Category Coalition of Peaks

Aug 25 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: National CTG Agreement focus will not change

feature tile ATSI mum & young child standing in middle of outback dirt road; text 'Productivity Commissioner says Voice referendum result will not change focus of the National Agreement on CTG'

The image in the feature tile is from the Coalition of Peaks webpage National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

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.

National CTG Agreement focus will not change

The result of the Voice to Parliament referendum will not change the focus or the mandate of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, Productivity Commissioner, Natalie Siegel-Brown, has told a Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) livestream audience. “If the Voice comes about through the referendum, we’ve suggested that it could augment or support holding governments to account under the Agreement,” said Ms Siegel-Brown. “A Voice shouldn’t mean…that governments resile from any of their commitments under those priority reforms or…under the targets.”

Facilitated by Australian Unity General Manager for Indigenous Business and Community Engagement, Trish Oxford, the Productivity Commission Chairman, Michael Brennan, and Commissioners, Romlie Mokak and Natalie-Siegel-Brown, joined CEDA to discuss the outcomes of the latest Closing the Gap draft report, released in July 2023.

Mr Brennan said that although a constitutionally enshrined Voice would potentially help to bolster the National Agreement’s accountability mechanisms, other avenues will be explored if the referendum does not pass. “It’s really about us remaining nimble and noting that the importance of this Agreement is sustained, irrespective and whatever the outcome, we have to make sure that we’ve got the right architecture to achieve the promise…at the heart of the 2020 Agreement,” Mr Brennan said. “The Agreement isn’t just words on the page, these are commitments…firm commitments made by governments in partnership with the Coalition of Peaks, as representatives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait organisations and communities,” Commissioner Romlie Mokak said.

To read the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) article Productivity Commission says that Voice to Parliament Outcomes will not change the focus or mandate of the Closing the Gap Agreement in full here.

World-first service for First Nations stroke survivors

WA researchers have developed and trialled a world-first service that will enhance the rehabilitation experience for Aboriginal Australians who have had a stroke or traumatic brain injury. The Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinator role was rolled out between 2018–2022, providing support, education, information and advocacy. The role was filled by Aboriginal health professionals and was developed as a way of providing culturally appropriate care and support for Aboriginal people during their recovery.

The Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinator service was trialled in WA as part of the Healing Right Way study, led by Professor Beth Armstrong and a team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal clinicians and researchers.  It was performed in partnership with Aboriginal Medical Services, eight hospitals across WA and the Stroke Foundation. “Aboriginal Australians experience stroke and traumatic brain injury at significant rates and a culturally appropriate response to rehabilitation and recovery has been really lacking,” says Chief Investigator, Professor Beth Armstrong.

Over 100 Aboriginal people who had experienced a stroke or traumatic brain injury participated in Healing Right Way. They came from across WA, with many people living in rural and remote areas where there are few support and rehabilitation services.  In studies prior to Healing Right Way, Aboriginal stroke survivors had shared with Professor Armstrong’s team that their care would have been enhanced had there been greater cultural responsiveness, including in the communication with health professionals and by having more Aboriginal health professionals involved in their care. “Healing Right Way was the direct result of these recommendations, and the Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinator role was developed. 

To view the Stoke Foundation’s media release World-first service to help First Nations stroke survivors in full click here.

Rebecca Clinch, Healing Right Way Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinator, and Justin Kickett, stroke survivor and Healing Right Way Research Assistant sitting outside laughing

Rebecca Clinch, Healing Right Way Aboriginal Brain Injury Coordinator, and Justin Kickett, stroke survivor and Healing Right Way Research Assistant. Image source: Government of WA – WA Country Health Service website.

More rural doctors good for the bush

The National Rural Health Alliance (the Alliance) has welcomed the federal government’s announcement of new funding agreements with states and the NT which will increase the number of doctors in regional, rural and remote locations. “The John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program will promote training opportunities for the growth of the rural medical workforce,” said Susi Tegen, Chief Executive of the Alliance. “We know that when doctors have opportunities to train in rural locations, they are more likely to want to stay in those areas when they finish their medical training.

“Rural Australians have poorer access to local health care, including primary and specialist care. They are often required to travel long distances to receive care, compared to their metropolitan counterparts. Having more doctors available can make a difference in rural communities. We also welcome the priority for high need areas including those that support an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce and service delivery, which is also a strategic focus for the Alliance,” said Ms Tegen.

The Alliance advocates for better rural medical training as an incentive for the attraction and retention of medical graduates and junior doctors in rural medical practice. The Alliance also advocates for the funding of a place-based multidisciplinary model of primary health care, called the Primary care Rural Integrated Multidisciplinary Health Services (PRIM-HS) that gives healthcare funding flexibility to communities to address workforce shortages and accessibility issues in rural areas. “We see this program by the federal government as a step toward addressing the dire situation faced by our rural communities” said Ms Tegen.

To read the NRHA media release Increasing doctor numbers in rural Australia is good for the bush in full click here.

doctor with stethoscope around neck standing in a paddock

Image source: Health Times.

Renewed focus on NT health workforce

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has welcomed a renewed focus on the NT health workforce and future of general practice care following a Primary Health Care Workforce Summit held in Alice Springs on Wednesday 23 August 2023. RACGP NT Chair, Dr Sam Heard, said that the Summit was a great opportunity to secure the future of general practice care, “the NT is the best place in Australia to train and work as a GP. There is so much important work to do in general practice care and it is really rewarding to work in an extraordinary team, to be highly valued, and to give back to the community. You can really make a difference to the lives of people in your local area and the opportunities for building experience and for career advancement are well recognised.”

Dr Heard said “It was great to see the Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Malarndirri McCarthy, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney, and NT Chief Minister and Health Minister Natasha Fyles, come together to directly engage with healthcare workers and experts from across the NT. “RACGP representatives also met with several organisations including the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, and NT Health, to discuss a range of solutions ahead of the Summit. “We agreed on an ambitious seven-point plan, which we took to the Summit, to help ensure no patients anywhere in the NT are left behind,” Dr Heard said.

“The NT is facing a critical shortage of GPs, with survey results from last year showing shortages across private general practice, the Aboriginal Community Control Health sector, and the public sector. It is no surprise that remote and isolated areas of the NT are disproportionately affected; in some communities the loss of one GP can mean no access to general practice care without travelling vast distances. GPs are central to patient care right across Australia, but this is especially so in remote areas” Dr Heard said.

To read the RACGP media release Focus on boosting the Northern Territory health workforce welcomed in full click here.

NT GP checking heart of ATSI boy

Image source: Charles Darwin University website.

ADHA Consumer Digital Health Literacy sessions

The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) has developed a suite of  free live online learning sessions which will enable participants to find out how they can use digital health tools such as My Health Record, the my health app and electronic prescriptions.

During September and October 2023 you can join our free online learning sessions remotely from anywhere with an internet connection, and learn from a range of presenters and have your questions answered. You can register here, for any of the upcoming sessions (listed below) or view a recording here, including Auslan interpreted recordings. ADHA also have a range of self-paced eLearning resources, available here, that can be accessed at any time.

  • Keeping your My Health Record private and secure
  • Introduction to My Health Record
  • How can I view test results or scans in My Health Record?
  • Medicines information, allergies and adverse reactions in My Health Record
  • How My Health Record can help support your mental health management
  • My Health Record for carers
  • Health on the go: my health app for travellers

You can find more detail about each of the information sessions, including registration links here.

ADHA have recently published a YouTube playlist of their past digital health learning sessions, available here, which all include an Auslan interpreter. The sessions have a been broken down into ‘chapters’ on YouTube so attendees can more easily pinpoint the content they are most interested in.

ADHA tile text 'Australian Digital Health Agency - Upcoming consumer online learning session'

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.

Key Date – Brain Injury Awareness Week – 21–27 August 2023

During Brain Injury Awareness Week, held annually to raise awareness of brain injury and its impact, NACCHO has been sharing stories and information. One in 45 Australians live with a brain injury. It’s an invisible disability, as there is often no physical evidence of the injury, but it affects how people think and feel as they recover and reintegrate into everyday life.

Murrumbidgee Local Health District’s (LHD) South West Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service (SWBIRS) provides support to assist people affected by brain injury to regain skills required to so they can participate in home, school, work and community activities. The SWBIRS Transitional Living Unit, Tarkarri provides a bridge between hospital and home for people learning to live with a traumatic or acquired brain injury. “Tarkarri is an Aboriginal word that means ‘creating futures’,” said Jenny Goodfellow, an OT who coordinates the Transitional Living Unit program.

Ms Goodfellow explained that “After suffering a brain injury it’s common to act, feel and respond differently to situations as well as experience changes in your behaviour, personality and thinking. These changes can make it difficult to return to work, sport or activities you enjoyed before. It can also put pressure on your relationships with family, friends, co-workers and other people in your life. At Tarkarri we work with clients who have an acquired or traumatic brain injury to work on the skills they need to get back to life, including independent living skills, life roles and responsibilities and individual goals, so that they can create the future that they want. The team also work with your family to help them understand what’s going on with you, what’s changed and how they can support you.”

To view the NSW Government Health Murrumbidgee Local Health District media release Brain Injury Awareness Week 2023 in full click here.

Jenny Goodfellow, Coordinator of Tarkarri Transitional Living Unit and clients Cooper Maher and Adam Scott

Jenny Goodfellow, Coordinator of Tarkarri Transitional Living Unit and clients Cooper Maher and Adam Scott during Brain Injury Awareness Week, 21-28 August 2023. Image source: NSW Health Murrumbidgee LHD webpage.

Aug 4 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Self-determination is key to positive health outcomes

feature tile image red gold Aboriginal art across map of Australia superimposed with white font text 'self Determination'; other text 'Self-determination is a key factor in achieving positive health outcomes'

The image in the feature tile is from an article To achieve racial justice, we must self-determine meaningfully by Jarrod Hughes published by IndigenousX on 6 August 2020.

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.

Self-determination is key to positive health outcomes

Next Wednesday, 9 August, is the United Nations’s (UN) International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, a day to raise awareness and highlight the rights of the 476 million Indigenous people across 90 countries. In May this year the World Health Assembly passed an unprecedented resolution aimed at strengthening the health of Indigenous people. The resolution contains several ambitious obligations for member states to improve Indigenous health, including the development of national plans to improve access to health care for Indigenous peoples; the integration, where possible, of traditional and complementary medicine in health systems, particularly in primary care and mental health; and the training and recruiting of Indigenous people as health workers. It hopes to reduce some of the stark inequalities faced by many Indigenous peoples as a result of colonisation, displacement, and repression.

