1.National : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey underway
2.1 NSW :AHMRC : Download 5th Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Summit
2.2 NSW: Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service (BAHS) in Ballina to build a purpose-built culturally appropriate health facility.
2.3: NSW : Greater Western Sydney Aboriginal Health Service excited to be opening soon a new clinic in Penrith
3.1 NT : AMSANT Calls on clients to remain in #myHealthRecord
3.2.NT : Danila Dilba ACCHO Darwin participated in the Annual NAIDOC march
4.1 : Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS) launches Her Rules Her Game mural. #becauseofherwecan
4.2 The staff at Wirraka Maya celebrating NAIDOC 2018,
5.1 TAS : National ACCHO’s to travel to Hobart in August for the National NACCHO Male Health Conference : Registrations Free
6.1 QLD : Wuchopperen Warriors Cycling Team and our Chairperson Donnella Mills getting ready for the #CairnsNAIDOC march
6.2 QLD : Making Deadly Choices and being a positive leader and role model and how to live a healthy lifestyle.
7.1 VIC : VAHS Healthy Lifestyle Team and Gamblers Help
View hundreds of ACCHO Deadly Good News Stories over past 6 years
How to submit a NACCHO Affiliate or Members Good News Story ?
Email to Colin Cowell NACCHO Media
Mobile 0401 331 251
Wednesday by 4.30 pm for publication each Thursday /Friday
1.National : Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Survey underway
The health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait people has been improving over the last two decades. The most recent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander survey showed that smoking rates have decreased from nearly one in two people over the age of 15 in 2002 (49%) to less than two in five (39%) in 2014-15. The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people drinking alcohol at levels that cause short term and lifetime risk has also decreased.
The next Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander survey has commenced with interviewers to visit all states of Australia in urban, regional and remote communities to create a national picture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
Shellie Morris, a proud Warduman and Yanyuwa woman and the 2014 NAIDOC National Artist of the Year said “If the health survey knocks on your door, make sure you get involved. Everyone’s story matters. Do it for yourself and do it for your community.”
The survey runs until March 2019 and will collect detailed information about health and health-related actions, and is a key dataset for understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing. Results will assist in the administration, evaluation and planning of health and social policies, programs and services, including determining the prevalence of specific long-term illnesses and developing more effective nutrition and physical activity programs. Previous results have been used to revise blood pressure test guidelines and promote quit smoking campaigns.
For the first time, this Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander survey will include voluntary hearing tests. This information will be of importance as poor hearing can have major impacts on a person’s health and education. The survey also collects a range of information about social well-being.
The first survey results will be available from late 2019 and will be used by a wide range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, health researchers, public health advocates, government, clinicians and community health organisations.
A promotional video about the 2018–19 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) can be viewed here:
Results from the previous NATSIHS are available in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Updated Results, 2012-13 (cat. no. 4727.0.55.006) on the ABS website http://www.abs.gov.au
2.1 NSW :AHMRC : Download 5th Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Summit
Please download, read and share the AHMRC report compiling our coverage of the recent 5th Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Summit
DOWNLOAD HERE NSW IndigenousHealthSummit_Report
Summer May Finlay and Marie McInerney covered the #IndigenousHealthSummit for the Croakey Conference News Service.
Warm thanks to all who contributed to the coverage, through their presentations, interviews, tweeting and engagement.
TEAM AHMRC
2.2 NSW: Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service (BAHS) in Ballina to build a purpose-built culturally appropriate health facility.
Board of the Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service (BAHS) are extremely happy to announce the recent purchase of land in Ballina that will eventually be the home of our purpose-built culturally appropriate health facility.
Download full Press Release
BAHS_Media_Release_New-Building_13July2018_Final
‘It’s been a great week for our Bundjalung Nation with this recent purchase, which we have been saving funds for over 10 years, so, it’s a long time coming’ says Chairperson, Brenda Holt.
BAHS was established in 2008 to work with other partners in the Ballina, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby, and Evans Heads areas, to improve health and wellbeing outcomes of Aboriginal People and their families, through our model that is based on the principle of selfdetermination.
Founding member and current Board Member, Aunty Nancy Walke, is extremely excited by this purchase. Aunty Nancy, said, we will be keen to hold a number of consultations with our Aboriginal Community across our region, as we feel it is really important to get their input into the shape and design of this new building.
Board Member Dave Kapeen, says it is really important to have a cultural theme throughout the building, and hopefully we can get enough funds together to house a cultural art centre as well that will showcase our local artists, and maybe a coffee shop too that our young ones can work in. They are our future!
