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  • Tony Hughes
  • Tony Hughes
    Research Director
    NZAF National Office, Auckland
  • +64 9 300 6950
    .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

BSc MSc (Hons)

Tony has been involved in HIV and AIDS management on a full-time basis since November 1984.

He attended the first International AIDS Conference in Atlanta in April 1985, and organised the first Government-funded prevention campaign for both men who have sex with men (MSM) and the general community in New Zealand in August 1985.

He also became actively involved in public policy development and gay rights advocacy at that time in order to support the evolving health promotion programme for MSM. This work assisted in the successful passage of homosexual law reform with an equal age of consent in 1986, and culminated in amendments to the Human Rights Act in 1993 to include sexual orientation and HIV positive status.

Tony was Deputy Director of NZAF from April 1990 to June 1996, and he has been Research Director from April 1990 to the present.

Since 1996 his focus has been on research on sexual behaviour and condom use by MSM. His particular attention has been on connecting emerging knowledge from the biology and epidemiology of HIV in order to sharpen the integration of theory, strategy and tactics at the coalface of HIV prevention.

Tony is a biologist by training (BSc, MSc (Hons)) and has a strong academic interest in all issues relating to sexual orientation, HIV basic science and its prevention implications, sexual health promotion strategies for MSM, and the scientific analysis of HIV and STI spread in MSM populations.

He was awarded a QSM for community service in the New Year’s Honours list in 2006, and is currently a member of the AIDS Medical and Technical Advisory Committee (AMTAC) of the Ministry of Health.

Other people in my Department

Dr Peter Saxton Vern Keller

our BLOG

  • July 21 2010, 2:12pm

    AIDS 2010 Conference, Vienna

    Posted by editor

    NZAF’s Executive Director Rachael Le Mesurier and Director NZAF Positive Health Services Eamonn Smythe are among those representing New Zealand at the 2010 International AIDS Conference in Vienna. ...


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