Month: January 2003

Western Australian Parliamentarians visit HealthInfoNet

Issue: Vol 3 No 1 January 2003 - March 2003

Three members of the Western Australian Parliament – Carol Martin, MLA, Member for Kimberley and Chair of the Education and Health Committee, Tony O’Gorman, MLA, Member for Joondalup, and Dianne Guise, MLA, Member for Wanneroo and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly – visited the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet on Friday 6 December.

This visit was arranged when HealthInfoNet research officer, Jane Burns, attended the Path of Honour celebrations at Edith Cowan University’s Joondalup Campus marking the contributions of valued citizens. Carol Martin, who was being honoured as the first Indigenous women to be elected to an Australian Parliament, expressed an interest to Jane in the innovative work of the HealthInfoNet and was keen to visit to learn more.

The visit gave all the parliamentarians a greater awareness of the poor health status of Indigenous Australians as well as some examples of the positive work being done nationally in the area. Professor Neil Thomson, Director of the HealthInfoNet, demonstrated how the HealthInfoNet contributes to improving the health of Australia’s Indigenous people by making relevant, high quality knowledge and information easily accessible.

Carol was particularly impressed at the way in which the HealthInfoNet covered wide-ranging issues so comprehensively. She noted that: ‘the HealthInfoNet is an invaluable resource that politicians and other people interested in Indigenous health should have ready access to’.

All three of the visitors expressed their support and encouragement for the project and were keen to help spread the word through their wide networks.

HealthInfoNet staff with the visiting parliamentarians
Left > right: Ellie Kirov; Tony O’Gorman, MLA; Dianne Guise, MLA; Carol Martin, MLA; Professor Neil Thomson; and Rhonda Murphy
Left > right: Dianne Guise, MLA; Tony O’Gorman, MLA; Krish Gunasekera; Carol Martin, MLA; and Sam Burrow

Say no to smokes project

Issue: Vol 3 No 1 January 2003 - March 2003

The following summary was organised by project staff and members of the Say No to Smokes Advisory Committee and is reproduced with the permission of Project Coordinator in 2002, Leanne Woods.

Suggested citation: Say No To Smokes Advisory Committee (2003, 16 January) Say no to smokes project. Australian Indigenous HealthBulletin, 3(1), Brief report 1. Retrieved [access date] from http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/html/html_bulletin/bull_31/bulletin_brief_reports_tobacco.htm

Smoking is a major health problem and kills many people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are at a greater risk of getting sick or dying before their time through cigarette smoking.

Reports produced by the Health Information Centre, Department of Health in July 2001 comparing tobacco related hospitalisation and death rates found that in Western Australia between 1990 and 1999 the rate of death was 2.2 times higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males and 2.8 times higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females than the wider community.

In Western Australia between 1994 and 2000 the rate of hospitalisation was 3.1 times higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males and 4.4 times higher in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander females compared to the wider community.

On 14 November 2002 an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Tobacco Forum was organised for the first time (in Perth, Western Australia) to discuss new research and health programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We aimed to specifically deal with smoking and health issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and call to action Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community leaders to come together and pave the way to improve the health of our people.

The Forum provided an opportunity to meet community leaders, gain support of initiatives that aim to reduce the harm caused by smoking in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and raised the profile of smoking as an important public health issue in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The Forum began with a Noongar Welcome and a moment of silence to acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from the past, present and future and was followed by some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers. It was an opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presenters from Perth, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria and New South Wales to show case their projects and for smokers and non-smokers to share their experiences of smoking, why they smoked, why it’s hard for them to quit, what made them quit and how they feel today.

For further information about the Say no to smokes project contact:

Australian Council on Smoking and Health
Level 1, 46 Ventnor Avenue
WEST PERTH WA 6005
Ph: (08) 9212 4300
Fax: (08) 9212 4301
Email: info@acosh.org

Acknowledgments:
The Say No to Smokes Advisory Committee would like to thank the Office of Aboriginal Health; Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service; Department of Health; Cancer Foundation of Western Australia; Australian Council on Smoking and Health and Healthway.

The Western Australian State Government action plan following the Inquiry into response by government agencies to complaints of family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities

Issue: Vol 3 No 1 January 2003 - March 2003

The Western Australian State Government has produced an action plan based on recommendations from the Inquiry into response by government agencies to complaints of family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities (view further information). The action plan is documented in the report Putting people first: the Western Australian State Government’s action plan for addressing family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities (view abstract). It acknowledges that there has been a systemic problem in dealing with issues of family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities.

The WA Government has accepted most of the recommendations from the Inquiry and a two phase plan of action has been prioritised to address concerns. The action plan includes strengthening responses to child abuse and family violence and responses to vulnerable children and adults at risk. In addition to strengthening safety within communities, the government also aims to facilitate the strengthening of governance, confidence, economic capacity and sustainability. To enable improvements, initiatives will involve: across-government collaboration and coordination; staff as major agents of change; legislation; improved information sharing; inter-agency protocols; reporting processes and data collection; a child death review process and communications technology. The response also includes specific recommendations for the following agencies: Western Australia Police Service; Department for Community Development; Department of Health; Department of Education; Department of Justice; Department of Housing and Works; and Department of Indigenous Affairs.

