Speech by AMA President, Dr Bill Glasson at the Indigenous Health Rights Campaign Launch,Sydney - 'Whatever it takes'

Good morning.

I am pleased - and proud - to be part of a group of organisations who want to see change in a piece of Australian landscape which I believe all Australians feel a large degree of regret and shame.

I believe all Australians should ask the question why one group of people in our community faces a health reality worse than people in many third world countries.

We should ask ourselves why are Indigenous Australians admitted to hospital at twice the rate of non-Indigenous people.

Why do Indigenous Australians suffer much higher rates of renal disease, diabetes, injury and poisoning than other Australians.

This is one of the richest countries in the world with an enviable health system.

Most non-Indigenous Australians enjoy a life expectancy of around 76 years for men and just over 82 for women. 

Non-Indigenous Australians die some 20 years earlier.

Indigenous people are deprived of the pleasures of old age.

This group is sentenced to chronic health problems from as early as 20 years of age, and an early grave.

The time has past to quibble over statistics and costs.

The time has past for navel gazing about change.

The time has past for pointing the finger.

It's time - now - for action.

Good work has been done already, thanks to a handful of inspired and dedicated people and, on occasion, budgets that fit the bill for research and development.

But policy must urgently translate into expanded services and training.

This requires inspirational leadership and appropriate funding - an unknown quantity of funding.

In our report card on Indigenous Health the AMA called for additional annual funding of $250 million.

However, while inequity exists that we cannot put a dollar amount on what it will cost to fix the problem.

We are here today to make a commitment.

A commitment that we will no longer tolerate the intolerable.

Today I call on all Australians to contribute to change.

I call on all governments to come up with the funding and support the vision to make change a reality.

We have a crippling shortage of trained health workers at all levels -Indigenous Health Workers, Indigenous doctors, and support staff such as planners, managers and accountants.

I believe these gaps in the workforce could be filled by non-Indigenous workers.

The evidence from Canada, the USA and New Zealand shows the best way to improve the health of Indigenous populations is through the training and support of Indigenous individuals to bring about change.

We must break the cycle of social and economic poverty, poor nutrition, poor education, poor incomes, unemployment, poor housing, low self-esteem - the age of drug and alcohol dependence. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Indigenous health is not a discretionary expense.

Governments must find the funds to train the staff needed for a high quality primary health care system.

They must find the funds to set up and run these services.

This is the first part of the equation.

The second is access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to mainstream health services, like the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) and public hospitals.

Access is often difficult.

Many people find it hard to jump through the bureaucratic hoops designed to make sure they're entitled to use the system.

Indigenous people are forced to navigate an alien health structure that is too often counter-cultural.

Our systems have to be modified to make sure all Australians get access to the health care they need.

If the bed's too small, you don't cut off your legs - you find a bigger bed.

Progress is possible.  Action is needed now.

Thank you.