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"These two feel pretty stoked... is it because they just had great sex or is it because they felt safe doing the best part by regularly doing the test part... make STI testing your 'beforeplay'."
The federal government's new campaign, called ‘Beforeplay’ has launched in response to surging rates of sexually transmitted infections.
The campaign has one focus - to tackle growing numbers of STI infections such as chlamydia and syphilis across the country.
It will feature on prominent dating apps such as Tinder and Grindr urging Australians to get tested.
General Practitioner, Dr Bruce Willett says people can have STI's and not know they're infected.
"I think the first thing to be aware of with STI is that often people have no symptoms at all. So really important to be aware of that, particularly women can have STIs and the classical one is chlamydia without symptoms and chlamydia can cause significant problems in terms of something called pelvic inflammatory disease and fatigue affects fertility around the tribe without causing symptoms at the time of the initial infection, so really important to be aware of that and to consider getting tested if you feel that you may be at risk, even if you don't have symptoms."
Health Minister Mark Butler launched the 'Beforeplay' campaign which encourages people to do their part in combating the spread of infections by getting tested regularly and practising safe sex.
The nine-week campaign will appear on the dating apps and around universities, bars and clubs.
It encourages young Australians to regularly get tested for sexually transmitted infections.
Dr Willett says Australians have become complacent when it comes to testing.
"I do think we've gotten a little bit complacent around STIs I think we kind of got the feeling that we had a beat and that they're under control. And I think people not as aware of the risks or remember perhaps were, which does speak to the to the need for people to get tested, if they're at any risk and that means if you have a new partner If you have multiple partners, people who use drugs are at an increased risk. People who have travelled and had six RBCs in particularly in high-risk countries, all need to think about getting tested and you know it isn't it is important thing to do regularly."
If undetected, syphilis can have serious health impacts for pregnant women and their babies.
One in six Australians will get an STI in their lifetime.
Materials will also be translated for multicultural and First Nation's audiences.
Dr Vijay Ramanathan says there are many concerns with testing, particularly among migrant communities.
"There are many concerns, but the few concerns that I see for the migrant population is at the start with embarrassment and shame, whether that sort of you know, to have an STI and being diagnosed with an STI and not knowing what's going to happen, whether that's going to be told to somebody else in the family, if they're all going and visiting a same GP or family doctor."
Dr Ramanathan says there are many barriers that exist within the community associated with being diagnosed with an STI.
"Having a diagnosis of a condition, let alone, STI any condition can create some fear and anxiety, and definitely when it has something to do with sex then, we call it a sexually transmissible infection, but diagnosis of STI is definitely anxiety provoking, and it creates a sense of shame."
Health Minister Mark Butler says the 'Beforeplay' campaign will help reduce the stigma around STI testing and prevention.
Testing can be as simple as taking a urine or blood sample and can be done at a GP, local sexual health clinic or community health centre.