The term “Indigenous peoples” is in many ways a crude one, isolating and homogenising 5000 diverse cultures with vastly different experiences, needs, hopes, challenges, opportunities, and ways of life. But there are areas of common cause and solidarity, especially with regards to health. Life expectancy is more than 5 years lower in Indigenous than in non-Indigenous populations in Australia, Cameroon, Canada (First Nations and Inuit), Greenland, Kenya, NZ, and Panama. Maternal mortality, infant mortality, and mental health are often of particular concern. A recent Health Policy on environmental equity argues that Indigenous communities face a disproportionate burden of illness and mortality due to climate change, yet their inclusion and involvement in environmental health policy has been tokenistic at best.

Respect, support, and prioritisation of different Indigenous leadership, knowledges, cultural expression, and continuity and resilience are essential across health, as shown most recently by the COVID-19 pandemic. First Nations peoples in Australia were able to reverse initial disparities in the burden of COVID-19 when empowered by the government to lead their own response early in the pandemic. Indigenous sovereignty, coupled with a community-centred approach focused on cultural relevance and the use of Indigenous health-care providers, appears to have played a crucial role in mitigating the effects of COVID-19.

To view The Lancet article Indigenous health: self-determination is key in full click here.
health workers in PPE in Indigenous community

Health workers in an Indigenous community at the end of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Michael Franchi. Image source: ABC News.

Purpose built AMS planned for Brewarinna

Frustration was apparent in the 2022 annual report of the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service (WAMS). Mary Purse, the chairperson of the WAMS Board of Directors noted that “for some fifteen years past, the federal government are not responding to WAMS formal applications for the expansion of the Sandon Street property. Efforts to access funding have finally paid off with WAMS recently being awarded funding from the Federal Government’s $120m allocated for major capital works at community‑controlled organisations. Funding will help construct a new purpose built Aboriginal Medical Service building in Brewarrina.

“(We) are very pleased WAMS has secured the funding to assist in the build in a new purpose-built building and looking forward to the Brewarrina community having access to new state of the art primary health care facility,” Ms Purse said after the announcement. BAMS services Brewarrina and the surrounding communities and small towns in the area, providing not only health care but also programs which focus on Aboriginal culture, youth, education, housing and all aspects of life in a remote rural community for Aboriginal people.

BAMS is auspiced by the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service Limited (WAMS) who accepted an invitation from the NSW Department of Health to oversee the running of the service to maintain a well-disciplined ACCHO. Chief Operations Manager, Katrina Ward is excited to oversee the new project for enhancing medical services for the Brewarrina community and offered thanks the WAMS Board of Directors and CEO for their continued support and assistance in maintaining medical services for the local and surrounding communities. WAMS CEO, Mrs Christine Corby AM, who also recognises the overdue need for a new medical facility in Brewarrina, was very happy with the funding outcome.

To view the Western Plains App article Long term goal achieved with purpose built AMS planned for Brewarrina in full click here.

external view of Brewarrina Aboriginal Health Service Ltd

Brewarrina Aboriginal Health Service Ltd. Image source: Gather website.

CTG Report – no joy in ‘I told you so’

Last week the Productivity Commission released its draft Review of the National Closing the Gap Agreement (the Agreement). The Agreement was launched in July 2020, promising a new era of reform and a ‘genuine’ commitment of governments to work in partnership with First Nations peak organisations. Rather than any bland words of tepid excuse or obfuscating, the Commission launched right into the heart of why, 18 years after the first call to Close the Gap  in health outcomes between First Nations and non-Indigenous peoples, the Government’s ‘efforts’ to fix things continues to languish in failure:  “Progress in implementing the Agreement’s Priority Reforms has, for the most part, been weak and reflects a business-as-usual approach to implementing policies and programs that affect the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”

Weak. Business-as-usual. Michelle Gratton called it ‘depressingly predictable’. This has been the never ending story for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities when it comes to social policies that impact them. The Commission went on to say that the “Current implementation raises questions about whether governments have fully grasped the scale of change required to their systems, operations and ways of working to deliver the unprecedented shift they have committed to” and that “It is too easy to find examples of government decisions that contradict commitments in the Agreement, that do not reflect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s priorities and perspectives and that exacerbate, rather than remedy, disadvantage and discrimination. This is particularly obvious in youth justice systems.”

Pat Turner, NACCHO CEO and convenor of the Coalition of Peaks that negotiated the 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap has said ‘…that governments need to do much more to implement their commitments to the Priority Reforms, that progress has been patchy and not as intended. I hope this review is a wakeup call to governments to get on with the job they have all agreed to do.’ This was also the reflection of Productivity Commissioner, and Djugun-Yawuru man Romlie Mokak who said that good intentions are not translating to meaningful action on the ground and in communities.

To view the Pearls and Irritations blog post No joy in ‘I told you so’: the Productivity Commission’s 2023 Closing the Gap Report by Paul Wright published earlier today, in full click here.

Aboriginal & Australian flags flying

Image source: Pearls and Irritations.

National Cervical Screening Program update

The National Cervical Screening Program education course for healthcare providers has now been updated to reflect the expansion of self-collection eligibility on 1 July 2022. The course is a self-directed Continuing Professional Development (CPD) online training course consisting of six modules, intended to enhance, reinforce and increase knowledge about the Cervical Screening Test and clinical pathways.

The duration of each module is approximately one hour, with one self-directed CPD point able to be allocated per hour spent completing the modules. Information on self-collection as a screening option can be found throughout all modules, but of particular interest may be Module 4 Screening in Practice which describes the steps involved in supporting a patient to self-collect a vaginal Cervical Screening Test sample.

We encourage you to distribute this information to your networks to ensure all healthcare providers who administer cervical screening are able to offer and promote self-collection as a safe and accessible Cervical Screening Test option.

You can find more information about the National Cervical Screening Program education course here.

The below video is from the NSW Government Cancer Institute NSW webpage Cervical screening for Aboriginal women available here.

FASD Communications and Engagement grants

NACCHO is excited to announce Round 2 of the FASD Communications and Engagement Grant is now open to support NACCHO members to develop and deliver highly-localised, place-based communications materials and engagement activities to enhance and extend the Strong Born communications campaign. Strong Born has been designed to raise awareness of FASD and the harms of drinking alcohol while pregnant and breastfeeding, among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rural and remote communities.

Round 2 of the FASD Grant is open to all NACCHO members who did not receive funding in Round 1. Eligible ACCHOs are also able to deliver a place-based response in collaboration with other community-controlled organisations and communities.

Eligible ACCHOs can apply for between $5,000 – $60,000 (GST exclusive) of FASD Grant funding which can be used for activities such as:

  1. Creation of locally relevant communications materials and resources raising awareness of FASD and the harms of drinking alcohol while pregnant and breastfeeding
  2. Hosting community events and yarning circles
  3. Running information sessions for staff members
  4. Production of additional copies of the ‘Strong Born’ campaign materials
  5. Translation or adaptation of ‘Strong Born’ campaign materials and/or key messages into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages

You can register for the grant information session on Wednesday 9 August at 2.00pm AEDT here.

You can find more information about the FASD Grant and how to apply on the NACCHO website here.

Applications for Round 2 will close 11.00pm AEDT 11 August 2023.

You can also contact the NACCHO FASD Grants team by email using this link.

tile NACCHO logo; text 'FASD Communications & Engagement Grant Round 2 Open wwww.naccho.org.au/FASD Strong Born

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.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day is celebrated across the country each year on 4 August. It is a time for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities to celebrate the strength and culture of their children. Children’s Day was first held in 1988. Part of the reason it was started was because there were many of our children in orphanages and institutions who did not know their birthday, so Children’s Day was set aside each year to celebrate the birthday of these children.

The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) is the National Voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children. As the national peak body, they have a responsibility to make Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s voices as powerful as possible, now and into the future. A First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution will amplify the work being done to ensure our children can flourish, with power over their destinies.

This year’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day theme ‘Little Voices, Loud Futures’ fires that ambition. SNAICC is raising awareness for the bright futures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and the potential for their voices to pave a new path for our nation. As always, SNAICC supports the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in calling for a future where they are proud and empowered by their culture to speak their truth and be listened to by all Australians.

You can find more information about National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day on the SNAICC website here.

banner SNAICC's National ATSI Children's Day 'Little Voices, Loud Futures' 4 August 2023

World Breastfeeding Week – 1–7 August 2023

During World Breastfeeding Week, 1–7 August 2023, NACCHO has been sharing a range information about breastfeeding as it relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their families.

Below is a video Just Let Them Them Feed requested by the Western Arrarnta people of Ntaria (Hermannsburg, NT). The Aboriginal women wanted to reinforce the benefits of breastfeeding and educate their community and other Aboriginal people about the importance of breastfeeding. Sometimes this essential health information gets missed in the messages health staff communicate out bush because most Aboriginal women are seen as “natural breast feeders,” but this isn’t always the case.

The project came about through a direct connection with a core group of breastfeeding women who live and work in Ntaria. They had been talking about the decline in breastfeeding among young women in their community, and they wanted to do something about it. Young men and women were involved from the start of the project to attract younger community members to watch and listen to what the older, wiser men and women had to say about the benefits of breastfeeding. The younger ones rapped about the importance of breastfeeding through the use of song and dance, while the elders spoke with wisdom and truth about the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and baby and the next generation.

Voices from the community, as well as from the staff at the local health centre, were recorded so that people could hear about how breastfeeding is important for the future of the culture and community. Published research about drops in breastfeeding rates in Central Australian remote communities has not been presented to date, but even a small shift down in these rates is something local women and Elders want to address now. Community members report that some young mums bottle feed because they want to smoke, drink, or go out, but they don’t want their actions to affect the baby, or they have tried breastfeeding and just cannot breastfeed for whatever reason. Another youthful perception is that if other people can formula feed, so can they; but they don’t really know the consequences to the health of their baby when making this decision. We know that during the first six months of a baby’s life, we need to Let Them Feed.

Jul 26 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Governments failing to share decision-making

feature image: NAIDOC march Melbourne 7.7.23; text 'Governments are failing to SHARE Decision-making with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people'

The image in the feature tile is from on a NAIDOC march in Melbourne earlier this month. The image appeared in The Conversation article Governments are failing to share decision-making with Indigenous people, Productivity Commission finds published this morning, Wednesday 26 July 2023.

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.

Governments failing to share decision-making

Governments have failed to properly share decision-making with Indigenous people to accelerate Closing the Gap, despite formally undertaking to do so, according to a scathing indictment by the Productivity Commission. The commission says too many government agencies consult Indigenous people “on a pre-determined solution, rather than collaborating on the problem and co-designing a solution”.

