Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Stealing Indigenous identity

By Harry Throssell - posted Friday, 25 August 2006


In this year’s Federal Budget, Treasurer Peter Costello made no mention of the economic infrastructure of Indigenous communities, even though background papers said “access to health care for Indigenous people is still too low” and “medical expenditure on Indigenous Australians per capita is less that half that for non-Indigenous Australians despite their health care needs being much greater”.

Noting the severe health problems in distant Australian communities, an experienced nurse from overseas was amazed to find doctors and other health staff have to travel great distances by road instead of plane or helicopter.

Dr David Thomas told ABC Radio National’s Anne Barker Aboriginal death rates in Northern Territory for diabetes and heart disease, which cause 30 per cent of all Indigenous deaths, have dramatically slowed or even fallen in the past decade. The current AMA President, Mukesh Haikerwal, remains cautious, however, because rates of improvement are at a faster rate in the non-Indigenous community. “In fact the gap between the rates of death has actually increased. It's not acceptable for the improvement [in Indigenous communities] to be at such a miniscule rate compared to the rest of the community”, he said.

Advertisement

Indigenous Peoples and Poverty points out local initiatives are also important in isolated communities. In one town these included a drop-in centre to help with jobs and accommodation, sports carnivals, youth fashion-modelling programs, camping trips, drug action with educational activities, an emergency cash fund, prison visitors program, youth mentoring, family violence workshop, local women’s group, women’s camp, legal advocacy, support for repeat offenders, Indigenous night patrols, a sobering-up shelter. These all need financing.

Many Aborigines are voting with their feet in their quest to climb out of poverty. The Weekend Australian reported research by John Taylor of Australian National University showing the Indigenous population is booming in many country towns in New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia while the non-Indigenous population is stagnant or shrinking.

Conversely remote and very remote communities are shedding about 48 people per 1,000 population. With the exception of Sydney there are more Indigenous people moving into than leaving capital cities, where, however, they live in the poorest suburbs and suffer unemployment rates double or triple those of non-Indigenous neighbours.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

18 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Harry Throssell originally trained in social work in UK, taught at the University of Queensland for a decade in the 1960s and 70s, and since then has worked as a journalist. His blog Journospeak, can be found here.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Harry Throssell

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 18 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy