The Australian Government response to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee final report: Inquiry into the growing evidence of an emerging tick-borne disease that causes a Lyme-like illness for many Australian patients was tabled at the November 15th sitting of the Australian Senate.

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/8246306026A29C08CA2581D30010C8E4/$File/Govt-response-Senate-inquiry-final-report-%202017.pdf

In response to the report this Ministerial statement from The Hon. Greg Hunt, MP was released.

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-lyme-disease.htm/$File/Ministerial-statement-Govt-response-Senate-inquiry-final-report-2017.pdf

In the statement he indicates $3m to be made available to research into the “Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks”.

The research page can be found here https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants-funding/apply-funding/targeted-and-urgent-calls-research/research-debilitating

The statement also urges people to “stop using the words Lyme disease and Lyme disease-like illness. Without knowing the causes of
the symptom complexes, we are being descriptive in our acknowledgement of debilitating symptom complexes attributed to ticks.”
It is interesting that the governments comment tries to distance the disease away from ticks even though the DSCAT terminology focuses on ticks.

Current medical  thinking does not recognise chronic infections. We all know that most Australians suffering from DCAT/TBD or what ever you want to call it except Lyme disease have chronic infections vectored by blood sucking insects of one form or another.  A medical paradigm shift is required.

The department is also planning a forum in December 2017 to discuss in detail the recommendations in the response.