The broad-ranging criticism is contained in the commission’s first review, available here, of the 2020 “National Agreement on Closing the Gap”. The Albanese government will use the findings to reinforce its pitch for the Voice – which is that Indigenous people are not being properly heard on what needs to be done to tackle the problems in health, housing, employment, education and other areas of disadvantage.

The review says: “There appears to be an assumption that ‘governments know best’, which is contrary to the principle of shared decision-making in the Agreement.” The national agreement was put in place in negotiations with the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations. Federal, state, territory and local governments and the Coalition of Peaks share accountability for the agreement’s implementation. Then-prime minister Scott Morrison lauded it as a new collaborative way forward. But Productivity Commission chair Michael Brennan says while the agreement holds significant promise, “so far we are seeing too much business as usual and too little transformation”.

To view The Conversation article Governments are failing to share decision-making with Indigenous people, Productivity Commission finds in full click here.

cover of Aust Govt Productivity Commission July 2023 Review of the National Agreement on CTG draft report

Mental health issues for LGBTIQA+ youth

Nearly one in two young Indigenous LGBTIQA+ Australians have attempted suicide at some point in their life, new research has found. More than 600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, aged between 14–25 and who also identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or asexual, were surveyed as part of a national study. The findings, published today, show nearly one in five of the participants had tried to take their own life in the past year.

The Walkern Katatdjin: Rainbow Knowledge survey — the first of its kind — also found more than 90% of those surveyed experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress in the prior two weeks.

Lead author of the report Shakara Liddelow-Hunt said the extent of the poor mental health among the Indigenous, LGBTIQA+ youth was “shocking” but not unexpected, saying “Our findings confirm what our communities have known for a long time. But capturing these statistics through the survey was an important step.”

To view the ABC News article Walkern Katatdjin: Rainbow Knowledge survey shines spotlight on mental health issues faced by Indigenous LGBTIQA+ youth in full click here.

James Hill is a queer Ngarrindjeri

James Hill is a queer Ngarrindjeri man who took part in the survey. Photo: Daryna Zadvirna, ABC News.

Rural GPs on climate change front line

A heavy burden of responsibility for responding to climate-induced health impacts will likely fall to rural GPs, so our National Health and Climate Strategy should reflect this, says the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). “Rural generalists are uniquely placed to lead the response to the burden of disease resulting from climate change, including mental illness, and to provide high quality care and keep people healthy and out of hospital,” ACRRM says in its response to the strategy.

Noting the intertwined health disparities of rural and Indigenous Australians, ACCRRM’s submission highlights the need to defer to Indigenous traditional knowledge of the environment and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to lead climate action planning. “Best practice principles to facilitate this will include place-based adaptation and mitigation strategies, leveraging valuable biocultural knowledge and sustainable resourcing, all as outlined in the recent Lowitja Institute discussion paper,” the college says.

ACRRM specifically calls out “one-size-fits-all” approaches outlined by the strategy and highlights the challenges, and higher costs, smaller practices will likely face in implementing the climate change strategies. “The Strategy must recognise that there will be different challenges for different communities, requiring purpose-built solutions. Strong partnerships and a multi-agency approach, which is flexible to adapt to the specific needs of rural and remote communities is required to address health inequity.”

You can access more information on the National Health and Climate Strategy on the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website here.

To read the Medical Republic article Rural GPs on the Climate Change front line in full click here.

housing in Aboriginal town camp

Aboriginal town camps Town camp housing typically lacks simple features to keep cool, such as insulation and wide awnings. Photo: Mike Bowers. Image source: The Guardian.

Students spend day in the life of a physio

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from across SEQueensland have experienced a day in the life of a physiotherapist thanks to a new pilot program at Mater Hospital Brisbane. The school-based trainees from the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH), Pathways Our Way Academy (POWA) were part of The High School Health Adventure program for First Nations students, run by Mater Education, in conjunction with Mater Physiotherapy.

The enthusiastic cohort learned how to strap an ankle injury, assist with movement and baby handling techniques and took part in simulation physiotherapy sessions in a make-shift Intensive Care Unit. Mater physiotherapist Felicity Prebble facilitated the program and said that, according to the Australian Physiotherapy Association, only 0.7% of physiotherapists are recognised as a First Nations person.

“Increasing the representation of this population in healthcare is vital to ensure we are delivering considered and specific healthcare,” Mrs Prebble said. “Research has shown that increasing the involvement of First Nations people within healthcare delivers positive outcomes, helping to close the gap and leading to increased cultural awareness, understanding and exposure.”

To view the Mater article First Nations students inspired to pursue career in healthcare in full click here.

group of 10+ students who took part in the 'day in the life of a physio' Mater program

School-based trainees from the IUIH, Pathways Our Way Academy were part of The High School Health Adventure program for First Nations students, run by Mater Education, in conjunction with Mater Physiotherapy. Image source: Mater News.

BRAMS funded to pilot Kids Club program

Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (BRAMS) will receive more than $230,000 in Cook Government funding through Healthway to pilot the Kids Club program. The program will address health behaviours such as unhealthy eating, lack of physical activity and poor mental and oral health in young children aged 0–16 years and is set to benefit nearly 3,000 Aboriginal children and their families living in and around Broome.

Aboriginal people make up 43% of the Kimberley population with half under the age of 20 years. BRAMS, in conjunction with the community, identified a need for a community-based, early intervention and prevention program to address poor health and social outcomes for young people, which can lead to health issue.

The pilot project which aims to instil lifelong habits and promote the importance of regular health check-ups, vaccinations, and screenings will:

  • facilitate culturally appropriate relationship building, engagement, and education opportunities for local Aboriginal children on improving health and wellbeing;
  • develop a youth committee of young Aboriginal people who can support project co-design and provide guidance on health promoting strategies for Aboriginal youth;
  • develop a ‘Kids Club’ that will utilise birthday incentives, prizes, and culturally appropriate mascots to motivate Aboriginal children and their families to complete annual health checks and engage in healthy lifestyles;
  • deliver school holiday family activities that provide educational and participation opportunities; and
  • build capacity of families through educational sessions and appropriate activities during their annual health check.

To view the media statement Keeping Kimberley kids healthy now and into the future released earlier today by Hon. Amber-Jade Sanderson, WA Minister for Health and Mental Health in full click here.

ATSI kids eating fruit

Image source: UNICEF Australia website.

Study backs tax on sugar-sweetened beverages

New research showing more than 500,000 cavities could be prevented over 10 years if a sugar tax was introduced provides yet another reason for the federal government to introduce the AMA’s proposed sugar tax. The research from three Australian Universities has concluded a tax on sugar sweetened beverages would have a major positive impact on dental heath in Australia and save the country millions of dollars.

The Monash University-led collaboration with Deakin University and the University of Melbourne provides important new data for Australia. AMA President Professor Steve Robson said there is now more impetus for the government to adopt a sugar tax which both improves health outcomes and raises revenue. “We’ve known a lot about how high sugar consumption contributes to obesity and chronic disease, but oral health is often excluded from studies.

“This important research deepens our understanding of the impact of sugary drinks on dental health across a wide range of age groups in the Australian context. It’s further evidence a tax on sugary drinks is the right decision for Australia and puts to bed industry arguments there is insufficient evidence to support a sugar tax. We know the government is focusing on ways to prevent chronic disease in Australia and we continue to urge them to implement a sugar tax like more than 85 other jurisdictions across the world.

You can read the AMA’s media release Australian study backs AMA calls for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in full here.

group of different softdrinks

Image source: The Conversation.

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.

Jul 19 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Structural reform needed to CTG

feature tile of Aboriginal mother holding baby & young girl interacting with the baby; text 'Structural and systemic change will have a positive effect on trajectory of CTG targets'

The image in the feature tile is from am article More to be done on closing gap for Indigenous wellbeing published in The Canberra Times on 8 March 2023.

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.

Structural reform needed to CTG

The Productivity Commission’s third Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report shows only four of the 19 targets are on track, while four have deteriorated. “Four targets are getting worse – this is not acceptable. More of the same isn’t good enough, we have to do better. A Voice to Parliament will help to close the Gap, because we know that listening to communities leads to better outcomes that improve people’s lives,” said Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney. Similarly, Coalition of Peaks lead convenor [and NACCHO CEO] Patricia Turner said that “When structural and systemic change is made, there will naturally be a positive effect on the trajectory of the Closing the Gap targets.”

Encouragingly the latest report shows the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25–64 who are employed is improving and on track. There has been a 30% reduction in the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10–17 years) in detention, while preschool enrolments have improved. Land subject to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests also remains on track.

However the data shows a slide in the number of children developmentally on track, increased numbers of children in out-of-home care, increased adult incarceration rates and an alarming rise from baseline in suicide. Peak body for Indigenous Children SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle said the gap was becoming a chasm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. “More and more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are being removed from families and put into out-of-home care. Fewer children are developmentally on track when starting school. Where we are seeing progress it’s encouraging but it’s not happening at the scale required for genuine reform. Australia needs to do things differently if Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are going to have a brighter future.”

To view the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal (ANMJ) article Voice to Parliament the structural reform needed to Closing the Gap in full click here.cover of Australian Government Productivity Commission Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report July 2023

WAMS launches Freedom Rides Memorial and website

The Freedom Riders arrived in Walgett on 15 February 1965. They protested outside the Walgett RSL Club because they had been told the club was refusing to admit Indigenous ex-servicemen. After their protest their bus was run off the road by a car driven by an unidentified person. This event led to Walgett, the Freedom Riders and the plight of Indigenous Australians in rural NSW getting national and international media attention. Little of the history of the Freedom Rides however was publicly recorded or known from the perspective of local Aboriginal people from Walgett, who both themselves and their ancestors took part in this significant event in history.

On Monday this week (17 July 2023) the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service (WAMS) launched the Freedom Ride Memorial Park and Freedom Rides to Walgett website. The Remembering the Freedom Ride to Walgett project was initiated by WAMS Chairperson Mary Purse, the daughter of the late Harry Hall who was a primary leader, along with the late Charles Perkins (AO). The project includes history and archival research to tell the story of the Freedom Rides and its surrounding events from the perspective of the local Gamilaraay and Yuwaalaraay people. It is being led by Mary Purse, assisted by Christine Corby OAM, the CEO of WAMS. WAMS has been collaborating on this project with a historian from Nura Gili, University of NSW to research the history through participation of local community members and their families who took part in these events.

The project began with WAMS securing state government funding to develop an artwork to commemorate the Freedom Ride to Walgett to be displayed in a park in Walgett.  The display’s focus is on Walgett’s association with the Freedom Ride, identifying significant local Aboriginal people who had a key role in the demonstrations and events specific to the town.

