Policy Papers
Health Equity Matters prepares a range of resources as part of its HIV and public health policy work in Australia and internationally. These resources include policy positions, briefings and issue papers. You can view our policy papers below.
- Publications/
- Policy Papers/
- 2022 Policy Papers/
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2022_federalbudget 2022 23 Afao Analysis...
Access our policy positions, briefings, issue papers and more.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Syphilis Health Promotion and Community Engagement
This technical brief highlights the role of health promotion and community engagement in Australia's syphilis response. It explores the importance of tailored approaches for priority populations, the role of community organisations in delivering trusted health promotion, and opportunities to expand the reach and impact of prevention messaging across a range of settings.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Community-Led, Peer-Led and Other Innovative Service Delivery Models for Syphilis
This technical brief explores community-led, peer-led, nurse-led and other innovative service delivery models for syphilis. It highlights the limitations of traditional service models, the benefits of approaches that bring prevention, testing and care closer to communities, and the opportunities and challenges associated with scaling these models.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Access Barriers to Syphilis Care
This technical brief examines barriers to accessing syphilis prevention, testing, treatment and follow-up. It explores the structural, financial, social and cultural factors that can affect access and continuity of care and highlights their disproportionate impact on priority populations.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Strengthening the Primary Care Response to Syphilis
This technical brief investigates the primary care response to syphilis. It explores missed testing opportunities, challenges in diagnosis and clinical decision-making, and their impacts on outcomes for the individual and the health system. It also identifies opportunities to strengthen the capacity of primary care to respond to syphilis.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Prevention Approaches for Syphilis
This technical brief explores prevention approaches for syphilis, including condoms and doxy-PEP. It examines opportunities to improve awareness and uptake of prevention tools, and highlights the critical role of community organisations in reaching and engaging priority populations.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Clinical Impact of Syphilis
This technical brief examines the clinical impact of syphilis, including the stages of infection, associated symptoms and potential health consequences. It also explores the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, and the serious complications and health outcomes that can result from untreated infection.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Syphilis Epidemiology and Surveillance
This technical brief examines the epidemiology and surveillance of syphilis in Australia, including current notification trends, strengths and limitations of existing surveillance systems, and opportunities to strengthen surveillance and monitoring to support a more effective national response.
- 2026ConferencesPolicy PaperAustralia
AIDS 2026: Key Themes for Australia and the Asia-Pacific Region
The 2026 International AIDS Society Conference (AIDS 2026) took place at a time of both significant scientific progress and growing uncertainty for the global HIV response. While researchers presented major advances in HIV prevention and treatment, including long-acting and less frequent dosing options, discussions were also shaped by concerns about declining international HIV funding and the challenge of ensuring equitable access to prevention and treatment.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Mpox vaccine efficacy over time
The JYNNEOS® vaccine has been widely deployed in Australia and internationally to prevent mpox. A two-dose schedule provides substantial protection and reduces disease severity, but data on the long-term durability of immunity remain limited. Ongoing research is assessing whether booster doses or next-generation vaccines may provide improved efficacy and broader protection.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Working with community venues and SOPVs during mpox outbreaks
It is a fundamental principle of community-based health promotion to meet communities where they are, rather than expecting them to come to you. Partnerships with venues and organisations that engage with GBMSM are an essential component of an effective response. Given that sexual transmission remains the predominant form of transmission, this includes venues where GBMSM meet for the explicit or incidental purpose of finding sexual partners.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Integrating mpox into routine sexual health care
Given that elimination will be difficult to achieve and sustain, mpox will need to be addressed through routine sexual health care. The recognition of symptoms, treatment and management of mpox will need to be integrated into ongoing sexual health care, whether in specialist clinical and/or community-led services, or through general practice.
- 2026Briefing PaperPolicy PaperAustralia
Community research priorities for mpox
Ongoing mpox transmission is shaped as much by social, behavioural, and structural factors as by clinical interventions. Evidence gaps remain in relation to stigma, risk perception, behavioural responses, vaccination uptake, and longer-term impacts on health and wellbeing. Community-focused research that examines these experiences across diverse LGBTIQA+ communities is essential to ensure interventions are effective and reach those most affected.
