More Effort Needed on ATSI Health

Date: 26 April 2000

Shadow Health Minister, Jenny Macklin, today called on the Federal Government to provide extra funding for Aboriginal Health in this year's Budget.

Prior to a visit to the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress in Alice Springs, Ms Macklin said a recently released needs-based assessment of government spending on indigenous health, prepared by John Deeble, found a $245 million shortfall in spending compared with the non-indigenous population.

"If the Howard Government is serious about practical reconciliation, this year's Budget should include extra Aboriginal health funding to reduce this shortfall," Ms Macklin said.

Ms Macklin said an Australian Bureau of Statistics Report released last week also highlighted the need for greater effort in Aboriginal health.

"The ABS report found that there were three times as many deaths among indigenous males and females in 1995-1997 than would have been expected if indigenous people had the same death rate as all Australians," Ms Macklin said.

"The ABS report and the Deeble report indicate that the Government is not doing enough more. More money is needed and greater attention needs to be paid to maximising health services on the ground.

Ms Macklin said she will discuss with the Congress more comprehensive plans to get better health care services into Aboriginal communities.

"Congress has been at the forefront of Aboriginal Health and I'm interested in listening to their views on how Aboriginal health services can be improved," Ms Macklin said.

Ms Macklin will also visit Areyonga Health Service, Pintubi Homelands Health Centre, Bagot Women's Crisis Centre, Danila Dilba Health Service and Port Keats Community Health Centre during her visit to the Northern Territory.

For further information

Contact:	Caroline Turnour
Union:	ALP Federal
Phone:	0412 023 348
WWW:	http://www.alp.org.au

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