To access the Freedom Rides to Walgett website click here.

WAMS staff in front of Freedom Rides to Walgett 1965 Memorial Park sign, 17.7.23

WAMS staff at the launch of Freedom Rides Memorial Park. Image source: WAMS.

Financial barriers to sight-saving treatment

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are ending up with avoidable blindness because of the high out-of-pocket costs of sight-saving treatments, according to Dr Guy Gillor, Lose (Rose) Fonua and Associate Professor Mitchell Anjou. As well, the most common treatment for diabetic retinopathy, an intravitreal injection, is challenging to access, as it involves multiple and regular treatments, predominantly in private ophthalmology clinics. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the three conditions that contribute most to avoidable blindness for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Gillor, Fonua and Anjou from the Indigenous Eye Health Unit (IEHI) at the University of Melbourne, say “Without a public or no-cost option, these fees mean the difference between retaining one’s vision, and losing it.” In the absence of such a solution, the IEHU has developed a new information sheet – Diabetic Retiopathy Treatment and Cost in Private Practice, available here, to support patients and healthcare teams in negotiating access for intravitreal injection treatment with private ophthalmology clinics.

To view the Croakey Health Media article Financial barriers to sight-saving treatment are leading to avoidable blindness in full click here.

ATSI man having an eye test

Image source: AHCSA website.

ACCHO to deliver healthcare in youth justice centre

Barwon Health has been commissioned to deliver healthcare services to young people at the new Cherry Creek Youth Justice Centre, just outside of Little River, a town approximately 44kms SW of Melbourne. To open next month, the $419m facility is funded and managed by the Department of Justice and Community Safety and will accommodate young men aged 15–17 who are sentenced or on remand.

Barwon Health public health and primary care co-director Deborah Kay said the regional health service’s vision for Cherry Creek was to offer a range of comprehensive culturally safe services tailored to the needs of the young people in the facility. “We will work with the young people to build knowledge, health literacy, resilience and trusted relationships while preserving dignity and enhancing health outcomes. We know that young people need to be engaged and empowered to understand their own health needs and treatment options.”

Barwon Health will partner with Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative to ensure safe and high-quality care is provided. Ms Kay said it was important to establish a safe, appropriate and sustainable service that was culturally safe for young people from a range of backgrounds.

To view the Geelong Times article Barwon Health to provide services at Cherry Creek in full click here.

exterior of Cherry Creek Youth Justice Precinct

The Cherry Creek Youth Justice Precinct will accommodate young men aged 15 to 17 who are sentenced or on remand. Image source: Geelong Times.

New research to look at dietary practices

Victoria University (VU) researchers have received a VicHealth $230,000 grant to investigate Aboriginal Australian dietary practices and place-making in public health equity. The two-year project, led by Dr Kristina Vingrys together with VU’s Indigenous Academic Unit Moondani Balluk, hopes to uncover ancestral Aboriginal knowledge about the ‘deadly tucker’ and Aboriginal food practices that can be used by the Aboriginal community today. “The project aims to support Aboriginal people and Country, to strengthen social and emotional wellbeing, inter-cultural understanding, skills and knowledge to support sustainable, healthy food systems, and reduce health inequities currently experienced by Aboriginal Australians in Victoria,” Dr Vingrys said.

The multidisciplinary project will involve Aboriginal community and researchers, with research expertise also from dietitians, community psychology, sociology and ecology teams. “We hope to also gather information through lived experiences – we want to uncover the lost knowledge about traditional foods that were grown in the Kulin Nation and the practices around growing, harvesting and preparing them” Dr Vingrys explained. “We are also really interested in identifying the potential nutritional benefits that might have been prescribed to those consuming these foods.”

Moondani Balluk Executive Director Karen Jackson said: “Once the knowledge has been gathered, it will be protected and used by and for the local Aboriginal community for cultural healing and place-making to support their social and emotional wellbeing.”

To view the University of Victoria article VicHealth funding for new research looking at Aboreiginal Australian dietary practies and place-making in full click here.

Pelargonium - a tuberous root plant that was used by Aboriginal people

Pelargonium – a tuberous root plant that was used by Aboriginal people. Image source: Victoria University News webpage.

Mob contribute to health and climate strategy

The Australian Government is engaging with First Nations leaders as it develops Australia’s first National Health and Climate Strategy. Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Ged Kearney MP is holding a roundtable today with First Nations peak bodies and representatives from across Australia. The Strategy will provide a plan of action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the health system and better prepare the sector for the challenges presented by climate change, including threats specific to the health and wellbeing of First Nations people.

Climate change threatens to disrupt connections to Country, further limit access to safe drinking water and increase the difficulty in accessing appropriate housing, infrastructure and health services. Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and expertise in the strategy will strengthen climate adaptation and mitigation planning. Co-designing the strategy in partnership with First Nations peoples across the country is essential to its successful development and implementation.

Minister Kearney said “The World Health Organisation has described climate change as the greatest threat to public health in the 21st century. First Nations people already face inequality in health outcomes, and these will only be exacerbated by climate change – it is critical we hear from First Nations people as we develop this strategy.”

To view the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Ged Kearney MP’s media release First Nations voices input to National Health and Climate Strategy in full click here. In the below video residents of Poruma (Coconut) Island, a low-lying coral cay in the Central Islands group of the Torres Strait, calling for urgent action to help protect their island from the coastal flooding and erosion linked to climate change.

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.

Jul 14 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: ‘Courage’ needed to address disadvantage

feature tile image graphic art of black & white hands reaching across Aboriginal flag; text 'Coalition of Peaks says governments lack "necessary courage" to close the gap on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage'

The image in the feature tile by Dionne Gain appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald article Missing the target: goodwill fails to overcome entrenched inequalities published on 15 February 2020.

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.

‘Courage’ needed to address disadvantage

The Coalition of Peaks, which was involved in a 2020 overhaul of the approach to closing the gap, said the barriers facing Indigenous Australians were the result of a “tremendous and successive failure of public administration” involving neglect, discrimination and the “whims of politics”. In a powerful argument for enshrining a Voice to Parliament in the constitution, the group argued: “Our seats at the table with governments and public servants have too often been temporary, interchangeable, and all for show”.

The arguments were detailed in a letter to the Productivity Commission’s first three-yearly review of the closing the gap targets. The Coalition of Peaks lamented the lack of overall progress. The latest Closing the Gap data, published on Wednesday, showed just four of 19 targets were on track to be met, and a further four were getting worse. The peak body said while it was encouraged by some of the progress, the overall efforts were “too inconsistent” and “lack the necessary courage”. In a stinging criticism, the peak body said governments and public servants had benefited from the “notorious reputation” of Indigenous affairs as the most difficult set of policy problems to address.

“It is without doubt that the barriers our people face are complex and multifaceted,” the letter stated. “But they are a consequence of what our people have endured for millennium. It has been a tremendous and successive failure of public administration featuring the whims of politics, neglect, discrimination, top-down approaches, legislative changes, defunding and investment, distributed responsibilities and everchanging goal posts.”

You can view the Australian Government Productivity Commission’s Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report July 2023 here and the Narrogin Observer article Pilbara Aboriginal groups back Yes vote and call for real action to improve lives in full click here.

back of man holding Aboriginal flag at protest outside APH

Photo: Michael Black, ABC News.

Transformative ‘Big Dream, Small Steps’ traineeships

There was an air of excitement and anticipation in the room at Mackay Base Hospital (MBH) last week as 10 students with big dreams took a step towards pursuing careers in the health sector. The Budyubari Bidyiri Kebi Stapal (Big Dream, Small Steps) program 2023 cohort are beginning twelve-month school-based traineeships across selected departments of MBH which will equip them with a Certificate lll qualification in either Health Services Assistance, Allied Health Assistance or Dental Assistance.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Program Officer Emily Vanderwolf said the Year 11 students came from seven Mackay region high schools. “We had nine students graduate from the first Big Dream Small Steps program last year and we are excited to have another 10 students who are wanting to take up this opportunity to complete Certificate III qualifications while they are finishing high school,” Ms Vanderwolf said. “The aim of the program is to build our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce to better reflect the community we care for.”

There were also some proud family members on hand at Tuesday’s induction day. Andrea Pinkard, whose daughter Lara graduated from last year’s program, felt it was a good career move for her son Fletcher. “Fletcher’s older sister really enjoyed the program and she has now been accepted into James Cook University to study pharmacy,” Ms Pinkard said. “I thought it would be a great program for Fletcher as well.”

To read the Mackay and Whitsunday Life article Taking Big Dreams To The Healthcare Horizon in full click here.

2023 Big Dream Small Steps trainees are, back from left, Dom Battersby (MCC), Fletcher Pinkard and Bella Roberts (Mirani SHS), Jess Maley (St Patricks College), Yasmin Johnston (Pioneer SHS), and front from left, Martia Gela (Sarina SHS), Macy Rudken (Mackay SHS), Tiani Walker (Mackay North SHS), Ellie Hansen (Mackay SHS) and Brenice’Sha Blanco (Sarina SHS)

The 2023 Big Dream Small Steps trainees are, back from left, Dom Battersby (MCC), Fletcher Pinkard and Bella Roberts (Mirani SHS), Jess Maley (St Patricks College), Yasmin Johnston (Pioneer SHS), and front from left, Martia Gela (Sarina SHS), Macy Rudken (Mackay SHS), Tiani Walker (Mackay North SHS), Ellie Hansen (Mackay SHS) and Brenice’Sha Blanco (Sarina SHS). Image source: Mackay Whitsunday Life.

Overcoming fragmented child and family services

One of the biggest challenges for people who most need social services is navigating a fragmented service system. Everyone leads a complex life, and the issues we face don’t necessarily fit into neat boxes. Government services, on the other hand, are delivered in siloes through individual contracts, resulting in multiple individual services with little connection between them.

Services that help with issues such as child and family, early child education, domestic violence, homelessness / housing, health and mental health are all hampered when delivered in a fragmented way. Understanding the impacts of this and how to overcome them is important not only for those working in these systems, but the people designing and funding them as well. Those with the greatest need are least likely to access the services or receive the comprehensive support they need.

Social Ventures Australia (SVA) recently launched Happy, healthy and thriving children: Enhancing the impact of Integrated Child and Family Centres in Australia, a discussion paper, available here, exploring current integrated child and family centre (ICFC) models in Australia. It focuses on the key enablers and barriers impacting the outcomes delivered. ICFCs are not currently defined nor consistently recognised as a service model in the Australian early years landscape. There is currently no national approach to delivery, and no overall leadership or responsibility for outcomes. And while quality is essential for integrated centre outcomes, there is currently no overarching approach to measuring or assessing quality.

