1.VIC : Essendon Football Club and The Long Walk partners with Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS) to promote Deadly Choices
2.NSW :Awabakal opened a new Community Clinic to mark National Close the Gap Day
3.WA : The AHCWA team took action to raise awareness of National Close the Gap Day 2018!
4.NT : Mobile health lab expands educational offering through Heart Foundation partnership
5.ACT : Winnunga ACCHO Download monthly News from CEO Julie Tongs
6.QLD : Apunipima ACCHO Closing the Gap on health inequality for Indigenous mothers and babies in Cape York
7. Tas: TAC : The Tasmanian Aboriginal community gathered in the North-West last weekend for an annual celebration of Aboriginal culture, heritage and land ownership.
8.SA : SA’s biggest Closing the Gap Day
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1.VIC : Essendon Football Club and The Long Walk partners with Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS) to promote Deadly Choices
“We’re proud and pleased to partner with another urban Community Controlled Health Service (VAHS) to deliver Deadly Choices to their communities. Programs like Deadly Choices demonstrate that the solution to improving Indigenous health and well-being is within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,”
CEO of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, Adrian Carson, is excited to see Essendon and VAHS rolling out Deadly Choices in their region.
Essendon Football Club and The Long Walk are proud to announce they have partnered with Victorian Aboriginal Health Services (VAHS) to promote the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander preventative health campaign, Deadly Choices.
A social marketing campaign developed by the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH), Deadly Choices aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families, with a specific focus on:
- Quitting smoking
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising daily
- Accessing their local Community-Controlled Health Service for an annual ‘Health Check’
The Club will work closely with VAHS and IUIH in order to encourage more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make Deadly Choices.
General Manager of The Long Walk and Indigenous Affairs, Leanne Brooke, said Essendon is the first AFL Club in Victoria to get behind Deadly Choices.
“Essendon and The Long Walk are proud to support Deadly Choices, and we look forward to working closely with VAHS and IUIH to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Brooke said.
“Essendon’s strong following, and our long and proud connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, will not only help us promote the importance of making Deadly Choices in the North of Melbourne but right across Australia.
“Partnering with VAHS using the Deadly Choices preventative health campaign reinforces Essendon and The Long Walk’s ongoing commitment to celebrating, educating and empowering Australia’s first nation’s people.”
As part of the new partnership, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Joe Daniher and Michael Hurley were unveiled as the Club’s Deadly Choices Ambassadors.
Today the trio joined their teammates in showing off the new Essendon themed Deadly Choices t-shirts, which participants receive after having an annual health check.
CEO of VAHS, Michael Graham, said the new partnership would raise vital awareness about the importance of good health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“For VAHS, Deadly Choices as a marketing tool is a ‘game- changer’ for the long term health and well-being of our people,” Mr Graham said.
“When we get on the front foot and have people informed about their health status and support them to take control with Deadly Choices, then we are heading in the right direction.”
CEO of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, Adrian Carson, is excited to see Essendon and VAHS rolling out Deadly Choices in their region.
“We’re proud and pleased to partner with another urban Community Controlled Health Service (VAHS) to deliver Deadly Choices to their communities. Programs like Deadly Choices demonstrate that the solution to improving Indigenous health and well-being is within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” Carson said.
“Essendon players will promote the preventative health messaging that will attract even more clients to VAHS health clinics, to make their health a priority.”
To learn more about Deadly Choices, click here.
To find out where your nearest VAHS clinic is, click here.
2.NSW :Awabakal opened a new Community Clinic to mark National Close the Gap Day
On Thursday 15 March, Aboriginal organisation Awabakal opened a new Community Clinic in Raymond Terrace to mark National Close the Gap Day.
This new Clinic will be the start of an expansion for Awabakal as they work to meet the region’s demand for Aboriginal health and community services and to assist in addressing the serious issue of the disparity in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In addition to the new Raymond Terrace site, another Clinic will open in Cardiff in April and there are plans to service an additional two communities with their mobile outreach clinics.
Awabakal’s Chief Executive Officer, Raylene Gordon is proud of the organisation’s growth and the support they have had from the community.
“It’s wonderful to see our community growing as people engage with our services. To now have the opportunity to take these services to a wider territory takes us a step closer to closing the gap,” says Raylene.
