- Closing the Gap report highlights ‘snail’s pace’ progress
- Deaf Indigenous Dance Group unites communities
- The RACGP supports the Voice
- Men sharing stories to save lives
- Fred Hollows: Why First Nations health is still on the agenda
- New Aboriginal cultural heritage laws in WA
- Sector Jobs
The image in the feature tile is of SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle. Image source: NTCOSS.
The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.
We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.
Grim reading: Closing the Gap report highlights ‘snail’s pace’ progress
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia are being failed by the current system, according to SNAICC, Australia’s peak body representing the rights and welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
The criticism comes in response to the Productivity Commission’s annual report on Closing the Gap, which revealed worsening outcomes in areas such as early childhood development, adult incarceration, displaced children, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide. SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle expressed concern about the slow pace of reform and called on governments to pick up the momentum. Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney echoed these concerns and emphasised the need for a different approach to address the disadvantages faced by First Nations people.
While progress has been made in areas such as preschool enrolment, youth detention, employment, and land rights, only four out of the 19 targets are on track to be met. The report revealed that fewer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are developmentally on track when starting school, with only 34.3% meeting the target compared to a national goal of 55%. The statistics on adult incarceration, out-of-home care, and Indigenous suicide also raised alarm.
SNAICC emphasised the need for more action, accountability, and collaboration between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to drive the necessary change.
You can read the full story in the National Indigenous Times here.
Deaf Indigenous Dance Group unites communities
Patty Banjo-Morris, leader of the Deaf Indigenous Dance Group (DIDG) has made a triumphant return to Laura at the long-running Laura Quinkan Indigenous Dance Festival, one of Australia’s oldest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural festivals.
Banjo Morris is passionate about ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children with hearing impairments have access to their culture and language. After becoming deaf at the age of two, she was sent from her hometown to attend a special needs school away from her hometown. She stated,
“It was very emotionally impacting on me – I used to not be able to sleep at night, worrying about my parents, [although] I had a foster family who were very encouraging and supportive.”
Now, Banjo Morris runs DIDG, which brings together dancers from different communities across the Cape York peninsula. DIDG was among nine dance groups competing at the weekend’s festival, which has been running since the early 1980s. A troupe from Pormpuraaw on the western coast of Cape York took home the competition shield after being judged the best dancers of the event, with groups from Lockhart River and Coen rounding out the top three.
You can read the full story in the ABC News here.
A dance troupe from Pormpuraaw took out this year’s competition shield. Image source: ABC Far North: Meghan Dansie
The RACGP supports the Voice due to the positive health benefits
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) supports the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament in the Australian Constitution. RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins announced the RACGP’s official position today.
Dr Nicole Higgins stated, “The Voice to Parliament will help drive changes to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and address the inequity in our health system.”
“In Australia, this change will ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are central in the laws, programs and services that affect us and our communities. This will lead to better health outcomes and is a key step to closing the gap in health equality.
“Research clearly shows the links between constitutional recognition and improved health outcomes. It makes recognition in health legislation easier, which leads to greater involvement in health policy-making and service delivery. There is evidence of this from the many other countries that have already established models for constitutional and treaty recognition, including New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and Norway, and it’s time that Australia followed suit.”
You can read the RACGP Position Statement here.
You can read the full story here.
Multi-generation Aboriginal family. Image source: xavierarnau
Men sharing stories to save lives
WARNING: This story contains distressing elements, including references to suicide.
Men supporting men is a powerful approach in addressing mental health issues. By encouraging open conversations, reducing stigma, and providing a supportive network, men supporting men can help individuals feel more comfortable seeking help, accessing support services, and ultimately finding the necessary support to navigate their mental health challenges.
To address these challenges, some Mpartwe men have been featured in a new video, ‘Men Can Get Support’, speaking of their personal experiences with suicide in the hope of breaking the silence and encouraging a collective effort to promote mental health and wellbeing within their communities.
“It’s a subject that needs to be spoken about a lot in the community. It’s not only tricky but it’s a scary subject. I’ve lost a lot of friends and family members to suicide,” said Chris Forbes, group co-ordinator, who features in the video.
In Australia, 75 percent of suicide deaths are men.
“As men, we get looked down upon if we cry and show our emotions out in public,” said Mr Forbes.
“We have to break that barrier and that stereotypes and say it’s ok to cry it’s ok to reach out it’s alright to say I need help.
“Most of the time you’re thinking is this the right thing to say? Is this ok to say? Is it the right time to say something? But I reckon it’s just starting the conversation.”
You can read the full article in NITV here.
You can watch the video Men Can Get Support below:
Tangentyere Men’s Family Safety Group in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) have produced a video sharing their personal experiences with suicide and self-harm. Image source: Tangentyere Men’s Family Safety Group
Fred Hollows: Why First Nations health is still on the agenda
In recognition of the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in eye health, JulEYE – National Eye Health Awareness Month aims to raise awareness about the importance of eye care and address the disparities in access to services.
While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children generally have better eyesight than non-Indigenous children, adults from these communities are three times more likely to experience vision loss or blindness. Limited access to public eye health services, particularly in remote areas, exacerbates the issue, as most ophthalmologists work in the private sector and many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals lack private health insurance. This results in lengthy waiting lists for essential treatments, with cataract surgeries being delayed by 40% despite its potential to be corrected through a quick procedure. Furthermore, endemic trachoma remains a concerning issue, affecting only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities in Australia.
You can read the full story on The Fred Hollows Foundation website here.
Fred Hollows Foundation
New Aboriginal cultural heritage laws in WA
New Aboriginal cultural heritage laws in Western Australia aim to shift the state from its “wild west” reputation and improve the protection of Aboriginal cultural sites. The laws seek to empower Aboriginal communities and strengthen their control over their cultural heritage, acknowledging the vital link between preserving Aboriginal culture and promoting better health outcomes for Aboriginal people.
The new laws have removed section 18 of the old Aboriginal Heritage Act, which allowed Rio Tinto to blow up the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge site with ministerial approval, even after archaeological digs uncovered artefacts and sacred objects signifying the importance of the site.
The state government says the new laws empower Aboriginal people to protect and manage cultural heritage on their traditional lands and embed free, prior, and informed consent into agreement-making processes.
The legislation marks a significant step towards reconciliation and respect for Aboriginal traditions, emphasizing the importance of cultural preservation in fostering a more inclusive and harmonious society.
You can read the full story in The Guardian here.
Advocates at a rally. Image source Image source: Richard Wainwright/EPA at the Guardian.
Sector Jobs
Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.
Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.