To view The Sector article Integrated child and family centres overcome fragmented service delivery in full click here.

Aboriginal Child & Family Centre NSW

Aboriginal Child and Family Centre (ACFC), NSW. Image source: NSW Government ACFC webpage.

CTG report shows ‘privileged’ claims absurd

Nothing highlights the absurdity of claims Indigenous Australians would become a “privileged group” or that the nation would be divided by race if the country votes “yes” than the latest Closing The Gap report which shows a huge disparity between the rates of incarceration, suicide, life expectancy and infant and child mortality for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

Study to help young men take care of mental health

Curtin University has been given nearly $100,000 by Healthway for a study aimed to help young Aboriginal men aged 14-25 take care of their mental health and well-being. The research team will collaborate with young Indigenous men to understand their thoughts on mental health and how they currently promote their well-being, also exploring the challenges and factors that support mental well-being and resilience.

Lead researcher from Curtin’s School of Population Health, Professor Penelope Hasking, said the team will create and test mental health messages that are culturally appropriate and meaningful to young Aboriginal men. “We will conduct co-design workshops to develop new strengths-based approaches to increase mental health literacy and mental health promotion grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing and being, which might include social media campaigns or mass media campaigns,” she said. “We will soon be recruiting our research team to guide the project, which will comprise young Aboriginal men and Aboriginal Elders before we commence an initial pilot within the City of Stirling early next year.”

Lotterywest and Healthway CEO Ralph Addis congratulated Professor Hasking and her team, and all researchers who received funding through Healthway’s Targeted Research Round, “We look forward to the outcomes of all the research projects, including Curtin’s which will improve the mental health literacy and reduce health inequities among young Aboriginal men.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article Curtin University to conduct study into young Indigenous men’s mental health and wellbeing in full click here.

Professor Penelope Hasking, Curtin University

Curtin University’s Professor Penelope Hasking. Image source: National Indigenous Times.

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.

Key Date – National Diabetes Week – 9–15 July 2023

Each day during National Diabetes Week 2023 NACCHO has been sharing information relating to diabetes as it impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

An article published last month in the International Journal of Epidemiology – The impact of diabetes during pregnancy on neonatal outcomes among the Aboriginal population in Western Australia: a whole-population study, available here, found:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have a high prevalence of diabetes in pregnancy (DIP), which includes pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The study which aimed to characterize the impact of DIP in babies born to Aboriginal mothers found DIP differentially increased the risks of fetal overgrowth, shoulder dystocia and congenital anomalies in Aboriginal babies. The study authors said improving care for Aboriginal women with diabetes and further research on preventing shoulder dystocia among these women can reduce the disparities.

Desiree Weetra who was diagnosed with gestational diabetes holding her baby

Like many Aboriginal mothers in the Northern Territory, Desiree Weetra was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Photo: Michael Franchi, ABC News.

Jun 23 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Coalition of Peaks urge immediate action on housing

feature tile image: run down urban housing; text 'Coalition of Peaks urges politicians to take immediate action to resolve delays on the Housing Australia Future Fund Bill'

The image in the feature tile is from an article Aboriginal housing: Australian biggest policy failure? written by Paul Cleary and published by Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTAR) on 9 June 2023.

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.

Coalition of Peaks urge immediate action on housing

The Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks) has urged politicians to “stop squabbling” and take immediate action to resolve delays on the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) Bill. Coalition of Peaks’ Deputy Lead Convenors, Scott Wilson and Catherine Liddle, said housing was too critical an issue to “fall victim to political game-playing. Housing is a key social determinant of health; our people need housing now. It’s time to stop procrastinating,” Mr Wilson, who is Chair of the SA ACCHO Network, said.

Ms Liddle, who is also chief executive of SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, said Federal politicians “should be shamed for holding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to ransom. These politicians are letting perfect get in the way of good, forcing our people to languish on the streets and in overcrowded and unfit housing,” she said. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: 18% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in overcrowded households; 20% of those who were homeless in 2016 were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; and 34% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults rent through social housing.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association (NATSIHA) CEO and Co-Chair of the Housing Policy Partnership, Ivan Simon, said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people “continue to be severely disadvantaged by the lack of appropriate response from government over many years to the housing circumstances that impact on their daily lives. This also means positive outcomes for the Closing the Gap targets are not being achieved, despite the efforts of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations and the hard work to implement the National Agreement on Closing the Gap,” he said.

To view the National Indigenous Times article Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations urge immediate action on housing fund in full click here.

Ninga Mia local man John outside his home in the Pilbara

Ninga Mia local man John outside his home. Photo: Tom Joyner, ABC Goldfields.

$6.5b shortfall in rural health spending

Australia’s leading medical organisations are calling on state and federal governments to revolutionise the rural health system, with research revealing a spending shortfall of $6.5b. The National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA), whose members include medical colleges, Aboriginal health organisations and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), commissioned the analysis that shows each rural Australian misses out on $850 in health spending per year.

The report by consultancy firm Nous Group found those who live in the country receive far less funding per capita than those in urban areas and workforce shortages make the problem worse. According to the report, released today, “Further action to address these inequities would improve both social justice and economic prosperity.”

The alliance is calling for funding of place-based rural health programs, which are locally delivered and target specific needs of communities, along with more country-based education that would allow doctors and nurses to train in the regions. It also wants a national rural health strategy to streamline complicated and varied funding initiatives. “Tweaking around the edges with trials and funding that stops after three years has exhausted rural communities,” the alliance’s chief executive Susi Tegen said.

To view the Kyabram Free Press article Rural health reform call over $6.5b shortfall claim in full click here and the National Rural Health Alliance media release Rural Australians missing out on $6.5 billion annually in health care access while coffers fill up with rural contributions here.

RFDS plan, patient, health workers, 4WD, outback

A report has found people in the country get far less funding per capita than those in urban areas. Photo: RFDS PR Handout. Image source: Kyabram Free Press.

Alcohol restrictions are having a positive impact

Alcohol restrictions in the NT are having a positive impact, advocates say, as police statistics show a drop in family violence callouts, property offences and other antisocial behaviour. Earlier this year, the NT government faced pressure over rising crime and antisocial behaviour in Alice Springs after Intervention-era bans on alcohol in remote Aboriginal communities came to an end, making liquor legal in some communities for the first time in 15 years. Alcohol bans were reintroduced in central Australia in January, with further restrictions imposed in February. Aboriginal people living in remote communities and town camps in the NT are not able to buy takeaway alcohol, although communities will be able to lift the bans if 60% of residents vote in favour of an alcohol management plan.

NT police statistics collated by the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (CAAC) revealed a 37% decrease in domestic violence assaults from January to April. All other assaults dropped 35% while property offences were down 25% over the same time period. The People’s Alcohol Action Coalition, a community-based group aimed at raising awareness over alcohol-related harms and headed by the Alice Springs-based Dr John Boffa, said the renewed restrictions were having a positive impact.

CAAC acting CEO, David Busuttil, said it had been tracking police data on crime and antisocial behaviour for many years, analysing trends and seeing the impacts of different legislation, including alcohol restrictions and policies. “In the data, you can see the historical context, when different legislation or changes were made over time … we’ve been monitoring this for a long time because we think it’s one of the key social determinants of health and a key public health issue.” He said the impact on domestic and family violence callouts was particularly stark: “Everyone deserves to be able to live safely. Domestic violence is a major issue all around Australia, but especially in the NT and Alice Springs.”

To view The Guardian article ‘Incredibly noticeable’: alcohol bans have cut family violence and crime in Alice Springs, advocates say in full click here.

aerial view Alice Springs at night

‘The town is a different place’ … alcohol restrictions in Alice Springs have had a positive impact on family violence and crime rates. Photo: Blake Sharp Wiggins. Image source: The Guardian.

$3m for university to help CTG in health outcomes

The University of Newcastle has received $3m in federal funding to establish new medical research infrastructure that will help close the gap in health outcomes for First Nations people. The project, which is being undertaken in partnership with the Lowitja Institute, will help ensure culturally safe health and medical research for First Nations people.

It includes the establishment of a national ethics committee to provide advice and guidance on future research projects. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research Human Ethics Committee will be co-designed with First Nations people to ensure Indigenous Australians have a say in the research projects that affect them. The project is spearheaded by Wiradjuri woman and National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Research Fellow, Associate Professor Michelle Kennedy.

The funding is part of the National Critical Research Infrastructure Initiative, a 10-year, $65m Australian Government investment from the Medical Research Future Fund. The Initiative funds facilities, equipment, systems and services that support world-class health and medical research.

To view the Newcastle Herald story University of Newcastle receives $3million to help close the gap in health outcomes for First Nations people in full click here.

Associate Professor Michelle Kennedy

Associate Professor Michelle Kennedy. Image source: University of Newcastle.

Menzies diabetes program a best practice example

Menzies School of Health Research (Menzies) has been involved in two papers published in The Lancet and The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

These have found diabetes is pervasive, growing in prevalence and outpacing most diseases globally, despite increased awareness and ongoing multinational efforts.

In addition, the Diabetes across the Lifecourse; Northern Australian Partnership (the Partnership), available here has been recognised as a best practice case study, to drive innovation in diabetes care and reduce inequity in diabetes outcomes.

You can read the Menzies School of Health Research media releases:

  • Global study highlights Menzies’ program as a leading example of diabetes best practice here and
  • Menzies’ researchers contribute to global studies on Structural racism’s impact on unequal diabetes cases and care here.

Below are the logos of the Menzies School of Health Research NT and Far North Queensland partners.

logos: AMSANT, Apunipima, Baker Institute, CAAC, Diabetes Aust, Miwatj Hlth, Healthy Living NT, KAMS, Qld Govt, NT Govt, Mater, Telethon Kids Institute

Menzies NT and Far North Queensland partners. Image source: Menzies School of Health Research webpage: DIABETES across the LIFECOURSE – Northern Australia Partnership.

Event connects communities in NE and Border regions

A Shields of Emotion Festival in Wangaratta at the weekend was a hit, highlighting connections and services for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in the North East and Border regions. Event manager from Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Services (AWAHS) said as a health service they want to highlight the many services they have including doctors, dentists, family violence support, drug and alcohol and mental health counselling.

“We also wanted to bring community together because it is a very fragmented indigenous community in Wangaratta,” he said. “Events like these help bring people together and share culture and community. It’s part of game plan to keep the connection between culture, community and healing strong. It was great to see people coming from far and wide, and we had people travelling from Moyhu and as far as Albury,” he said.

