Tim Read is an Australian politician. He has been a Greens member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since November 2018, representing the seat of Brunswick. A former general practitioner, and medical researcher with a PhD on the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections, he is the current Victorian Greens Spokesperson for Health, Justice, Integrity and Science.
Tim Read | |
|---|---|
 Read in 2019 | |
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Brunswick | |
| Assumed office 24 November 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Jane Garrett |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1962 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Greens |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne |
| Profession | General Practitioner Medical Researcher |
| Signature |  |
Early life
editRead was born in Melbourne in 1962. In 1985, he attended the University of Melbourne, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree. He worked as a general practitioner in a number of inner-city and suburban community health centres.
Read began specialty training, and from 1998 was sexual health physician and became medical coordinator of the HIV clinic at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre, and from 2005 as a sessional sexual health physician at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
He completed a Postgraduate Diploma of Epidemiology in 2007, and in 2014, he completed his Doctor of Philosophy, titled ‘Studies in the epidemiology of human papillomavirus, the early detection of anal cancer and the control of human immunodeficiency virus.’ As a medical researcher Read has since published over 60 peer reviewed articles in medical literature, focusing largely on human papillomavirus, HIV treatment and prevention, and Mycoplasma genitalium.
From 2015 he was a National Health and Medical Research Council early career research fellow at Monash University.
State politics
editRead had previously run for the Greens at the 2013 federal election for Wills, and at the 2014 Victorian election for Brunswick. In the 2018 Victorian election he won in Brunswick, the first time a non-Labor-aligned MP had been elected for the seat.
In Parliament, Read has campaigned on the issues of climate change, the over-incarceration and deaths in custody of Aboriginal Victorians, and the promotion of active transportation and bike safety. His inaugural speech in Parliament listed Victoria’s biggest public health challenges as: heatwaves and climate change, our approach to drugs and crime, and diabetes.[1]
In 2019, he called for pill-testing and the decriminalisation of public drunkenness in his first two adjournment matters, for the later calling on the Attorney-General to ‘form a working group to establish a process to care for people found to be intoxicated in public’ and to ‘establish appropriate facilities, instead of relying on police cells’ – the path to decriminalisation ultimately announced by the Victorian government later that year.[2][3]
A prodigious drafter of private members bills, in his first term he was responsible for the Victorian Green’s bills to introduce pill-testing, reform Victoria’s bail laws, raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14, and to strengthen political integrity laws and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC).[4][5][6][7] He also sought to amend legislation to raise Victoria’s renewable energy target from 50% to 100% renewable energy by 2030.[8]
In 2020 he was credited in playing a key role in preventing a controversial change to the Judicial Proceedings Reports Act 1958 which would have potentially criminalised the families of dead victims of sexual assault naming the victim, unless they had first obtained a court order.[9]
He was part of a successful campaign to reduce restrictions on gay men donating blood, although he continues to advocate for a further easing of the remaining restrictions.[10]
Since March 2023, Read has been Chair of the Integrity and Oversight Committee. He was elected to the role following the Andrews Government's decision to have a non-government chair.[11] In August 2023, he was involved in a "spat" with Victorian Labor MP Belinda Wilson, after he supported a motion condemning her and her Labor colleagues for their questions which were perceived as an "attempting to smear" the Commissioner. Wilson later apologised to Read for shouting.[12]
COVID-19 pandemic
editRead is the only medical doctor currently sitting in the Victorian Parliament, and was the Victorian Greens spokesperson for health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Victorian Greens adopted a non-partisan, health and science-backed policy to manage the pandemic, largely seeking to work collaboratively with the Victorian Labor Government during the crisis, including negotiating the controversial amendments to the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.[13] However, Read also publicly spoke against the ‘military’ response of Victoria Police towards anti-lockdown protesters, and against the need for Victorians to be locked out of their State when the COVID-19 virus was already known to be circulating in Victoria.[14][15]
Noting rising COVID-19 hospitalisations, in May 2022 he accused the government of "sleepwalking towards a health crisis", and advocated for a government to launch a pre-emptive public health campaign for winter to promote masks, indoor air-quality and government grants for HEPA filters, and vaccination.[16] Despite support from the Australian Medical Association, the Victorian Premier criticised his calls as “pure rank politics”, stating, “I’m terribly sorry but I’m not taking public health advice from them (the Greens), I’m just not.”[17]
