Dear Prime Minister and Minister Payne,

I am writing on behalf of a group of my constituents who are members of the grassroots movement ‘RESULTS International Australia’. RESULTS is an advocacy group committed to working towards an end to global poverty, especially in relation to public health. I met with members of this group earlier in the year and their compassion, dedication, and resolve is truly inspirational.

One of the main issues that RESULTS is working on is seeking an increase to Australia’s funding commitments to help fight Tuberculosis (TB) around the world.

TB is the number one infectious disease killer in the world, claiming a staggering 1.5 million people in 2018 alone. Due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic, it is expected that an additional 1.4 million Tuberculosis deaths and an additional 6.3 million cases.

As you know, in 2018, Australia made a commitment to the UN High-Level meeting on TB to continue investing in TB research and development as well as in a program that would support our neighbouring countries fight this horrible disease.

Are you able to advise me whether your Government will uphold these commitments and make these investments into ending TB? Australia has a huge role to play in ending the scourge of Tuberculosis, saving millions of lives in the process.

Kind regards,

Alicia Payne

Member for Canberra