MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Billson
The national regional tour of the Australian Government's positive.negative photographic exhibition on HIV/AIDS starts today in Berry, the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr Bruce Billson, announced today.
'positive.negative is a powerful exhibition highlighting the serious problem of HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific, and has been seen by more than two million Australians,' Mr Billson said.
'The free exhibition is open to the public at the Berry Court House from 4 to 10 August and I encourage all the people of Berry and surrounding areas to visit this powerful and moving exhibition,' Mr Billson said.
'Australia is leading regional efforts to tackle the crisis and will double our funding to $600 million by 2010 to combat the virus and prevent an African-style tragedy.
'HIV/AIDS is a serious regional threat with more than seven million people in our neighbourhood living with HIV/AIDS, including 13,000 Australians,' Mr Billson said.
'One young person in the world becomes infected every 14 seconds and as mothers and fathers die, millions of children become orphans.
'Many Australians are working tirelessly in the Asia-Pacific to help people in developing countries fight the killer disease,' Mr Billson said.
'positive.negative will show the people of Berry how Australia is responding to HIV/AIDS in our region, in particular our care for those infected and our work with our neighbours.
'Five of Australia's top photographers contributed to the positive.negative exhibition and visited HIV/AIDS projects in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Thailand to document the effect the disease on the region.
'The Australian Government has also recently appointed Annmaree O'Keeffe from the Government's aid agency, AusAID, as Australia's first Special Representative on HIV/AIDS. The new role aims to advance Australia's fight against HIV/AIDS in our region,' Mr Billson said.
For more information and tour dates, please visit www.positivenegative.net.au
Media inquiries:
Shane Fairlie (Mr Billson's office) 0408 680 442
Jo Elsom (AusAID) (02) 6206 4960 or 0412 804 489