The Premier reiterated that stance in a response to Read in question time on 7 June, stating: "On the notion that Victorians need to be reminded about the efficacy of mask wearing, the clear public health benefits of mask wearing, together with the benefits of getting vaccinated ... I reckon that Victorians know a bit about all of that because they have lived it for 2½ years. So, with the greatest of respect to the member for Brunswick, I do not think a further TV commercial campaign or a ‘campaign’, as he puts it, is necessarily needed."[18]
However, when faced with over 700 Victorian COVID-19 hospitalisations, on 12 July the Premier belatedly announced the program Read had been calling for, a “Stay Well for Winter Campaign” across TV, radio, outdoor and digital channels focusing on mask wearing, ventilation and vaccination, as well as an extension of the HEPA filter government grant program.[19]
In July 2022 Read called for the government to offer people free masks to people on public transport, a move subsequently announced by the Victorian government in August that year.[20][21]
Academic research
editAs a medical researcher Read has contributed to over 60 peer reviewed articles in medical literature, including:
- "Outcomes of Resistance-guided Sequential Treatment of Mycoplasma genitalium Infections: A Prospective Evaluation."[22]
- "Provision of rapid HIV tests within a health service and frequency of HIV testing among men who have sex with men: randomised controlled trial."[23]
- "The near disappearance of genital warts in young women 4 years after commencing a national human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme."[24]
- "Should we start screening for anal squamous intra-epithelial lesions in HIV-infected homosexual men?."[25]
- "Oral human papillomavirus in men having sex with men: risk-factors and sampling."[26]
- "Symptoms, Sites, and Significance of Mycoplasma genitalium in Men Who Have Sex with Men".[27]
- "Size of anal squamous cell carcinomas at diagnosis: A retrospective case series."[28]
- "Use of Pristinamycin for Macrolide-Resistant Mycoplasma genitalium Infection."[29]
- "HIV Testing With and Without a Clinical Consultation Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial."[30]
- "Non-consensual condom removal, reported by patients at a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia."[31]
- "Sensitivity of HIV rapid tests compared with fourth-generation enzyme immunoassays or HIV RNA tests."[32]
References
edit- ^ Victoria, Address to Parliament, Legislative Assembly, 6 February 2019, 248.
- ^ Victoria, Adjournment, Legislative Assembly, 5 March 2019, 718.
- ^ Premier of Victoria, New Health-Based Response To Public Drunkenness, 22 August 2019
- ^ Victorian Legislation, Bills, Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Pill Testing Pilot for Drug Harm Reduction) Bill 2019.
- ^ Victorian Legislation, Bills, Bail Amendment (Reducing Pre-trial Imprisonment of Women, Aboriginal, and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2021.
- ^ Victorian Legislation, Bills, Children, Youth and Families (Raise the Age) Amendment Bill 2021.
- ^ Victorian Legislation, Bills, Anti-corruption and Higher Parliamentary Standards (Strengthening Integrity) Bill 2022.
- ^ Victoria, Second Reading, Renewable Energy (Jobs and Investment) Amendment Bill 2019, Legislative Assembly, 2019, 2975.
- ^ Kovolos, Benita; Vaughan, Roger; Goode, Callum (11 November 2020). "Vic sex assault survivors secure changes". The Canberra Times.
- ^ Parkes-Hupton, Heath (31 January 2021). "New Australian blood donation rules for gay men don't go far enough, advocates say". news.com.au.
- ^ https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/committees/integrity-and-oversight-committee/ [bare URL]
- ^ https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/labor-mp-belinda-wilson-apologises-for-verbal-attack-on-greens-mp-in-parliament/news-story/90486644779440e2996cc54bdf5e5b41 [bare URL]
- ^ Read, Tim (15 November 2021). "Why the pandemic bill is needed in Victoria". The Age.
- ^ Mitchell, Neil (27 August 2021). ""Police union boss's message to anti-lockdown thugs 'intimidating' police online"". 3AW.
- ^ Eddie, Rachel (7 August 2022). ""No apology, compensation for Victorians trapped in NSW during COVID border closure"". The Age.
- ^ The Greens Victoria (27 May 2022). "Greens call for 'mask up' campaign as government sleepwalks towards health crisis', The Greens Victoria".
- ^ Clarke, Mitch (29 May 2022). "Victorian Greens encouraging mask wearing indoors to help hospital and ambulance system". Herald-Sun.
- ^ Victoria, Questions without notice and Ministers Statements, Legislative Assembly, 7 June 2022, 2125-2127.
- ^ Premier of Victoria The Hon. Daniel Andrews. (12 July 2022). "COVID Advice For Victorians To Stay Well In Winter".
- ^ Squires, Mandy; Clarke, Mitch; Booth, Sarah (15 July 2022). "Seventeen Victorians died of Covid on Thursday, amid calls for free masks on public transport". Herald-Sun.
- ^ Premier of Victoria The Hon. Daniel Andrews. (9 August 2022). "Free Masks To Keep Victorians Safe This Winter".
- ^ Read, Tim R. H.; Fairley, Christopher K.; Murray, Gerald L.; Jensen, Jorgen S.; Danielewski, Jennifer; Worthington, Karen; Doyle, Michelle; Mokany, Elisa; Tan, Litty; Chow, Eric P. F.; Garland, Suzanne M.; Bradshaw, Catriona S. (1 February 2019). "Outcomes of Resistance-guided Sequential Treatment of Mycoplasma genitalium Infections: A Prospective Evaluation". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 68 (4): 554–560. doi:10.1093/cid/ciy477. ISSN 1537-6591. PMC 6355821. PMID 29873691.
