Funding To Eliminate HIV Transmission Thankfully Continues In This Year’s Federal Budget

Australia’s push to virtually eliminate HIV transmission by 2030 will continue with the funding announced in the 2026-27 Federal Budget, with the Albanese Government maintaining key investments in prevention, treatment, and community-led HIV programs.

In a joint statement released after Tuesday night’s Budget, Health Equity Matters and National Association of People with HIV Australia (NAPWHA) welcomed continued funding aimed at keeping HIV prevention and treatment affordable and accessible.

The Budget includes $52 million over four years to ensure HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) remains affordable across Australia, alongside $42.5 million over three years to continue a national scheme delivering HIV treatment to all people living with HIV in Australia.

“You cannot end HIV transmission while a significant number of people in Australia cannot afford the medicines that prevent and treat it,” said Adjunct Associate Professor Mark Orr AM, President of Health Equity Matters.

“Tonight’s Budget keeps that door open.”

NAPWHA President Scott Harlum said affordable access to medication remained central to Australia’s HIV response.

“People with HIV on effective treatment cannot pass on the virus. Yet until recently, Medicare-ineligible people could not access life-saving HIV medicines that cost other Australians a few dollars on the PBS,” Harlum said.

“This Budget ensures those medicines are affordable for all that need them, which will minimise HIV transmission and take us closer to virtual elimination of HIV transmission in Australia.”

The organisations also acknowledged $41.7 million over three years to continue community-led programs implementing recommendations from the National HIV Taskforce, chaired by Health Minister Mark Butler.

That funding will support programs including increased access to HIV self-testing devices, community health promotion and education, workforce training, and the continuation of a national multicultural HIV peer navigation program.

An additional $14.1 million was allocated to continue investment in national HIV peak bodies.

“Peak body funding is the engine room of Australia’s HIV response,” Orr said.

“Peak bodies coordinate programming that allows the community sector to do the partnership work with government, researchers and clinicians that has made Australia a world leader on HIV for four decades. The Albanese Government’s sustained investment in community-led HIV programming backs that model to keep going.”

“With tonight’s Budget, the 2030 goal of virtual elimination of HIV transmission in Australia is genuinely within reach.”

The groups also recognised the government’s broader international HIV commitments, including $48 million for Pacific HIV responses and $266 million over three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

“Australia’s commitment to the Global Fund sends a signal to the world that we are fully committed to supporting the ongoing delivery of programming in developing countries to address global health threats like HIV,” Orr said.

“In sum, this investment demonstrates the Albanese Government’s commitment to protecting Australia’s health security and the health of the family of Pacific Island Countries we belong to.”

In its 2026 pre-budget submission, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia had also called for additional investment into broader LGBTQIA+ health priorities, including gender-affirming healthcare access, mental health services, national suicide prevention initiatives, alcohol and other drug support programs, and stronger funding for LGBTQIA+ community-controlled organisations.

2026-27 federal budget ‘fairer for future generations’

This year’s Federal Budget was dominated by major tax and housing reforms announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Among the headline measures was the introduction of the new Working Australians Tax Offset (WATO), an ongoing $250 annual tax offset for more than 13 million workers beginning in the 2027–28 financial year. The government also confirmed a new $1,000 instant tax deduction for work-related expenses from 2026–27.

The Budget also unveiled significant changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions, with negative gearing set to be restricted to new residential builds from July 2027.

Chalmers described the Budget as the government’s “most important and ambitious” in decades, saying it aimed to make the tax system “fairer and stronger for workers, businesses, first home buyers and future generations”.