=“We are always aiming to lead the way in delivering culturally appropriate health and wellbeing services to our people. The Raymond Terrace site is exciting because it is a partnership with a local Aboriginal organisation, Wahroonga.
Awabakal’s new Clinic will operate to provide additional access to services already delivered by Awabakal Medical Service in Hamilton which currently provides primary health care, advocacy, social and emotional support to Aboriginal families in the Newcastle area.
In additional to growing their geographical reach, Awabakal has also recently expanded their services by becoming a registered provider of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). They are also currently in the process of developing new Youth programs to continue to work towards closing the gap in life expectancy by providing better services and opportunities for Aboriginal people from a young age.
With more than 40 years behind them as an Aboriginal managed not-for-profit organisation, Awabakal continues to set the standard for Indigenous health services that both honour the Aboriginal culture whilst opening the possibilities for greater equality in the health and wellbeing of all Australians.
Visit www.awabakal.org for more information about Awabakal’s services
3.WA : The AHCWA team took action to raise awareness of National Close the Gap Day 2018!
The Close the Gap campaign calls on governments to take real, measurable action to achieve Indigenous health equality by 2030
4.NT : Mobile health lab expands educational offering through Heart Foundation partnership
Download the HealthLAB app
Click here to download the HealthLAB app for Apple devices
People living in remote Northern Territory communities will benefit from an expanded health education offering through a partnership between Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) and the Heart Foundation.
This year, Menzies’ mobile health laboratory HealthLAB will be delivering the Heart Foundation’s LiveLighter program to five remote communities in the Top End and three communities in Central Australia.
Associate Professor Heidi Smith-Vaughan, HealthLAB director, said the team was excited to show people living in remote Australia ways to lower their risk of developing chronic diseases by delivering hands-on health promotion.
“LiveLighter is a fantastic public education campaign. It aligns with the aims of HealthLAB, which is promoting positive health behaviours and empowering people to reduce the risks of developing health issues later in life for themselves and future generations,” Assoc Prof Smith-Vaughan said.
The LiveLighter program aims to encourage Australian adults to lead healthier lifestyles by making simple changes to what they eat and drink, and by being more active.
HealthLAB uses the latest health technology to measure participants’ health and inform them about the impacts of smoking, alcohol misuse and diet, which can increase the risk of long-term diseases such as diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, obesity and heart disease.
HealthLAB stations are operated by dieticians, sonographers, clinical professionals and scientists who provide education and measure physical health through body impedance, blood pressure, carbon dioxide analyser, and upper body strength, among others.
Heart Foundation Northern Territory CEO, Simon Dixon, said the Heart Foundation was delighted to be partnering with Menzies to deliver HealthLAB to communities in the Territory.
“Healthy lifestyles lead to healthy hearts,” said Mr Dixon.
“The LiveLighter program has successfully educated thousands of Australians about the importance of healthy nutrition and activity,” he said.
“Now with the involvement of HealthLAB we will be able to spread this message to a really important audience in remote communities as well.”
The first HealthLAB and LiveLighter program was delivered in Maningrida on Close the Gap Day, Thursday, 15 March 2018. The team also set up at the Tiwi Islands AFL Grand Final on Sunday, 18 March 2018.
For more information about HealthLAB, visit www.menzies.edu.au/HealthLAB
5.ACT : Winnunga ACCHO Download monthly News from CEO Julie Tongs
I was very pleased, in late February to again welcome Minister for Health Ms Meegan Fitzharris and Minister for Community Services Ms Rachel Stephen-Smith to Winnunga AHCS. I am genuinely grateful for the interest which both Ministers are showing in Winnunga AHCS and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
Download March News HERE
Winnunga AHCS Newsletter March 2018
The primary purpose of the meeting was to update the Ministers on initial concept and design work which Winnunga AHCS has commissioned Judd Consulting to undertake in respect of the proposed new health and community services facility. A number of issues were covered during the discussion on plans for the new building. These included issues such as timing, project management, funding model, lease arrangements, ownership, design, construction and parking.
This is an incredibly exciting and important project for Winnunga AHCS and all of its clients and I am grateful for the collaborative approach which Minister Fitzharris, in particular, has adopted.