- ^ Read, Tim R. H.; Hocking, Jane S.; Bradshaw, Catriona S.; Morrow, Andrea; Grulich, Andrew E.; Fairley, Christopher K.; Chen, Marcus Y. (4 September 2013). "Provision of rapid HIV tests within a health service and frequency of HIV testing among men who have sex with men: randomised controlled trial". BMJ. 347 (sep04 1): f5086. doi:10.1136/bmj.f5086. ISSN 1756-1833. PMC 3762440. PMID 24004988.
- ^ Read, Tim R. H.; Hocking, Jane S.; Chen, Marcus Y.; Donovan, Basil; Bradshaw, Catriona S.; Fairley, Christopher K. (December 2011). "The near disappearance of genital warts in young women 4 years after commencing a national human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme". Sexually Transmitted Infections. 87 (7): 544–547. doi:10.1136/sextrans-2011-050234. ISSN 1472-3263. PMID 21970896. S2CID 971545.
- ^ Read, Tim R. H.; Fairley, Christopher K. (June 2011). "Should we start screening for anal squamous intra-epithelial lesions in HIV-infected homosexual men?". Sexual Health. 8 (2): 140–142. doi:10.1071/SH10152. ISSN 1448-5028. PMID 21592427.
- ^ Read, Tim R. H.; Hocking, Jane S.; Vodstrcil, Lenka A.; Tabrizi, Sepehr N.; McCullough, Michael J.; Grulich, Andrew E.; Garland, Suzanne M.; Bradshaw, Catriona S.; Chen, Marcus Y.; Fairley, Christopher K. (2012). "Oral human papillomavirus in men having sex with men: risk-factors and sampling". PLOS ONE. 7 (11): e49324. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...749324R. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049324. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3500282. PMID 23173054.
- ^ Read, Tim R.H.; Murray, Gerald L.; Danielewski, Jennifer A.; Fairley, Christopher K.; Doyle, Michelle; Worthington, Karen; Su, Jenny; Mokany, Elisa; Tan, L.T.; Lee, David; Vodstrcil, Lenka A.; Chow, Eric P.F.; Garland, Suzanne M.; Chen, Marcus Y.; Bradshaw, Catriona S. (April 2019). "Symptoms, Sites, and Significance of Mycoplasma genitalium in Men Who Have Sex with Men". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 25 (4): 719–727. doi:10.3201/eid2504.181258. ISSN 1080-6040. PMC 6433010. PMID 30882306.
- ^ Read, T. R. H.; Huson, K. L.; Millar, J. L.; Haydon, A.; Porter, I. W. T.; Grulich, A. E.; Hocking, J. S.; Chen, M. Y.; Bradshaw, C. S.; Fairley, C. K. (November 2013). "Size of anal squamous cell carcinomas at diagnosis: a retrospective case series". International Journal of STD & AIDS. 24 (11): 879–882. doi:10.1177/0956462413486776. ISSN 1758-1052. PMID 23970608. S2CID 24027518.
- ^ Read, Tim R. H.; Jensen, Jørgen S.; Fairley, Christopher K.; Grant, Mieken; Danielewski, Jennifer A.; Su, Jenny; Murray, Gerald L.; Chow, Eric P. F.; Worthington, Karen; Garland, Suzanne M.; Tabrizi, Sepehr N.; Bradshaw, Catriona S. (February 2018). "Use of Pristinamycin for Macrolide-Resistant Mycoplasma genitalium Infection". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 24 (2): 328–335. doi:10.3201/eid2402.170902. ISSN 1080-6059. PMC 5782881. PMID 29350154.
- ^ Read, Tim R. H.; Walker, Sandra; Chow, Eric P. F.; Ong, Jason J.; Bradshaw, Catriona S.; Medland, Nick A.; Wigan, Rebecca; Chen, Marcus Y.; Fairley, Christoper K. (1 August 2018). "HIV Testing With and Without a Clinical Consultation Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial". Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. 78 (4): 406–412. doi:10.1097/QAI.0000000000001688. ISSN 1944-7884. PMID 29608445. S2CID 4566469.
- ^ Latimer, Rosie L.; Vodstrcil, Lenka A.; Fairley, Christopher K.; Cornelisse, Vincent J.; Chow, Eric P. F.; Read, Tim R. H.; Bradshaw, Catriona S. (2018). "Non-consensual condom removal, reported by patients at a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia". PLOS ONE. 13 (12): e0209779. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1309779L. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0209779. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6306234. PMID 30586420.
- ^ Tan, Wei Sheng; Chow, Eric P. F.; Fairley, Christopher K.; Chen, Marcus Y.; Bradshaw, Catriona S.; Read, Tim R. H. (31 July 2016). "Sensitivity of HIV rapid tests compared with fourth-generation enzyme immunoassays or HIV RNA tests". AIDS. 30 (12): 1951–1960. doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000001134. ISSN 1473-5571. PMID 27124900. S2CID 205983167.