The WA Government has committed itself to $75 million worth of new initiatives. These include in the first instance: employment of additional Child Protection Workers and specialist Domestic Violence Police Officers; expansion of the Strong Families case management program and maintenance of the Indigenous Family program; revitalisation of the Child Protection Unit services at Princess Margaret Hospital; expansion of sexual assault services and the relocation of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre.

In 2003-4 the Government will expand on the above initiatives and will also:

  • construct and staff multi-functional remote police facilities;
  • provide funding for supporting Aboriginal communities to develop and manage locally specific safety strategies;
  • provide funding for workers to promote and mediate safety and violence prevention strategies in Aboriginal communities;
  • expand community based programs and community supervision agreements to enhance the management of violent offenders;
  • provide funding for extending victim support services for adults and children in Aboriginal communities;
  • employ additional skilled Aboriginal support workers to provide practical counselling and assistance to vulnerable Aboriginal children and youth;
  • provide funding to develop culturally appropriate counselling services for Aboriginal clients and
  • provide funding for a Community Partnerships Fund.

Reference

The Western Australian State Government (2002) Putting people first: the Western Australian State Government’s action plan for addressing family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities. Perth: The Western Australian State Government

The full report (PDF – 1.2KB – large file warning!) may be downloaded from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet website

Recommendations from the Inquiry into the Response by Government Agencies to Complaints of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Aboriginal Communities

Issue: Vol 3 No 1 January 2003 - March 2003

Background

In 2001 the Premier of Western Australia the Honourable Dr Geoff Gallop announced plans for the Inquiry into the Response by Government Agencies to Complaints of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Aboriginal Communities. With a background of previous reports of abuse within Aboriginal communities, the Inquiry was prompted by the findings of the coronial inquest into the death of 15-year-old Susan Ann Taylor at the Swan Valley Nyoongar Community in Lockridge in 1999. The Coroner’s report had detailed allegations of physical and sexual abuse in the community and raised questions regarding the response of various government departments and other agencies.

Aims of the Inquiry

In 2002, Inquiry members Mrs Sue Gordon (Chairperson) the Hon Kay Hallahan and Mr Darrell Henry were given six months to:

  1. Examine the way that government agencies dealt with violence and child sexual abuse at the Swan Valley Nyoongar community.
  2. Examine how State Government agencies respond to evidence of family violence and sexual abuse that may be occurring in Aboriginal communities generally.
  3. Report with recommendations on practical solutions for addressing incidents of sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities, including any necessary legislative and administrative measures.

More specifically, directions were to:

  • examine the activities of State Government agencies in addressing complaints and the reporting of sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities;
  • identify the barriers and capacity of Government agencies to address the issue of family violence and in particular child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities;
  • comment and make recommendations on the mandatory reporting of sexually transmitted diseases occurring among children and juveniles;
  • comment on any limitations of DNA testing in the Aboriginal community; and
  • propose support measures for children reporting abuse.

The Inquiry was also to: consider current research into the prevalence, causes and solutions to Aboriginal violence; liaise with the Interdepartmental Committee on Sexual Assault and consult widely including with representatives of Aboriginal communities, youth, health services and related organisations.

The report

The report Putting the picture together: Inquiry into response by government agencies to complaints of family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities (view abstract) outlines the framework and procedures used to examine the many factors that underlie family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities. The report details how government agencies have responded to these issues.

The Inquiry focused on what needed to change and considerations for future planning. Generally the Inquiry:

  • supported initiatives by the Department of Health (DOH) to build workforce skills, develop new models of services delivery and enhance interagency cooperation;
  • identified a need for more sexual assault services and expansion of specialist services dealing with child abuse with increased training and understanding of child abuse and recommended the employment and training of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff;
  • supported the Department for Community /Development (DCD) submission to the Inquiry which outlined models for service delivery and the need for adequate resourcing;
  • noted and endorsed the work of the Homeless Task Force and made recommendations regarding housing for Aboriginal people;
  • noted and endorsed the work of the Western Australia Police Service and recommended more policing services with 40 new Aboriginal Police Liaison Officers;
  • endorsed a number of justice programs and made a number of recommendations about: the importance of therapeutic services for adult and juvenile offenders while in custody; the need for better referrals between units of the Department of Justice; the employment and training of staff and volunteers and a shift from incarceration-based interventions to non-custodial options;
  • recommended addressing education responses to child abuse including staffing issues and mandatory training for teachers;
  • identified a need for the coordination of capacity building within Aboriginal communities; and
  • examined issues raised by the Coroner’s inquiry into the death of Susan Taylor.

Summary

The Inquiry concluded that current services are unable to adequately address the escalating rates of family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities and articulated a community focused systemic response. The 640 page report documents 197 recommendations and findings and suggests that an Implementation Body be established to oversee and implement the recommendations. It also proposes that independent mechanisms be developed to oversee the systems that respond to family violence and child abuse. It recommends the creation of a Children’s Commissioner, a Deputy Children’s Commissioner (Aboriginal) and a Child’s Death Review Team.

Reference

Gordon S, Hallahan K, Henry D (2002) Putting the picture together, inquiry into response by government agencies to complaints of family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities. Perth: Department of Premier and Cabinet

The full report (PDF – 4.5MB -large file warning!) may be downloaded from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet website