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2004 Budget - real issues in Aboriginal Health forgotten

Media Release
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)

12 May 2004 - While welcoming the additional $40 million to continue the vital Primary Health Care Access Program (PHCAP), the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) the peak body of 128 Aboriginal Health Services across the country, said the Federal Government’s 2004-2005 budget failed to address the real health issues facing Aboriginal Australians.

“Despite the calls from many major health organisations – including the AMA – for the Government to make the appalling state of Aboriginal health a major health priority, the Government has once again sat on its hands,” said NACCHO’s Deputy Chairperson, Dr Naomi Mayers.

“NACCHO is greatly disappointed with this budget”.

“Each year that goes by without the introduction of measures to fix the known inequities in health funding costs Aboriginal lives – many lives,” Dr Mayers added. “You only have to look at how we compare in life expectancy to some of the world’s poorest countries to see how great the need is. As the bar chart shows, we fall behind Nigeria, Nepal and Bangladesh in life expectancy.

“A recent Canadian study ranks the quality of life for us Aboriginal people as the second worst on the planet!”

“Given these figures it’s disappointing to see initiatives like pumping more than $128 million into HealthConnect, which aims to create a national health information network, while 40 percent of our service report that Aboriginal Australians still can’t even get access to a doctor – or proper primary health care.

“There is nothing in this Budget that will reduce the disparity in the health status of Aboriginal Australians compared to the rest of the population.

“Surely the need for better access to basic primary health care and for additional funding to make this possible, should be a greater priority especially when there was the Budget surplus to do it.”

Dr Mayers said NACCHO was also understandably disappointed that after working co-operatively with the Government on the new National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health: 2003 –2013, many important aspects of the framework, such as the Social and Emotional Well-being framework, have not been funded.

“NACCHO will continue to call for Aboriginal health to be given the priority and level of funding equity it deserves. In this regard we will be scrutinising the policies of all major parties in the lead up to the next Federal election,” Dr Mayers concluded.

Source: NACCHO

Democrats media: Indigenous Budget

SENATOR Aden Ridgeway
AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRATS Indigenous Affairs Spokesperson

12 May 2004 - Indigenous Health Budget is $290 million short.

This year's Indigenous budget shows the Government is marking time in the portfolio and will not make any major commitments to the future of Indigenous Australians, say the Australian Democrats.

Democrats Indigenous Affairs spokesperson, Senator Aden Ridgeway, said the Government has maintained current levels of Indigenous funding while offering generous tax cuts and budget bribes in other areas.

"The Democrats called for an extra $300 million annual investment in Indigenous primary health care and preventative programs as a top priority just to bring the health of Indigenous Australians up to par with the rest of the population," said Senator Ridgeway.

"Instead we see the Indigenous health budget has barely increased by $40 million over 4 years - $290 million dollars short.

"A report for the AMA, and research from the Fred Hollows foundation as well as the Productivity Commissions' assessment of the desperate health of Indigenous people in Australia, showed that urgent action in Indigenous primary heath is required.

"The Government could have used a small amount of the surplus to improve the life chances of Indigenous people rather than assisting high income earners.

"The $15 million upfront extra money for Reconciliation Australia is a welcome, if belated, boost to the Reconciliation process.

"The funding is for Reconciliation Australia to promote reconciliation, support community events and to identify and promote good reconciliation practice.

"The Democrats hope the Government may eventually learn some good reconciliation practice of its own from this Budget allocation," concluded Senator Ridgeway.

Source: Australian Democrats

Budget 2004 - Indigenous programs built on ATSIC's bones

ATSIC Media Release

Joint statement
Lionel Quartermaine, Acting Chairman
Cliff Foley, Commissioner (NSW Metropolitan Zone); Chairperson of ATSIC's Social and Physical Wellbeing Committee
Canberra

11 May 2004 - We commend the Government for taking up initiatives recommended by ATSIC in framing this year's Budget. Yet this provokes the question - if ATSIC has failed, why would the government take up our ideas?

These measures - increased funds for home ownership, more services to combat family violence and measures to develop the leadership abilities of Indigenous women - represent the first significant release of new money for Indigenous programs in many years. They may not have been realised without the community input and policy development from ATSIC's representative structure.

As such, the prospect for continued advances in Indigenous affairs without the contribution of ATSIC or a similar representative structure must remain open to question.

The Budget provides some small gains for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families but the current level of resources for Indigenous programs barely keeps pace with growth in the Indigenous population. The increasingly youthful profile of Indigenous society presents special challenges for any government that is serious about supporting families.

The major initiatives for Indigenous families are as follows.

• ATSIC's highly successful Home Ownership Program will expand to allow a further 100 new loans for each of the next four years with a capital injection of $20 million. This will assist Indigenous first home buyers who cannot meet the requirements of commercial lenders to enjoy the benefits of home ownership including acquisition of a significant asset.
• A recent ATSIC audit found that communities place a high value on the existing Family Violence Prevention Legal Services program. This will now expand from 13 to 26 services in remote and rural areas with additional funding of $22.7 million over a four-year period. Services to provide legal assistance, case work and crisis counselling.
• The Family Violence Partnership Program is built on community priorities and strategies identified by ATSIC's Regional Councils and participating federal, state and territory governments. An additional $19.8 million over four years will add local projects that combat violence and alcohol and drug abuse.
• The Indigenous Women's Development program was an ATSIC recommendation to support and develop the leadership skills of Indigenous women and progressively increase the number of women leaders.

We are pleased that the government has taken our advice on these matters and in so doing has endorsed the contribution of self-determination to Indigenous advancement.

Source: ATSIC

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