Whilst going about my everyday duties at work I sustained a needlestick injury. I now have to wait 12 - 24 weeks to see if I develop HIV, Hep C, Hep B and a number of other diseases. I could have started PEP medication within 72 hours to stop some of the illness taking hold, however the current law states "I do not have the right to know" if the owner of the needle has any infectious diseases.

Please think about yourself or a loved one going about everyday life and consider if there is a chance this could happen in your world. We all have family and friends going to work everyday putting others needs ahead of their own - Nurses, Doctors, Hospital Staff, Paramedics, Police, Military, Fire Fighters, SES, Corrections Officers, Protective Services Officers, Security, Aged Care, Hospitality, Supermarket Staff ............ and the list goes on. You can be contaminated by someone spitting in your face, becoming the victim of a crime, mixed blood through transporting an injured person, being assaulted, someone not disposing of a used needle properly, the scenarios seem endless. Unfortunately you will know someone this has happened to, probably more than once and many go unreported as people are too busy or unsure of the process.

If you work in a job where this is possible or can picture a scenario in which a loved one could have this happen, please understand the current law states you have NO RIGHT to know anything about the other persons infection status. That loved one will begin a cycle of every 'what if' imaginable, the toll it takes mentally is cruel. You cannot have normal relations with your partner, it affects the way you interact with your children.

This could all be prevented if we are able to have the other person take a simple blood test and the injured be allowed to know the results, we do not want or need to know anything else about them.

Knowing will not only help decide the course of action for your health but it will stop you doing all those unnecessary Mental Miles. Please sign this petition and share the link with friends and family to enable us to get this to Parliament House so the law makers can see this needs to change.