HIV focus set on city

Hamish Heard
A Federal Government review probing whether HIVpositive immigrants could enter Australia undetected will focus on two Geelong men accused of knowingly infecting women with the disease.
A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews stood by the Howard Government’s record on screening HIVinfected migrants but said the review was essential following publicity surrounding the two Geelong cases before court.
Geelong Magistrates Court this week heard allegations that 28year old Lam Kuoth, an HIVinfected Sudanese immigrant living at Norlane, knowingly spread the disease through unprotected sex with several women.
The court reportedly heard Kuoth’s girlfriend, a 26yearold Geelong woman, was diagnosed with the disease after having sex with him.
A 24year old Reservoir woman had also tested positive after having sex with Kuoth following his notification of his HIV status.
Police told the court Kuoth also had unprotected sex with a 16year old Geelong girl 10 times.
The case followed an earlier hearing on charges against Zambianborn Belmont student Solomon Mwale, 37, who allegedly concealed his HIV status from a Geelong mother with whom he had a fouryear affair.
The woman later tested HIV positive.
“While I can’t comment on the specific cases before the courts in Geelong, I can say those (Geelong) cases are certainly a focus of the review,” Mr Andrews’ spokesperson said.
The spokesperson maintained that the Government screened all migrants for health or character problems prior to entering the country.
“In the case of HIV or tuberculosis, those diseases would potentially result in a visa being denied,” she said.
Shadow Immigration Minister Tony Bourke said the review into screening procedures had “bipartisan support”.