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key indigenous australian issues
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 As part of a European tour, a four member delegation from the National Aborginal Community-Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) visits the Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit (CPSU) in London - October 6, 2003. |
"I am recommending that the governments of Australia commit to achieving equality of health status and life expectation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous people within 25 years."
Statement by Tom Calma, Social Justice Commissioner, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC)"We must begin by asking our nation to face the truth. Aboriginal health is a genuine national emergency, more threatening than terrorism or the water crisis. We have responded to these challenges. We talk about them often. But we have yet to focus on our greatest crisis and it is weakening us at the very heart of our nation, wreaking massive damage on the oldest continuous culture on earth."
Jeff McMullen, Journalist and author"Australia is ranked bottom of a league table of wealthy nations working to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal peoples, according to a new report published today (April 2) by National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and Oxfam Australia." Oxfam Australia (2007). Click here for the full report (pdf)
"This situation affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people everywhere in Australia. It is not confined just to remote communities. Nor is it simply a ‘medical’ issue - it relates to the underlying causes of ill health – nutrition, employment, housing, public and environmental health, and the lack of affordable food for remote Australians."
Statement by The Fred Hollows Foundation
the impact of racism on Indigenous health“Experiencing racist treatment should be recognised as a social determinant of health. Improved health care and other initiatives may not eliminate health inequalities in the absence of fundamental changes in how non-Aboriginal people behave towards Aboriginal people” (Larson, Gillies, Howard, & Coffin, 2007, p. 322).
Larson, A., Gillies, M., Howard, P. J., & Coffin, J. (2007). It's enough to make you sick: the impact of racism on the health of Aboriginal Australians.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 31 (4), 322-329. Recommended, however can only be accessed through libraries or purchased.
Paradies, Y., Harris, R. & Anderson, I. (2008). The Impact of Racism on Indigenous Health in Australia
and Aotearoa: Towards a Research Agenda, Discussion Paper No. 4. , Cooperative Research Centre for AboriginalHealth, Darwin.
http://www.crcah.org.au/publications/downloads/Racism-Report.pdf
what can you do? support the following campaigns  |
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Ian Thorpe signing the pledge, 4 April 2007 |
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national close the gap day 18 September 2007 residents of the Blue Mountains NSW making their statement photo courtesy Beth Rushton |
Take action. Join Oxfam Close the Gap Campaign Close the Gap is Australia's largest campaign to improve Indigenous health. Supported by more than 40 Indigenous and non-Indigenous organisations, including Oxfam Australia, the campaign calls on federal, state and territory governments to commit to closing the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation
Oxfam Australia
Sign up to the 'Close the Gap pledge' - campaign coordinated by Oxfam Australia "Together we can end the Indigenous health crisis, Indigenous Australians die 17 years earlier than non-Indigenous Australians and Indigenous infant mortality is three times that of non-Indigenous Australians. It is a national disgrace that Indigenous Australians do not have the same access to health services that other Australians enjoy.
We call on Australian governments to take action to achieve health equality for Indigenous Australians within 25 years through:
- increasing annual Indigenous health funding by $450 million to enable equal access to health services
- increasing Indigenous control and participation in the delivery of health services
- addressing critical social issues such as housing, education and self-determination which contribute to the Indigenous health crisis" Oxfam Australia
sign up to ANTaR's Health Rights Campaigns  |
Launch of virtual sea of hands, Olympic stadium, Sydney 4th April 2007 |
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Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe (Olympian gold medalists) put their message on a hand |
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Cathy Freeman among the sea of hands installation, Olympic Park Sydney |
sign Getup Australia's petition to Close the Gap background informationNational Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisation (NACCHO) and Oxfam Australia's
- Closing the Gap report Click here for the full report (pdf)
The Fred Hollows Foundation briefing papers
- The Health Emergency [800kb]
- Profile of Indigenous population and health status [780kb]
- Where does the money go? Funding for Indigenous Health [600kb]
- The social determinants of health [600kb]
- Housing and health hardware [700kb]
- Literacy, education and health [630kb]
- Prevention is better than cure – Comprehensive Primary Health Care [630kb]
- Nutrition and health: The Fred Hollows Foundation program [1270kb]
Australian Medical Association report cards on Indigenous health
- Report card 2008
- Report card 2007
- Report card 2006
- Report card 2005
- Report card 2004
- Report card 2003
- Report card 2002
Health InfoNet
Health InfoNet is an innovative web resource making information on Indigenous Health easy and accessible.
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Ian Thorpe speaking at Close the Gap launch, Olympic stadium 4th April 2007. Seated from left to right - Rob Walsh Metroploitan Land Council, Tom Calma, Social Justice Commissioner and Henry Councillor, NACCHO |
palm island
an aboriginal man dies in custody
gone for a song
by journalist
jeff waters explores the issues surounding the suspicious death in custody, the botched police investigations and the secret evidence which still remains suppressed by the coroner's court
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