Mr ELFERINK - 2002-10-17
Minister, we have just heard from you that you are aware of the two ladies involved in this who have been infected with HIV. You answered nothing in relation to the man concerned, and that is an issue of concern to me. Given that your Communicable Diseases Unit has yet to receive its budget funding for this year, can you at least guarantee them that operational funding will be the same as last year’s level, or will it be cut?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for his question. I have some feedback on the question asked earlier by the member for Drysdale. The answer is that staff have been given indicative budgets and are able to manage in this period. I must say I have every confidence in the ability of my department and staff to manage budgets and service delivery. Certainly, in this situation …
Mr Dunham: Indicative? When do they get their final budget?
Mr Henderson: You don’t want to talk about your budget management! We saw the letter.
Mr Reed: Indicative! A third of the year has gone.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs AAGAARD: This is a very serious situation, and I must say that it is a bit sad that the member for Macdonnell wants to use it in such a political fashion. The transmission of HIV is something which is of concern to the entire community, and which is being handled in a very serious and careful way by my department. I have absolute confidence that my department knows how to handle this.
Mr Henderson: Paul Bartholomew’s letter.
Mr Elferink: What I want you to do is your job.
Ms Scrymgour: She does her job.
Mr Dunham: You haven’t done contact tracing.
Ms Scrymgour: How do you know?
Mr Elferink: Where is this guy?
Dr Burns: Did you do it as health minister?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Members, order! It is very hard to hear the minister.
Mrs AAGAARD: Madam Speaker, my department is providing clinical care, support and education for the two women and is following up their contacts. It is also providing outreach services for education testing for sexually transmitted infections and HIV among other itinerants. Since HIV has the potential to spread beyond the Darwin urban area, the department has also informed all Northern Territory health service providers of this situation, and advised them on the preventative and treatment strategies they should use.
In addition, all key stakeholders have been informed of this situation. The AIDS/STD program is developing a framework for collaborative service delivery. Key bodies at a national level have also been informed: the Australian National Council on AIDS, Hepatitis and Related Diseases, the Indigenous Australians Sexual Health Committee, and the Intergovernmental Committee on AIDS, Hepatitis and Related Diseases.
My department is very experienced in this area of work. It is doing a considerable amount of work to make sure that there is no spread of HIV in the community. I have every confidence in their ability to make sure that this not spread.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for his question. I have some feedback on the question asked earlier by the member for Drysdale. The answer is that staff have been given indicative budgets and are able to manage in this period. I must say I have every confidence in the ability of my department and staff to manage budgets and service delivery. Certainly, in this situation …
Mr Dunham: Indicative? When do they get their final budget?
Mr Henderson: You don’t want to talk about your budget management! We saw the letter.
Mr Reed: Indicative! A third of the year has gone.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mrs AAGAARD: This is a very serious situation, and I must say that it is a bit sad that the member for Macdonnell wants to use it in such a political fashion. The transmission of HIV is something which is of concern to the entire community, and which is being handled in a very serious and careful way by my department. I have absolute confidence that my department knows how to handle this.
Mr Henderson: Paul Bartholomew’s letter.
Mr Elferink: What I want you to do is your job.
Ms Scrymgour: She does her job.
Mr Dunham: You haven’t done contact tracing.
Ms Scrymgour: How do you know?
Mr Elferink: Where is this guy?
Dr Burns: Did you do it as health minister?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Members, order! It is very hard to hear the minister.
Mrs AAGAARD: Madam Speaker, my department is providing clinical care, support and education for the two women and is following up their contacts. It is also providing outreach services for education testing for sexually transmitted infections and HIV among other itinerants. Since HIV has the potential to spread beyond the Darwin urban area, the department has also informed all Northern Territory health service providers of this situation, and advised them on the preventative and treatment strategies they should use.
In addition, all key stakeholders have been informed of this situation. The AIDS/STD program is developing a framework for collaborative service delivery. Key bodies at a national level have also been informed: the Australian National Council on AIDS, Hepatitis and Related Diseases, the Indigenous Australians Sexual Health Committee, and the Intergovernmental Committee on AIDS, Hepatitis and Related Diseases.
My department is very experienced in this area of work. It is doing a considerable amount of work to make sure that there is no spread of HIV in the community. I have every confidence in their ability to make sure that this not spread.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016