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Make Indigenous Poverty History by 2015

9 November 2005 - "Make Indigenous Poverty History by 2015" challenged Graeme Mundine, Executive Secretary of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission, speaking about NATSIEC's new campaign aimed at the reduction of poverty experienced by Australia's Indigenous Peoples.

"The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) do not specifically target Indigenous Peoples but Indigenous Peoples are often the ones most affected by extreme poverty and usually rank at the bottom of most social and economic indicators.

"As we campaign to achieve the Millennium Development Goals we must not forget the world's Indigenous Peoples," Mr Mundine said.

"The poorest in Australian society are the Traditional Owners of this land. Even though Australia is a rich country there are those who live in poverty and who do not enjoy the same level of health, wealth and even life expectancy as that of the majority of Australians," Mr Mundine commented.

"All key social and economic indicators show that Australian Indigenous Peoples are living in poverty: our children are twice as likely to die in infancy, and we suffer from more preventable diseases, higher unemployment, lower house ownership, lower engagement with education and we are six times as likely to be murdered.

"Poverty is a very real and debilitating experience for many of our people," Mr Mundine said.

"The MDGs must be aligned with poverty reduction strategies that address the particular needs of Indigenous peoples. Without the meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples our marginalisation and exclusion will continue.

"Here in Australia we must compare the living standards and levels of health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with those of the rest of Australia - not to the poorest of the world's poor.

"Now more than two hundred years after colonisation we have an opportunity to stand up together and say enough! We will not tolerate the poverty that the poorest of our society currently live in. We will do whatever it takes to ensure that the Indigenous Peoples of Australia have the same opportunities to live as long, to create as much wealth, to see their children grow into healthy and productive adults as non - Indigenous people do," Mr Mundine said.

"We must work as hard for our own poor as we do for those overseas and MAKE INDIGENOUS POVERTY HISTORY by 2015," Mr Mundine concluded.

For further comment or details on the
NATSIEC Make Indigenous Poverty History Campaign
contact: Graeme Mundine on 02 9299 2215 or 0419 238 788

NATIONAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ECUMENICAL COMMISSION
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN AUSTRALIA
PHONE: (+61 2) 9299 2215 FAX: (+61 2) 9262 4514 Email natsiec@ncca.org.au
Website: www.ncca.org.au/natsiec

Further information: make indigenous poverty history action page - includes news index and external links

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