Motion (by Senator Allison) agreed to:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the hepatitis C virus is commonly transmitted through blood-to-blood contact and that the most common means are from sharing needles or syringes or from unsafe tattooing or body piercing,

(ii) less common means of transmission are from mother to baby at birth, sharing razors or toothbrushes or through sharps injuries,

(iii) hepatitis C has not been found in the breastmilk of mothers with hepatitis C,

(iv) fewer than one in 100 000 transmissions occurs through blood donation,

(v) hepatitis C is not classified as a sexually transmitted disease, and

(vi) research shows that sexual transmission of hepatitis C is rare;

(b) calls on the Government to embark on a public awareness campaign about appropriate measures to prevent hepatitis C transmission and to correct recent misleading media articles which have suggested that hepatitis was a sexually transmitted disease; and

(c) acknowledges the hurt and anxiety experienced by those who have hepatitis C and whose relationships are affected by misleading information on the virus.