At the meeting with the Ministers we also discussed the plan announced recently by the Government to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Centre of Excellence in Health at the Canberra Hospital. I expressed some surprise that neither the reason nor rationale for the creation of the Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health had been conveyed to either me or anyone at Winnunga AHCS. I explained it was not clear what role the Centre would play and how it would relate to Winnunga AHCS – the first choice for health care for the majority of Canberra’s Aboriginal community. The Minister advised that while she had understood that Winnunga AHCS had been consulted about the proposal she was most concerned that that was not the case. I await with interest an explanation of what it is that the proposed Centre will do.
I also discussed with the Ministers my concerns about the continuing delay in finalising the tender process for the return of Boomanulla Oval to Aboriginal control and management.
The meeting with Ms Fitzharris and Ms Stephen-Smith was open and constructive and I look forward to their continued interest in, and support of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
6.QLD : Apunipima ACCHO Closing the Gap on health inequality for Indigenous mothers and babies in Cape York
Apunipima Cape York Health Council announces a new project to address the health inequality of Indigenous mothers and babies in Cape York.
Families in remote Cape York communities will benefit from a new project being undertaken by Apunipima Cape York Health Council to improve nutrition before, during and after pregnancy.
Apunipima has been awarded funding from Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) to deliver the Optimal Infant Nutrition for Cape York Mums Project.
The project will build upon Apunipima’s award-winning Baby One Program and further develop a suite of tools, workshops and activities around nutrition for mothers and infants to improve long-term health and wellness outcomes.
Population Health and Research Team Leader Melinda Hammond said it is well known that underlying poor nutrition is a major contributing factor to the higher burden of disease experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared with other Australians.
“We know that improving health and life expectancy starts early in life. The healthier a pregnancy is, the healthier the child will be and the better they will learn and grow.” said Ms Hammond.
NQPHN Chief Executive Officer John Gregg said improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health by closing the gap is a priority area of NQPHN.
“This partnership with Apunipima will assist in education for families that may otherwise be out of reach for many within Cape York communities.
“We are proud to be a part of this program, as we continuously work towards helping northern Queenslanders to live happier, healthier, and longer lives.”
Aboriginal women have an increased risk of having low birthweight babies and complications of anaemia, poor nutrition and there are high rates of smoking and chronic disease during pregnancy. This increasing risk of adverse health outcomes for the mother and baby. Poor nutrition before, during and after pregnancy and during the first few years of life can result in chronic disease later in life. Preventing this starts with healthy mothers, babies and children.
The project will be run over the next two years and will initially focus on two Cape York communities. Apunipima will be working in partnership with researchers at James Cook University, Monash University and Menzies School of Health Research to ensure robust evaluation of all the project activities is shared widely.
The three-day camping event was held at Preminghana, a property north of Arthur River that was handed back to the Aboriginal community in 1995.
Scott Wells of Wynyard entertains campers with music. Picture: Supplied
CEREMONY: Brenton Brown of Burnie does a Cleansing Dance while Launceston boys Calvin Riley and J’Kobi Hughes beat clap sticks. Picture: Supplied
TAC North-West regional manager Lisa Coulson said there was “a real sense of community and cultural connectedness” among the 170 people who attended.
Ms Coulson said the camp also provided a chance for family and friends to catch up.
“It was a great opportunity to get kids and their families out of the cities and into their natural environment on their land,” she said.
The TAC also ran workshops on protective behaviours and strategies to keep young people safe, updated the community about land management efforts at Preminghana and had experts on nutrition and quitting smoking on hand.
The annual camp was started in 1991 and moved to Preminghana in 1995.
Aboriginal community members from around Tasmania enjoy cultural activities at the preminghana Camp.
Thursday 22 March 2018
Adelaide Showground, Ridley CentreJoin us for SA’s biggest Closing the Gap Day at the Adelaide Showground.
MC SHELLEY WARE | COMEDIAN JOSHUA WARRIOR
DELICIOUS LUNCH | FREE HEALTH CHECKS | HENNA TATTOOS | NGANGKARI TRADITIONAL HEALERS | SA METROPOLITAN FIRE SERVICE TRUCKS | REPTILE ZOO | JUMPING CASTLE & MANY MORE FUN ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS See More
