[Greens-Media] Aboriginal Health lags a century behind: WHO report

[Twomey, Chris (Sen R. Siewert)]

Aboriginal Health lags a century behind: WHO report

"The health of Aboriginal Australians is lagging a century behind that
of other Australians," said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

"We need to follow the example of other first world nations and put a
massive injection of resources in this budget into Indigenous health of
around $500 million per annum."

"In this budget the Howard government has no excuse for not massively
increasing funding for Aboriginal health," said Senator Siewert.

"The latest report by the World Health Organisation documenting the
failure of Australia to address the health disadvantage of our first
peoples is an international scandal." 

"Per capita access to primary health care remains at 40% of that enjoyed
by other Australians, resulting in a situation where half the Aboriginal
population aged over fifteen already show signs of chronic disease," she
said.

"The Howard government is not focusing on the real issues, but wasting
the little effort it expends on Aboriginal affairs on ill-conceived
social experiments, like privatising home ownership and shared
responsibility agreements."

"The 17 year life expectancy gap will not significantly improve until
the major inequalities in the system are fixed" said Senator Siewert. 

"The reason Indigenous Australians have reduced life expectancy, double
the infant mortality and suffer much higher rates of chronic disease are
all linked directly to disadvantage, poor living conditions and lack of
access to primary care," she said.

"The Greens believe that we need to focus on primary health, on early
childhood programs, access to affordable medicines, and safe and healthy
housing."

"Australians don't want to see any of their citizens having to put up
with third-world health outcomes," concluded Senator Siewert. "If New
Zealand can make substantial inroads into the health disadvantage of
their Indigenous people, why can't we?"


	           
For more information or comment call 
Chris Twomey on 0407 725 025

Email senator.siewert at aph.gov.au
http://www.rachelsiewert.org.au

RESCUE THE SENATE

Senator Rachel Siewert
Australian Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal Affairs

Monday 30th April 2007