Thursday 17 September - Launched yesterday 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 for sustained funding and health equity ahead of the November election.

Victoria has a historic chance to virtually eliminate HIV transmission. But access to prevention, testing, and treatment still depends on postcode, income, identity, and Medicare status.

Chad Hughes, CEO of Thorne Harbour Health, said:

“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.”

Overall, diagnoses continue to fall. But progress is uneven, with a growing proportion of new diagnoses occurring among overseas-born gay and bisexual men and heterosexual men and women. Late diagnosis also remains a concern, particularly among women.

And Victoria remains the last major state still charging a co-payment for HIV medicines.

Richard Keane, CEO of Living Positive Victoria, said:

“It’s a little bit shameful and embarrassing for the second highest population state of positive people 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? Why can’t Victoria be the first?”

• The statement calls on the next Victorian Government to:
• Resource the Victorian HIV plan to hit its targets: 95% diagnosed, 98% on treatment, 98% virally suppressed
• Remove treatment barriers: make HIV medicines free by covering the PBS co-payment, joining NSW, Queensland, and South Australia
• Ensure equitable access: fund the full prevention toolkit for everyone, regardless of postcode, identity, or Medicare status
• Support people to live well: fund quality-of-life support, ageing-and-HIV care, and stable housing for long-term survivors
• End stigma: fund anti-stigma training and bring Victorian law into line with U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable)

Kirsten Machon, Executive Officer of Positive Women Victoria, said:

“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 every HIV infection avoided saves around $282,000 in lifetime costs.

The statement was welcomed by Minister for Health 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 party to backing every action 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.

The statement can be read in full here.