The cost of diabetes in 2002 in the USA was around 132 billion dollars. It is really costly and I wouldn't be surprised if it cost more than HIV in most developed countries. Diabetes not quickly killing the person who suffers from it would make it more costly because the person will have to be on medication longer.
It is impossible to eliminate HIV in any one country unless you allow nobody to leave or enter the country. Some tourist from Australia can go and get HIV from another place and bring it back to Australia.
Also tons of HIV postiive people don't know it. is he proposing blood testing of everyone coming into the country or something?
They have to take a medical exam anyway, would it be that big a thing - there must be some pretty good mass testing availble since its done for blood donations. He's talking about migrants, not visitors as well which means that they would have to get tested with their own money in their country of origin rather than as they go through customs - doesn't cost Australia a penny.
Its really not. They get blood tests anyway, plus immunisations. But can I just repeat again that it was an off-the-cuff, quickly disavowed comment and that its not going to happen? No-one in here appears to be reading the thread before posting, and we have rules about that.
I'm personally sick to death of having it assumed that I'm a racist because I live in Australia, or because I live in the south of Sydney (ie near Cronulla). I'm equally tired of the other Australians who, when told they're racist because of something John Howard or Pauline Hanson said or did, start beating their breasts and crying, "Oh, we are, we are!" As a whole, we're not, so quit the self-flagellation. Most countries around the world that allow immigration are struggling with its implications, and Australia is no different.
As for John Howard, as much as I hate his Bush-wannabe guts, this is a stupid issue. Some radio station asked him a retarded question, and he answered without thinking (which is actually pretty unusual for him, he's usually very politically savvy and knows better than to rise to something fucked-up like this). His party immediately back-pedalled, and frankly, it's a dead issue in Australia. Stupid question, stupid answer, not ever actually going to happen. Pretty simple.
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We meant it as a joke.
Also tons of HIV postiive people don't know it. is he proposing blood testing of everyone coming into the country or something?
As for John Howard, as much as I hate his Bush-wannabe guts, this is a stupid issue. Some radio station asked him a retarded question, and he answered without thinking (which is actually pretty unusual for him, he's usually very politically savvy and knows better than to rise to something fucked-up like this). His party immediately back-pedalled, and frankly, it's a dead issue in Australia. Stupid question, stupid answer, not ever actually going to happen. Pretty simple.