The site for the new building will be on the corner of Grant and Tamar Streets Ballina. Bullinah Board have confirmed that future consultations will occur in the coming months
2.3: NSW : Greater Western Sydney Aboriginal Health Service excited to be opening soon a new clinic in Penrith
3.1 NT : AMSANT Calls on clients to remain in #myHealthRecord
Australians have three-months to opt-out of the Federal Government’s online health database, ‘My Health Record’.
But the message from John Paterson CEO of AMSANT after 6 years experience is broadly supportive — against the warnings of privacy advocates and some IT security experts.
Doctors say My Health Record will help improve services to rural Australians, Indigenous Australians and other vulnerable people in the community.
2.2.NT : Danila Dilba ACCHO Darwin participated in the Annual NAIDOC march.
This was another amazing day, walking proudly side by side with our partner organisations and community.
Thank you to the Topend NAIDOC committee for making this day so deadly and thank you to the guest speakers for your inspiring words. #NAIDOCWeek #becouseofherwecan
4.1 : Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services (KAMS) launches Her Rules Her Game mural. #becauseofherwecan
4.2 The staff at Wirraka Maya celebrating NAIDOC 2018,
“Because of Her, We Can”
#NAIDOC2018 #BecauseOfHerWeCan #WMHSAC #BeAtYourBest#WirrakaMaya
5.1 TAS : National ACCHO’s to travel to Hobart in August for the National NACCHO Male Health Conference : Registrations Free
The recent week-long #MensHealthWeek focus offered a “timely reminder” to all men to consider their health and wellbeing and the impact that their ill health or even the early loss of their lives could have on the people who love them. The statistics speak for themselves – we need to look after ourselves better .
That is why I am encouraging all men to take their health seriously, this week and every week of the year, and I have made men’s health a particular priority for Indigenous health.”
Federal Minister for Indigenous Health and Aged Care Ken Wyatt
To celebrate #MensHealthWeek NACCHO has launches its National #OchreDay2018 Mens Health Summit program and registrations
The NACCHO Ochre Day Health Summit in August provides a national forum for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male delegates, organisations and communities to learn from Aboriginal male health leaders, discuss their health concerns, exchange share ideas and examine ways of improving their own men’s health and that of their communities
All too often Aboriginal male health is approached negatively, with programmes only aimed at males as perpetrators. Examples include alcohol, tobacco and other drug services, domestic violence, prison release, and child sexual abuse programs. These programmes are vital, but are essentially aimed at the effects of males behaving badly to others, not for promoting the value of males themselves as an essential and positive part of family and community life.
To address the real social and emotional needs of males in our communities, NACCHO proposes a positive approach to male health and wellbeing that celebrates Aboriginal masculinities, and uphold our traditional values of respect for our laws, respect for Elders, culture and traditions, responsibility as leaders and men, teachers of young males, holders of lore, providers, warriors and protectors of our families, women, old people, and children.
NACCHO’s approach is to support Aboriginal males to live longer, healthier lives as males for themselves. The flow-on effects will hopefully address the key effects of poor male behaviour by expecting and encouraging Aboriginal males to be what they are meant to be.
In many communities, males have established and are maintaining men’s groups, and attempting to be actively involved in developing their own solutions to the well documented men’s health and wellbeing problems, though almost all are unfunded and lack administrative and financial support.
To assist NACCHO to strategically develop this area as part of an overarching gender/culture based approach to service provision, NACCHO decided it needed to raise awareness, gain support for and communicate to the wider Australian public issues that have an impact on the social, emotional health and wellbeing of Aboriginal Males.
It was subsequently decided that NACCHO should stage a public event that would aim to achieve this and that this event be called “NACCHO Ochre Day”.
The two day conference is free: To register
6.QLD : Wuchopperen Warriors Cycling Team and our Chairperson Donnella Mills getting ready for the #CairnsNAIDOC march
6.2 QLD : Making Deadly Choices and being a positive leader and role model and how to live a healthy lifestyle.
Having a yarn with the participants of the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team. Talking about the importance of being a positive leader and role model and how to live a healthy lifestyle. Too deadly you mob!!!
7.1 VIC : VAHS Healthy Lifestyle Team and Gamblers Help
VAHS Healthy Lifestyle Team and Gamblers Help joined the Collingwood Knights F.C at training to chat about the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation ‘Love the Game Not the Odds’ Gambling Awareness program.
The players were all really engaged which allowed for lots of great discussion.
Join us next Wednesday to watch the ‘Love the Game Not the Odds’ themed round; Collingwood Knights F.C vs cohealth game at Victoria Park. Game starts at 12pm!
@collingwood Knights F.C Victorian Responsible Gambling FoundationReclink Australia
#BeAware #LovetheGame #vahsHLT #VRGF