Queensland

The health status of Indigenous Australians is devastatingly worse in contrast to the status of Non-Indigenous Australians today. Largely these inequities arise from social economic, lifestyle and social factors, including substandard living conditions, exposure to violence, poorer rates of education, discrimination, racism and high rates of unemployment. In 2013, 76.4% of the working-age population of Non-indigenous Australians (aged 15 to 64) were employed, whereas it was only 55.8% of the…

Effective governance and leadership, and recognition and incorporation of Indigenous models of governance, play an essential part in successfully overcoming the social, economic, and health disadvantages and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In 2005, the Federal government implemented a new Indigenous policy, abolishing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, and transferring to mainstream government departments the responsibility for the delivery of…

Pregnancy and birth Close the gap: Indigenous Health Campaign (Australian Human Rights Commission 2016) National Maternity Services Capability Framework (Standing Council on Health and Community & Disability Services 2012) National Maternity Services Plan (Australian Health Ministers’ Conference 2010) National Evidence-Based Antenatal Care Guidelines (National Health and Medical Research Council 2011) The Close the Gap campaign is a strategy that was made by several organisations to achieve…

Since the British colonization of Australia, the basic rights of indigenous Australian, including the land rights were despised, or even violated, by British settlements in many ways. Although the government’s policies have started to change from 1960s in order to protect human rights of indigenous people, the questions of reconciliation between them and Australian government have not been solved by now. In this essay, I will clarify Australia’s effort to make the reconciliation with indigenous…

Hidden in a picturesque Surfers Paradise side-street, unpaid helpers at the Gold Coast and Hinterland Historical Society work tirelessly to preserve local history. However, senior volunteers warn Gold Coast history is under threat of disappearing, advising it may never be recovered if this occurs. Former Historical Society President and fourth-generation Gold Coaster Bob Nancarrow believes ignorance poses the greatest danger, explaining many residents are unaware the Gold Coast even has a…

Asthma should remain a National Health Priority The National Health Priority Areas (NHPA) is an initiative of the Department of Health to outline and address the health conditions and injuries that create burden for the Australian health system (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2017). One of the priority areas is asthma, a chronic condition of the respiratory system with no cure (AIHW 2017). Asthma affects one in nine Australians, making it a large burden on the health system,…

The Ballina Shire is one of the most beautiful places in New South Wales. Our beaches and waterways are spectacular and the hinterland is equally as breathtaking with hidden waterfalls and creeks, and lush pastures that have sustained families for generations. We are however as much defined by the strength of our community as we are of our natural environment. As a Council it is our role to protect and enhance our beaches, river systems, bush and natural attractions whilst ensuring we foster…

1. Life expectancy at birth for Indigenous people is on average 17 years lower than that for the total Australian population. 2. In non-remote areas Aboriginal adults were twice as likely to be affected by and to report disability and/or chronic disease. 3. In 2006 21% of 15 year old Indigenous people versus 5% of 15 year old non–Indigenous people were not participating in school education. 4. The proportion of Aboriginal people in post secondary education, with a qualification of certificate…

From 1788 (After Europeans discovered Australia), the white settlers gradually took Aboriginal people’s traditional lands. They defined aboriginals as a doomed race (due to their intelligence and way of living). Therefore, in the name of protection, lots of policy relating to removal of children had been created and impacted on the Australian native people and their society over time. Even until now in 2016, some of the scars still cannot recover, such as loss of cultural identity, loss of…

The Public Health issue that will be discussed in this essay is Indigenous health. In this essay, targets, strategies, policies, plans, programs, projects and resources will be examined as it deals with this public health issue. The history of the Closing the gap program will broadly be discussed as well. Closing the gap is a strategy that aims at reducing the indigenous disadvantage with respect to life expectancy, child mortality, access to early childhood educational achievement, employment…