIV Plan so it can meet its targets of 95 per cent diagnosed, 98 per cent on treatment and 98 per cent virally suppressed.
- Remove treatment barriers by covering the PBS co-payment for HIV medicines, bringing Victoria into line with New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.
- Ensure equitable access to prevention tools regardless of postcode, identity or Medicare status.
- Fund quality-of-life supports, ageing-and-HIV services and stable housing for long-term survivors.
- Expand anti-stigma initiatives and update Victorian laws to reflect U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable).
Advocates say there is still a significant need to improve public understanding of HIV and reduce stigma associated with the condition.
Kirsten Machon, Executive Officer of Positive Women Victoria, said implementing the recommendations would be a worthwhile investment for any government.
“The payoff will absolutely be worth the investment, in health and wellbeing gains for all Victorians, fewer transmissions, and people living full, productive lives.”
“The tools are there. They’re not hard to implement. We need to aspire to this because it’s possible.”
Researchers from the University of Melbourne estimate that every HIV infection prevented saves approximately $282,000 in lifetime costs.
The statement was welcomed by Health Minister Ingrid Stitt during the closing plenary of the 2026 Australasian HIV & AIDS Conference. Greens MLC Aiv Puglielli also attended the launch and committed the Greens to supporting every recommendation contained in the statement.
The statement is endorsed by the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society; Burnet Institute; Doherty Institute; Harm Reduction Victoria; Living Positive Victoria; Positive Women Victoria; Switchboard Victoria; Thorne Harbour Health; Transgender Victoria; Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association; Vixen; and leading HIV clinicians and researchers.
Read the statement in full.
The phrase “The Last Mile” grew out of the telecommunications industry, where it was discovered that connecting individual properties to networks was the most challenging task.
In 2024 the Australian government launched the Ninth National HIV Strategy with Health Minister Mark Butler restating Australia’s commitment to eliminate blood borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections by 2030.
In the journey toward ending HIV, Australia is now looking down its own Last Mile — which is why we’ve adopted the phrase for this new series of reports exploring how the goals of 2030 can be achieved.
This is a Solutions‑Based Journalism project. The goal is to interrogate the challenge, explore the data, hear the stories and experiences, and present the ideas and practices that will hopefully help us reach the 2030 targets.
Contact
Graeme Watson
Co-editor
graeme@outinperth.com