Mr Jones said the AWAHS health van visits Apex Park every Thursday and up to 40 people generally show up, with some seeing the doctor but others just to share a meal and see community. It’s hoped that the event can be held each year to perpetuate the values of connection within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

To view the Wangaratta Chronicle article Event helps connect the indigenous community in full click here.

Albury Wodonga Aboriginal Health Servicesw staff Trent Jones, assistant manager Kieran (surname sacred), Rose Kirby

L-R: AWAHS event manager Trent Jones, assistant manager Kieran (surname sacred), and Ros Kirby. Image source: Wangaratta Chronicle.

NACCHO Conference sponsorship opportunities open

Sponsorship opportunities are now open for the 2023 NACCHO Members’ Conference that will be held 25–26 October at the Hyatt Regency Perth, Noongar Boodjar.

This conference will expose your business to over 400 individuals and up to 200 organisations that are focused on delivering positive health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The conference will be promoted via NACCHO’s social media channels, daily news and website reaching a combined audience of more than 236,000 people.

You can also register to attend the NACCHO Members’ Conference and the NACCHO Youth Conference (23 May).

Download Sponsorship Prospectus or register for the conferences here.

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.

Jun 15 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Gap is not closing, but Voice can help: Burney

image of Min Linda Burney sitting in House of Representatives; text 'Only 4 of 19 Closing the Gap targets on track - Minister Burney says the VOICE can help'

The image in the feature tile is from an article Only four of 19 Closing the Gap targets on track published in the Financial Review earlier today, Thursday 15 June 2023. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen.

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.

Gap is not closing, but Voice can help: Burney

Federal minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney says an Indigenous Voice to Parliament can help close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Ms Burney’s comments come as new Productivity Commission data shows only four of the 19 Closing the Gap targets are on track. Progress has been made in the number of First Nations children enrolled in preschool and fewer First Nations youth aged 10–17 years in detention. Both targets are considered ‘on track’ to be met by 2025 and 2031, respectively. However poor results in the number of First Nations children in out-of-home care and First Nations adults in prison continue. The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in incarceration and the rate of overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children (0–17 years old) in out-of-home care are both considered ‘not on track’ and worsening. Overall, just four of the 19 Closing the Gap targets are “on track”, 11 targets are “not on track” with four targets unable to assess a trend.

Ms Burney said the Voice is a necessary change to better address the disadvantages experienced by First Nations peoples. “The latest Closing the Gap data shows once again that the status quo is not working,” Ms Burney said. “More of the same isn’t good enough, we have to do things differently. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament can help us close the gap, because it’s only by listening to communities that we can make better policies that lead to better outcomes.” The most recently released Closing the Gap data is more detailed than previous, with new disaggregations for six targets including remoteness, relative socio-economic disadvantage or state and territory. It shows that that poorer outcomes regarding Closing the Gap targets are still occurring in poorer communities and in those more distant from urban and regional locations.

Assistant minister for Indigenous Australians and assistant minister for Indigenous health senator Malarndirri McCarthy said the new data provides a new viewpoint of the “layers of disadvantage” experienced throughout the country. “We are all frustrated by the lack of progress on some Closing the Gap targets and it’s only through monitoring the data we can move in the right direction,” Senator McCarthy said.

To view the National Indigenous Times article Gap is not closing, but Voice can help: Burney in full click here.

Photo: Lukas Cohh, AAP. Image source: The Mandarin.

Long history of fighting for health and justice

Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Congress) is the largest ACCHO in the NT, one of the most experienced organisations in the country in Aboriginal health and a national leader in primary healthcare. A recent event to mark 50 years since the organisation’s founding in 1973 provided an opportunity for sharing important stories and achievements.

The event was centred around the findings of the Congress Arrulenye project that looked into the organisation’s history and the impact it has had on Aboriginal health in Central Australia. Acacia Lewis, a key contributor to the project said the project’s purpose is for the stories and learnings of the past 50 years to live on, “We want our young people to learn about the history of our old people – the stories of resilience, courage, and strength. We are grateful for our old people and their contributions.”

To help answer the question “after 50 years, what has Congress achieved?” Congress’ Chief Medical Officer Public Health Dr John Boffa presented some initial, indicative findings from the Congress Arrulenye project, which demonstrate some significant improvements in the health status of Aboriginal people in Central Australia over the years.

To read the full article by Croakey Health Media click here.

Neville Perkins and Graham Dowling, cutting the CAAC 50 Years birthday cake. Source: Croakey Health Media.

Conference breaks down barriers for chronic conditions

The Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) teamed up with the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation’s  Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Network for the third annual Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Conference. The theme was Aboriginal Workforce and Chronic Care Models, aiming to support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce across the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sectors and Local Health Districts. The aim of the conference was to increase the workforce’s knowledge and foster networking opportunities for healthcare staff.

AH&MRC said the conference had a fantastic turnout, seeing more than 140 people attend in person, along with an additional 200 people online, including representatives from AH&MRC members: Dubbo AMS, South Coast Womens Health and Welfare Aboriginal Corporation (Waminda), Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service, Coomealla Health Aboriginal Corporation, Griffith AMS, Walhallow Aboriginal Corporation, Yerin Aboriginal Health Services, Walgett AMS, Illawarra AMS, Bourke Aboriginal Health Service, and Awabakal Ltd.  The conference also welcomed anyone passionate about improving Aboriginal Health outcomes.

The conference included presentations about workforce, service delivery models to address chronic conditions, barriers to accessing healthcare, and developing cultural sensitivity among both Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff to create a partnership in breaking down barriers.

Learn more about the conference here.

Aboriginal Chronic Conditions Conference 2023. Source: AH&MRC website.

More commitment needed to close the gap

New data on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap has raised alarms, with several socio-economic outcome areas not on track to meet 20302031 targets. The Coalition of Peaks said action by governments to implement the National Agreement in full is urgently required to end systemic disadvantage. Coalition of Peaks Deputy Lead Convenor, Scott Wilson said, “The Coalition of Peaks had been encouraged by some progress of governments to embrace and implement the Priority Reforms in the National Agreement, but overall effort is patchy. It’s not what we had hoped and not in line with the commitments made.”

For the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to be met in full, the Coalition of Peaks said structural and systemic change is key, “…This is what the Priority Reforms are all about in the National Agreement, but we are not seeing them implemented properly by governments. It is the comprehensive adoption of the Priority Reforms that government parties need to understand and embrace if we are going to be able to work together to finally close the gap,” Mr Wilson said.

To read the Coalition of Peaks article in full click here and to access the latest data on Closing the Gap click here.

Women don’t always access health care after head injuries

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a serious yet commonly under-recognised injury sustained by women as a direct outcome of family violence. Although healthcare and support services are critical, many women do not access support services following this injury. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 69 times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be hospitalised with head injuries due to assaults. At present, there are few relevant qualitative studies that have elevated the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Research published this week describes the barriers that prevent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from accessing hospital and support services after experiencing a TBI from family violence in one regional (Queensland) and one remote location (NT). Interviews and focus-group discussions were conducted with 28 community members and 90 service professionals. Thematic analysis identified four key factors influencing women’s access to health care: all women fear child removal; fear of escalating violence; prioritisation of other competing demands; and insufficient awareness of the signs of brain injury.

The research concludes that given child protection systems perpetuate cycles of discrimination based on poverty and structural inequalities that have generated fear and contributed to the reluctance of women to engage with services, child protection processes and practices need to be transformed to consider the impact of head injury on the everyday lives of women. Pathways need to be implemented to assist women to access healthcare and support services as well as strengthen families to maintain the care of their children.

You can view the research article Barriers Preventing Indigenous Women with Violence-related Head Injuries from Accessing Services in Australia in full here, a related article First Nations women don’t always access health care after head injuries from family violence. Here’s why published in The Conversation today, in full here, and listen to an ABC RN interview with Dr Kristen Smith, a senior research fellow in the Centre for Health Equity at the University of Melbourne on the tole of brain injury in family violence here.

Image source: ABC Radio National webpage.

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.

Men’s Health Week – 12–18 June 2023

Each day during Men’s Health Week NACCHO is sharing information and resources relevant to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector. Today’s information is about Healthy Male, a national organisation, established in 2000, to provide information for men’s health, facilitate action on men’s health in collaboration with others, advocate for change, empower men and boys to take action on their health, and build the capabilities of the health system and workforce. Healthy Male is working towards their vision of generations of healthy Australian men.

Healthy Male aims is to make the information they provide available to everybody, regardless of gender, age, education, sexual orientation, religion or ethnicity. To do this, they collaborate with Australia’s leading researchers, specialists, clinicians and educators to develop information that fills the gaps in men’s health. Healthy Male prioritise their efforts to close the health and wellbeing gaps in specific groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, who face significant barriers to health service access, particularly in remote areas. Healthy Male, with the support of the Department of Health and Aged Care, have developed a range of resources designed to help break down those barriers and improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men. The resources include:

  • Online training modules for health professionals working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males
  • Male health education video series – ‘A lot of Aboriginal men sort of keep it to themselves.’
  • Clinical summary guide
  • Clinic/community centre poster – ‘Your health is important. It’s OK to talk about it.’

For more information you can view the Healthy Male webpage Engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men in primary health care here.

In this video Mick Ryan, an Aboriginal Health Programs Officer talks about his work at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Limited – North Geelong, Victoria.

Jun 8 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Joint Council on CTG works to get justice targets on track

The image in the feature tile is from a Linda Burney MP Tweet on 7 June 2023.

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.

Joint Council on CTG works to get justice targets on track

Yesterday the tenth meeting of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap (CTG) was held on Larrakia Country. Members discussed opportunities to build CTG into the Federation Funding Agreements Framework and government budget processes: a revised Joint Communications Strategy to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to better understand and have greater ownership over the National Agreement: and the Justice Policy Partnership (JPP) Strategic Framework.

It comes as Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney announced $81m federal funding to target justice reinvestment programs across Australia, including Darwin, Katherine, Groote Eylandt, and Lajamanu, designed to keep Indigenous people out of prison. “It’s not a cookie cutter model … it will be absolutely up to the local community to determine what they think is needed” said Minister Burney.

The latest Bureau of Statistics data show one in every 100 Territorians was in prison, whereas three in every 100 Indigenous Territorians were in prison.. Deputy Lead Convener of the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations, Catherine Liddle, said the announcement was welcomed amid justice targets heading “alarmingly off-track.” She expanded, “…For these announcements to work it’s going to take a lot of work.”

