Wednesday, 15 February 2006
Commissioner welcomes health and mental health initiatives announced in COAG Communique
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, today welcomed the Better Health for all Australians and mental health initiatives of the National Reform Agenda of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) set out in its Communique (10 February 2006).
"It is refreshing to see a focus on improving access to primary health care in remote and rural communities, as well as programs for the early detection and prevention of chronic diseases - issues that are clearly a priority for Indigenous communities," said Commissioner Calma.
Mr Calma made the comments following the tabling of his Social Justice Report 2005 in Parliament on Tuesday which calls on Australian governments to commit to achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality within 25 years.
"I am particularly pleased at this announcement because the COAG initiatives echo recommendations I have made in my Social Justice Report about addressing the health inequality suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Both they, and the wider population, have the potential to benefit from these initiatives if they are applied to Indigenous people at the start and Indigenous people are involved in any decision making that affects them," Mr Calma said.
COAG recognises that with an ageing population placing an extra burden on the health sector and revenue over the next few decades, it is in the national interest to maximise both the number of people working and the number of people remaining healthy into their old age.
"In Australia, the Indigenous population is much younger and growing faster than the non-Indigenous population. If these young people suffer the poor health of their parents" generation, the costs of providing health care to Indigenous people will increase dramatically over the next few decades. We need to act now to stop this happening," Commissioner Calma said.
"What is not explicitly recognised in the Communique is that the number of Indigenous people participating in the workforce is already lower, while the numbers who are disabled or too ill to work is already higher, than in the non-Indigenous population. While there are humanitarian reasons to respond to this, there is also an economic rationale to respond as well."
In the COAG initiatives, Mr Calma also welcomed: the use of outcomes and milestones in programs; innovative funding practices; the use of transparent and independent monitoring mechanisms; and the "whole of government" approach to implementing the programs. These are all elements that are recommended for achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality within 25 years in this year"s Social Justice Report.
"Indigenous mental health and primary health care should not be treated in the same way as mainstream services. It is important that the unique needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are built into any policy response by consulting with individuals and communities," Mr Calma said.
The Social Justice Commissioner will launch the 2005 Social Justice Report and 2005 Native Title Report tomorrow (16 February) at 11.30am in Committee Room 1R5 (House of Reps side) at Federal Parliament House in Canberra.
For further details contact Paul Oliver (02) 9284 9880 or 0408 469 347.
Last updated 16 February 2006.
