HIV cases have halved in the last decade

The Kirby Institute at UNSW found HIV diagnoses in Australia have halved over the last decade and remained stable over the past year with 555 diagnoses in 2022.

International AIDS Society president Dr Sharon Lewin said the Australian health response to HIV had been exemplary.

"Australia is poised to be one of the first, if not the first, countries to achieve virtual elimination of HIV," she said.

"Australia has had a very progressive response to HIV since the very beginning of the pandemic in the early 1980s.

"Continued bipartisan support, very accepting views of our public health response to HIV, and strong engagement of our community of people living with HIV and affected by HIV have all contributed to our country's incredible success."

Prevention strategies such as testing, treatment and the use of anti-viral medication had all helped to reduce HIV transmission.

The numbers show that the majority of new HIV cases continued to be diagnosed among gay and bisexual men. However, diagnoses among this group had halved over the past 10 years.

Despite the overall decrease in HIV diagnoses over the year, there was a slight increase in cases among First Nations people.

"We need to ensure that the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are privileged in the development of interventions and strategies to avert further transmissions," UNSW epidemiologist Dr Skye McGregor said.

She said while numbers were low compared to the general population, with just 25 cases in 2022, any increase among this population was concerning.

"We need to understand how to make HIV testing accessible.

"We have to ensure that people understand the availability of prEP and ensure that people are using condoms and having discussions around their sexual health with the new partners."

In 2022, 44 per cent of HIV diagnoses were 'late', meaning the person diagnosed may have been living with HIV for over four years without knowing it.

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Federal health minister Mark Butler said despite the promising data, Australia could not afford to be complacent when it came to HIV.

"The Australian government will continue to work closely with community organisations, health departments and research centres like the Kirby Institute, to maintain Australia's position as a world leader in HIV elimination," he said.

The data was released ahead of the the world's largest conference on HIV Science that will take place in Brisbane from July 23.