You can find out more about the tenth meeting of the Joint Council on CTG here and read the Herald Sun article Linda Burney announces $81m for justice reinvestment in Darwin, Australia in full here

Source: Linda Burney MP Tweet on 7 June 2023

Pandemic lessons shape Cherbourg health improvements

During the pandemic the Darling Downs Health delivered 455 surge vaccinations to Cherbourg residents in under 10 days through super clinics and door-to-door vaccinations. Additionally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers focused on providing COVID-19 testing and social support for residents, informed by a community-driven holistic model of care.

The Cherbourg Health Council was formed last year following a successful collaboration between the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council, Darling Downs Health, and Cherbourg Regional Aboriginal and Islander Community Controlled Health Services (CRAICCHS). Not slowing down any time soon, “The Health Council is all about empowering local mob to take the lead in identifying both the problems that we need to tackle and the solutions that we can apply to ensure all Cherbourg people enjoy long and healthy lives,” said Mayor Sandow.

At the core of the Cherbourg Health Council, is the understanding that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have the solutions to the health problems they are impacted by.

Darling Downs Health Director Indigenous Health, Rica Lacey said that a combination of clinical support and local knowledge is key to the collaborative work of the Health Council, “The power of clinical knowledge combined with comprehensive local knowledge in the health worker workforce cannot be underestimated,” she said

Read the full First Nations Telegraph article Lessons from the pandemic shaping future health improvements in Cherbourg here.

Cherbourg Health Council’s second forum at TAFE Queensland Nurunderi Campus. Source: First Nations Telegraph.

CTG audit report finds QLD not on track

Queensland is not expected to meet a 2031 deadline to Close the Gap (CTG) on First Nations life expectancy. The Queensland Audit Office’s report based on data from Queensland Health also found Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients were two times more likely to avoid or delay specialist appointments, due to the cost of travel, than other residents in the state.

The Queensland Audit Office said, “First Nations people are still over-represented in measures that indicate a lack of appropriate care and providing health care to people in remote communities is an ongoing challenge.” The Audit Office recommended six strategies to improve the delivery of culturally appropriate care, including recruiting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander liaison officers and making travel schemes more accessible.

The report said while each of the 16 regional hospitals and health services have developed strategies to improve the level of care, the targets are “too broad and ambitious” and lack detail on delivery. Renowned nurse and midwife Dr Gracelyn Smallwood said the findings didn’t come as a surprise, “We’ve still got First Nations peoples, not just in Queensland, but around Australia, that are dying from purely preventable diseases … it’s totally unacceptable.”

A Queensland Health spokesperson said it has accepted all of the Audit Office’s recommendations and will work with key stakeholders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to implement them.

Read the full ABC News article Audit office report finds ‘broad and ambitious’ goals to improve First Nations health not being met here.

Dr Gracelyn Smallwood said it’s disappointing the Closing the Gap strategy won’t meet the 2031 target. Photo: Michael Lloyd. Image source: ABC News.

AIDA supports Voice to Parliament

The Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) has pledged its support of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. AIDA CEO, Donna Burns says “Voting ‘Yes’ for The Voice to Parliament aligns with AIDA’s vision in ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have self-determination and equitable health outcomes.”

“A Voice to Parliament will help achieve this by providing decision makers with direct advice from those directly impacted by policies and laws.

The data overwhelmingly demonstrates an unacceptable health gap persists due to the health inequities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Ms Burns said., AIDA said the Voice to Parliament is a once in a lifetime opportunity to influence policy and create better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

AIDA said it will continue to support and advocate for all its members, regardless of opinion, and will continue to support everyone to exercise their right to self-determination.

You can read full article here.

Image source: AIDA Twitter post 1 June 2023.

No time for complacency as COVID and flu cases soar

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is urging people to get COVID-19 boosters and flu shots as infection rates take off and complacency sets in. More than 16.5m Australians have not received a COVID-19 booster shot in over six months and – it is a very high figure that is sparking the AMA’s warning for the winter season. AMA President Steve Robson said Australia was facing a worrying fifth wave of COVID-19, with cases soaring to an average of 5,517 per day as of May 30 — more than double the average daily rate in March. Hospitalisations are up and weekly COVID-19 related deaths are in triple figures.

“The age of lockdowns and restrictions is over, so it’s understandable why many people are falling into a false sense of security, but the latest data shows the virus is infecting thousands of Australians every day,” Professor Robson said. “Now is not the time for complacency, and the AMA urges people to get up to date on their boosters, which is an extremely effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones. The effects of the latest COVID-19 wave are being worsened by a rising number of influenza cases. The Department of Health and Aged Care recorded 17,277 flu cases between 15–28 May, which was more than double the previous fortnight’s total.

Professor Robson said COVID-19 boosters and flu shots were separate vaccines that could be safely administered at the same time. “We are seeing a significant spike in the number of flu and COVID cases, making this a potentially dangerous winter, particularly for elderly and immunocompromised people,” he said. Professor Robson also urged parents to ensure their kids were protected. “As we know, children under five years of age aren’t badly affected by COVID-19, but influenza can be extremely serious for them, so it is crucial they get their flu shots as soon as possible,” he said.

You can read the AMA’s media release No time for vaccine complacency as COVID cases soar in full here.

Image source: NSW Health Facebook.

$50m to drive innovative models of primary care

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, says the Albanese Government is strengthening Medicare with a new $50m research initiative to drive innovation in primary care. Primary care is the first place a patient turns when they have a health concern, whether that be their local general practice, a nurse practitioner or allied health professional.

The $50m research initiative will supercharge innovation that will benefit all Australians but will be particularly directed to groups who have poorer access to healthcare. Priority groups include older Australians, lower income households and families, people with complex chronic disease, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTIQA+ Australians, First Nations people, as well as people in regional, rural, and remote areas.

To view Minister Butler’s media release $50m to drive innovative models of primary care in full click here.

Image source: Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Primary Health Care Service (Mareeba, QLD) website.

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.

Mar 10 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: Concrete action needed to address health disparities

feature tile text 'concrete action is needed to address health disparities in systemic, rigorous way

The image in the feature tile is of Francine Eades, Area Director of Aboriginal Health at WA’s East Metropolitan Health Service. Image source: article Minang Noongar health expert leads major health service’s mission to close the gap published in the National Indigenous Times on 9 March 2023.

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is a 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. The content included in these new stories are not necessarily NACCHO endorsed.

Concrete action needed to address disparities

Health services need to take “rigorous action” to Close the Gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia, the new Area Director of Aboriginal Health at WA’s key East Metropolitan Health Service said yesterday. Minang Noongar woman Francine Eades, who took on the role after leading WA’s COVID-19 vaccine roll out in Aboriginal communities, said it was time for “uncomfortable discussions” about racism and other issues affecting Aboriginal Australia.

“We know what the epidemiology of Aboriginal health tells us – we know about those disparities that have existed for quite some time,” Ms Eades said. “We have to acknowledge it and take concrete action to address those disparities in a systemic and rigorous way. It’s time to have some of those uncomfortable conversations about racism and how we are going to address it.” Ms Eades was speaking at a ceremony in Perth to mark her appointment.

Ms Eades has more than 30 years’ experience in the health sector, including 20 years as a registered nurse, and has a Master of Public Health in Applied Epidemiology obtained under the supervision of now Australian Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly. Ms Eades is also a past chairperson of the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service and worked as an academic at the Curtin University Centre for Aboriginal Studies and the Curtin Medical School.

To view the National Indigenous Times article Minang Noongar health expert leads major health service’s mission to close the gap in full click here. You can also view the video featuring Francine Eades in one of the videos developed by WA Health to assist WA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healthcare Workers in their roles.

FASD Communications and Engagement Grant

NACCHO is excited to announce the FASD Communications and Engagement Grant to support NACCHO members to develop and deliver highly-localised, place-based communications materials and engagement activities to enhance and extend the Strong Born communications campaign. Strong Born has been designed to raise awareness of FASD and the harms of drinking alcohol while pregnant and breastfeeding, among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rural and remote communities.

NACCHO members located in MM4–MM7 are eligible to apply for Round 1 of the grant funding. NACCHO members located in MM1–MM3 will be eligible to apply for Round 2.

Eligible ACCHOs can apply for between $5,000–$60,000 (GST exclusive) of FASD Grant funding which can be used for activities such as:

  1. Creation of locally relevant communications materials and resources raising awareness of FASD and the harms of drinking alcohol while pregnant and breastfeeding
  2. Hosting community events and yarning circles
  3. Running information sessions for staff members
  4. Production of additional copies of the ‘Strong Born’ campaign materials
  5. Translation or adaptation of the ‘Strong Born’ campaign materials and/or key messages into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages

You can register for the grant information session being held at 1:30 PM AEDT, Wednesday 15 March 2023 here.

For more information about the FASD Grant and how to apply, visit NACCHO’s FASD Communications and Engagement Grant webpage here.

Applications for Round 1 will close 11:00 PM AEDT Wednesday 22 March 2023. Applications for Round 2 will open in May.

You can also contact the NACCHO FASD Grants team at using this email link.

tile text: FASD communications & engagement grant - open to all NACCHO members info session wed 15 Mar 1:30pm - 2pm AEDT register naccho.org.au/fasd.grant

How to improve health equity for young men

Risky behaviour, particularly among younger men, sees shorter life expectancies and higher rates of premature mortality than in women. Flinders University Professor (Health and Social Equity) James Smith has partnered with colleagues at the University of Michigan and Georgetown University in the US, to co-edit a new book about innovative health promotion programs which tackle the complex social and structural barriers facing adolescent boys and young men of colour (BYMOC) in Australia, NZ, the US and Canada.

From alcohol and drug misuse, smoking, unsafe sex, reckless driving, violent confrontations, poor dietary habits and a tendency to avoid seeking help and using health services, their new book discusses positive steps which have helped address the problems compounded by social, economic, demographic and geographic disadvantage.

The book chapters describe how to reduce incarceration, improve educational and health outcomes, offer strategies to address mental health challenges, and ways to promote access and optimal usage of health and social services.

To view the Retail Pharmacy article Strategies for improving Health Equity Among Young Men of Colour in full click here.

vector image overlapping transparent male heads different colours

Image source: Retail Pharmacy.

Why members joined the Coalition of Peaks

In 2020 the Coalition of Peaks (CoP), all Australian governments, and the Australian Local Government Association signed the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (National Agreement), to change the way governments work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The National Agreement has been built around what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people said is important to improve their lives. The CoP is made up of 80 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled peak and member organisations across Australia.

