Australia has reached a landmark milestone in its fight against HIV, with new data showing annual diagnoses have fallen by a quarter over the past decade and the country has met ambitious global targets for testing and treatment for the very first time. But researchers are warning that the progress is uneven, with First Nations Australians, overseas-born communities and people diagnosed late continuing to face disproportionate risks.
The figures, released by the Kirby Institute at UNSW Sydney, show 753 people were diagnosed with HIV in Australia in 2025. While that number has remained relatively stable over the past three years, it represents a significant decline from 1,006 diagnoses recorded in 2016. When adjusted for population growth, the diagnosis rate has dropped by approximately one third over that same period.
Australia Meets the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV Targets
The data confirms Australia has achieved the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets for the first time — a globally recognised benchmark in the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. The targets require that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, that 95 per cent of those diagnosed are receiving treatment, and that 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.
Reaching these benchmarks places Australia among a small group of nations considered on track to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030. Researchers described the achievement as a significant step forward in a decades-long public health effort.
First Nations Australians Diagnosed at Nearly Twice the Rate
Despite the national milestone, the picture is considerably more complicated for First Nations communities. First Nations Australians were diagnosed with HIV at a rate of 3.9 per 100,000 people in 2025, compared with 2.1 per 100,000 among non-Indigenous Australians born in this country — making them almost twice as likely to receive a diagnosis.
There were 37 diagnoses among First Nations people during the year. Researchers described the persistent gap as deeply concerning, pointing to longstanding barriers to culturally safe healthcare that continue to limit access to prevention, testing and treatment services.
Kirby Institute epidemiologist Dr Skye McGregor said the findings underline the importance of working directly with communities to ensure responses are both accessible and culturally appropriate. First Nations Health Research Program manager Robert Monaghan echoed the concern, saying the near-double diagnosis rate demanded urgent attention.
Kim Gates, who leads the Kirby Institute's First Nations point-of-care program, noted that stronger testing efforts through Aboriginal community-controlled health services may have contributed to higher recorded diagnosis rates in some areas. She stressed, however, that people living in remote communities still face significant obstacles to consistent healthcare access.
"People living in remote communities do have poorer access to health services, so we still need to be ensuring that Aboriginal people are being screened at least twice a year for STIs," Gates said.
She also called on healthcare workers to challenge assumptions about who is at risk, noting that stigma and discrimination remain barriers that prevent some people from seeking care early. Understanding the depth and diversity of First Nations experience across Australia is central to designing effective health responses.
Gay and Bisexual Men, and Overseas-Born Communities, Remain Vulnerable
Gay and bisexual men accounted for almost two-thirds of all HIV diagnoses in Australia in 2025. While diagnoses among Australian-born men in this group have nearly halved over the past decade, the decline has been far smaller among men born overseas.
Researchers identified overseas-born gay and bisexual men as among the most vulnerable to HIV transmission in Australia, citing ongoing barriers to prevention tools and healthcare services that many face after arriving in the country.
Overall, the 2025 data presents a picture of genuine national progress tempered by persistent and serious inequality. Researchers say that ending HIV as a public health threat by 2030 will require targeted, community-led efforts that go well beyond the headline numbers.
