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Aboriginal health needs $300m: AMA

26 May 2004 - The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has used the annual Sorry Day to renew its call for increased indigenous funding.

AMA President Bill Glasson said the AMA acknowledged the plight of many indigenous Australians and the impact that past events have had on the health and wellbeing of many Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

Dr Glasson said the continued underfunding of indigenous health was a sad indictment of how we treat indigenous Australians.

The AMA is calling for an injection of an extra $300 million into Aboriginal health, with the government having committed just $10 million a year over four years in this year's budget.

"The budget surplus is healthy," Dr Glasson said.

"Let's commit a small portion of that money to make a big difference to the health of indigenous Australians."

"We must do whatever it takes to fund services and facilities to bring the health of Indigenous Australians up to the standards of the developed world."

The federal government will introduce legislation to abolish the peak indigenous body ATSIC in the current session of parliament, according to Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone.

Recent budget papers revealed government spending on indigenous affairs would increase by more than $87 million to a record of $2.9 billion in 2004/05.

But all programs to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will now be delivered by mainstream agencies following the decision to abolish ATSIC.

Senator Vanstone has said that decision, announced on April 15, will result in savings of $115 million over four years with that funding to be redirected to anti-violence and other priority programs.

Source: The Age

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