Australian HIV diagnoses have hit an all-time low, with the country insight of eliminating transmissions. It’s a legacy of Australia’s early, effective response, reports Gary Nunn from Sydney.

During the outbreak in the 1980s, a political friend of then Health Minister Neal Blewett had a word in his ear.

“Look mate, there are no votes in collaborating with these [people],” he said.

He was referring to gay men, sex workers and people who inject drugs – those heavily impacted by the virus.

Australia’s exceptional HIV/Aids response owes much, experts say, to politicians and other powerful decision-makers offering these communities seats at the table.

It was an extraordinary “leap of faith”, says author Nick Cook.

“Homosexuality was still illegal in some Australian states, so all three groups were stigmatised criminals; society’s most hated,” he says.

“It was also smart strategy: the government couldn’t be seen spending money on telling gay men how to have sex and drug users how to inject safely, during an epidemic. But they could funnel money into trusted community groups who could.”