New Alliance to Lobby for Aboriginal Health

• Seek needs-based funding for Aboriginal health, in line with the recommendations of the Deeble Report, which suggests an additional $240m a year is needed to address poorer health outcomes for Aboriginal Australians;
• Counter the view that little can be done to improve poor health outcomes for Aboriginal Australians and demonstrate that well targeted funds for primary health care and related services and the community controlled health model can deliver better outcomes;
• Promote success stories in Aboriginal health and understanding of Aboriginal health issues among the broader community;
• Encourage a bipartisan approach to Aboriginal health issues; and
• Better co-ordinate lobbying work of the non-government Aboriginal health lobby.

The Chair of NACCHO, Mr Puggy Hunter, said he was optimistic the new alliance would provide sharper focus for the work of the organisations in Aboriginal health.

"By working together, we can share our expertise, avoid duplication and have a clearer and more consistent message.

"Unfortunately, in today's society, having a just cause - even one as strongly deserving as Aboriginal health - doesn't secure a fair share of resources. A stronger, better co-ordinated and more sophisticated approach to lobbying presents a way forward," Mr Hunter said.

AMA Federal President, Dr David Brand, said that poor outcomes for Aboriginal Australians "continues to be a major blemish on our national health care record".

"If we are to see an acceleration in improved health outcomes, we need additional resources allocated at a national, state and territory level. This new partnership will help focus national attention on the problem, promote better understanding of the issues and - we hope - build on what has been achieved to date.

"We acknowledge the work and commitment of the Federal Health Minister, Michael Wooldridge and the contribution of other ministers. However, a higher priority needs to be given to Aboriginal health if we are to make major change.

"We need to build on the success stories of the past few years and expand primary health care, public health education and training initiatives. Employment, housing, education, infrastructure and better sanitation measures are also required." Dr Brand said.

The organisations want to destroy the myths surrounding Aboriginal health.

• Aboriginal health is not too hard to fix. Evidence from New Zealand, Canada and the United States show that substantial improvements in life expectancy of Aboriginal people can be achieved in just two or three short decades. The Maori death rate declined by 44 per cent between 1974 and 1994 and the United States Aboriginal rate by 30 per cent in the same period. In contrast, there was no significant reduction in the death rate for Aboriginal Australians between 1985 and 1995.
• Aboriginal people don't get far more health dollars than the rest of the community. For each $1 spent on health service for non-Aboriginal Australians, $1.08 is spent on health services for Aboriginal Australians. But for each $1 spent on Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for non-Aboriginal Australians, only about 20 cents was spent on an Aboriginal person.
• Additional spending on Aboriginal health is not wasted money that won't produce results. There are many effective and innovative programs helping to improve Aboriginal health outcomes. While some health statistics are not improving, others are.

There was also no mystery to the improving Aboriginal health, Mr Hunter and Dr Brand said.

"We need to build on the skills and services provided by Aboriginal health workers - they are in many ways the key to breaking the cycle in poor heath in Aboriginal communities throughout the country.

"We need to see more Aboriginal people in health care. We not only need more Aboriginal doctors, but also more Aboriginal nurses, dentists, physiotherapists - in fact, we need more Aboriginal people in health care roles across the board. Just 1% of Aboriginal people are employed in health care roles - half the rate of the rest of the community.

"The scale of the problem should not be forgotten.

• Aboriginal Australians have a life expectancy at birth 15 to 20 years less than other Australians. Their life expectancy is lower than for most countries of the world with few exceptions;
• For all causes of death combined, there are 3.5 to 4 times more deaths than expected among Aboriginal Australians;
• Aboriginal people are 2 to 3 times more likely to be hospitalised; and
• In the past 10 years, there has been little improvement in the mortality of Aboriginal Australians.

Dr Brand said that the AMA recognised that progress was being made and singled out the Federal Health Minister, Dr Wooldridge, as having a sound understanding and a personal commitment to the health of Aboriginal Australians. "But having committed individuals is one thing - having committed parties and governments commit adequate funding is another," Dr Brand said.