The video below Why members joined the CoP features:

  • Donna Murray, CEO Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA)
  • Robert Skeen, CEO Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council NSW (AH&MRC)
  • Fiona Cornforth, CEO The Healing Foundation
  • Scott Wilson, CEO Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council SA

VtP is a beginning, not an end

Yorta Yorta woman Dr Summer May Finlay who is a Senior Lecturer (Indigenous Health) at the University of Wollongong has written an opinion piece about the forthcoming referendum on a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament (VtP). Dr Finlay says that “with so much media attention and conversation on social media about the Uluru Statement and the VtP, many people are seeking to understand what it means now and in the future.” According to Dr Finlay “To understand the Uluru Statement, including the Voice, you need to be clear on what the Statement says and be aware of the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation in this Country.”  

“There are many decisions, including legislation and policy, made by parliament. Currently, there is no systematic way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can provide their views on decisions impacting us. The Voice will be one way of ensuring our voices are heard. Consider how the 2007 NT National Emergency Response, otherwise known as the NT Intervention, would have looked if we had been able to provide advice on its development and implementation. Or would this damaging legislation never have gone ahead? The 2008 Closing the Gap targets, first developed in 2008 without the input of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, wouldn’t have needed to be revised 12 Years later in 2020 through a co-design process with the Coalition of Peaks (CoP).”

The Voice should, however, never undermine the capacity for each Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nation and community to have a say in what happens in their region. Local input is just as crucial as a coordinated national approach.  Ultimately, there is much to consider when considering how you will vote in the Referendum.  And for me, the most critical consideration is whether it will benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I believe it will. It’s the first of many steps required. It’s a beginning.”  

To read Dr Summer May Finlay’s article The Voice to Parliament is a beginning, not an end on the University of Wollongong Australia’s The Stand webpage click here.

Dr Summer May Finlay

Dr Summer May Finlay. Image source: Public Health Association Australia’s Intouch Public Health webpage.

Unlocking hope for people with kidney disease

For the first time in 20 years, two new classes of drugs have become available in Australia for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease, the most common cause of kidney failure. Both are extremely effective, safe, and relatively affordable. However, too few people with kidney disease are using these breakthrough drugs. We can only unlock these benefits if doctors, patients and the broader community have greater awareness of kidney disease, and the tools we have to fight it.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a gradual loss of the kidneys’ ability to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. It’s quite insidious. In Australia, kidney disease affects an estimated one in 10 people, but most won’t be aware they have it until it is quite advanced. At the point of diagnosis, many people are at risk of progressing to kidney failure.

For someone with kidney failure, their life expectancy is reduced by three quarters – equivalent to many cancers. Patients with CKD experience a dramatically reduced quality of life – they feel weak and tired, and they can’t think clearly. Not to mention they’re at greater risk of a whole range of other conditions including heart disease, heart failure and stroke.

To view Professor Vlado Perkovic’s article Unlocking hope for people with kidney disease published on the University of NSW’s Newsroom webpage in full click here.

tablets being poured from a bottle into the palm of a hand

Photo: iStock. Image source: UNSW Sydney Newsroom webpage.

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.

Mar 9 2023

NACCHO Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health News: CoP urges further reforms in response to CTG data

feature tile - Pat Turner AM, Lead Convenor of CoPs; text: CoPs urges further reforms to CtG

The image in the feature tile is of Pat Turner AM, Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks. Image source: National Indigenous Times article National peak body for Aboriginal-controlled community organisations urges further reforms to close the gap published on 8 March 2023.

The NACCHO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health News is a 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. The content included in these new stories are not necessarily NACCHO endorsed.

CoP urges further reforms in response to CTG data

The Coalition of Peaks, the national representative body of more than 80 Aboriginal community-controlled peak organisations, has urged further reforms in response to the latest Closing the Gap data from the Productivity Commission revealing a lack of progress on the objectives of the Agreement, showing there are now four targets “on track” compared to the 11 which are “not on track”.

Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, Patricia Turner AM, called for further change to close the gap, “When structural and systemic change is made, there will naturally be a positive effect on the trajectory of the Closing the Gaps targets. This is what the Priority Reforms are all about in the National Agreement, but we are not seeing them implemented properly by governments,” she said. “The Priority Reforms are about changing the way governments work with our people. It is the comprehensive adoption of them that government parties need to understand and embrace if we are going to be able to work together to finally close the gap.

“More than two years on from the signing of the National Agreement and some governments are still talking about how they might start to tackle and implement the Priority Reforms.” Ms Turner said that “a sense of urgency” should come from this data for “governments to get on with the structural change needed to the way governments work as set out in the Priority Reforms. It is clear that the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people depend on it.”

To view the National Indigenous Times article National peak body for Aboriginal-controlled community organisations urges further reforms to close the gap in full click here. You can also read the Coalition of Peaks media release Urgent need for governments to implement the National Agreement on Closing the Gap in full as new data paints grim picture here and access the Australian Government Productivity Commission’s Closing the Gap Information Repository webpage Supporting reporting on Closing the Gap here.

tile text 'Closing the Gap Information Repository' & Aboriginal art

Image source: Australian Government Productivity Commission website.

Dr Karen Nicholls on the journey towards equality

Yesterday on International Women’s Day, RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Chair, Dr Karen Nicholls, celebrated women who show leadership in challenging the systems in which they work. For Dr Nicholls, a Torres Strait Islander woman descending from Boigu Island in the Torres Strait, choosing a career in medicine was not always apparent, “I couldn’t see what I could be, because there were no Torres Strait Islander female doctors [at the time]..”

Today, with a growth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GPs expected to continue, Dr Nicholls’ vision has shifted. “My hope is that, while we make up a small percentage of the Indigenous population overall, that we would continue to exceed society’s expectations,” she said. “Torres Strait Islander women definitely go on to do some really fantastic stuff in health. And I do want to acknowledge that there are some absolutely brilliant Torres Strait Islander doctors working at the moment, clinically and in research, and also advocating for better health outcomes and educational outcomes for everyone.”

Since receiving her Fellowship with the RACGP in 2010, Dr Nicholls has worked predominantly in the ACCHO sector and academia. Late last year she joined the college’s 65th Board when she was elected Chair of RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health – a role in which she feels privileged and proud to be a female GP representing this space.

To view the RACGP newsGP article IWD: Dr Karen Nicholls on the journey towards equality in full click here.

Dr Karen Nicholls, Chair of RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

Dr Karen Nicholls, Chair of RACGP Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, endeavours to empower women through equality and allyship. Image source: RACGP newsGP.

Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation Nursing Scholarships open

Lowitja Institute and the Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation are proud to announce the inaugural Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation Nursing Scholarships now open for 2023. Upon its establishment in 2010, the Lowitja Institute was named in honour of its patron, Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue, arguably Australia’s most recognised Aboriginal woman – a powerful and unrelenting advocate for her people and an inspiration to many.

The Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation was announced on 1 August 2022 to celebrate the 90th birthday of Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG. Adjunct Professor Janine Mohamed, CEO of Lowitja Institute, said the opening round of the inaugural scholarships in nursing is a tribute to the dedication and passion Dr O’Donoghue displayed throughout her extensive career in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

To view the Lowitja Institute media release Inaugural Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation nursing scholarships now open in full click here.

World-first AI heart tech trial to run from Walgett AMS

A world-first randomised controlled trial using artificial intelligence-guided technology to perform a heart ultrasound has been launched in the Walgett. The trial will be run from the town’s Aboriginal Medical Service and rolled out by the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.

“We are very excited about this. One of the cornerstones of cardiovascular health is the ability to do an ultrasound test on the heart called an echocardiogram (ECHO) test, it shows us the heart valves and the cardio function,” Cardiologist and chief investigator, Professor Tom Marwick said.

Marwick explained that taking an ECHO test required a highly skilled stenographer who aren’t readily available in regional towns. The artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be able to guide a non-expert in how to take the image which will then be uploaded for Professor Marwick to examine.

To view the Western Plains App article World-first AI heart technology trial comes to Walgett in full click here.

Professor Tom Marwick & vector image of heart

Professor Tom Marwick. Image from: Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute. Image source: Western Plains App.

Program aims to help women regain long-term stability

Today Wayside Chapel has launched a new comprehensive program to help disadvantaged women regain long-term stability. The program offers women a safe space and the opportunity to receive gender-specific support tailored to their individual experiences. There’s a kitchen, laundry facilities, shower and consultation room, co-located with the new Wayside Chapel Healthcare clinic. Specialised female care coordinators will be available to work on complex cases with referrals to other agencies including housing, welfare, addiction and legal support.

Ensuring clients could access culturally safe and trauma-informed care without repeating themselves is a key motivator for Wayside’s GP-led service. Free, equitable and accessible to all genders, it builds on a successful nurse-led pilot in 2021. Medical director Lilon Bandler said the service wouldn’t require a Medicare card and would aim to overcome barriers to healthcare such as trust and finances by bringing it under the Wayside banner.

About 30% of Wayside visitors were Indigenous people and their “consistent experience of health care is very poor”, Dr Bandler said. “There’s still a lot of racism experienced by them in their interactions with the health care providers,” she said. “So they’re quite reluctant to engage again.”

To view the Kyabram Free Press article Wayside brings help for women-in-need under one roof in full click here.

Wayside healthcare director Lilon Bandler

Wayside healthcare director Lilon Bandler says the service aims to overcome barriers to healthcare. Photo: AAP. Image source: Kyabram Free Press.

Wide-ranging inequities affect women’s health

Australia has rising inequity and according to the World Health Organization, wherever there is societal inequity, women are always disproportionately affected. In almost every aspect of their lives, women living with pervasive socio-economic disadvantage are more likely to be vulnerable and face discrimination. This directly affects those seeking healthcare where disadvantaged women face more barriers to quality care, for example, people living in rural and remote areas, women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and/or women who have or who continue to experience disadvantage.

The inequities are compounded by multiple stresses and responsibilities including paid and unpaid work. They may be looking after children or other family members, working and pursuing their careers, contributing to their communities, trying to cope with the rapidly rising costs of living, or dealing with the many layers of disadvantage caused by family violence and trauma. There are also gross inequities in terms of access to healthy foods at a cost that people can afford, particularly in rural and regional areas. The options for being physically active or taking other measures to prevent disease are limited for many women of culturally diverse backgrounds and for First Nations women.

These issues affect entire communities, but women often bear the brunt. For example, research has shown that young women in rural and remote areas experience higher rates of unplanned pregnancy. Tesearch has highlighted gaps in service provision including availability of contraception and medical abortion, higher rates of chronic disease, and a much greater burden of mental distress.

To view the Croakey Health Media article Systemic approaches needed to address wide-ranging inequities affecting women’s health in full click here.

Baggarrook Yurrongi program participant - ATSI mum & bub

Image source: The Royal Women’s Hospital Victoria’s webpage Maternity program awarded for improving Aboriginal health.

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.