Non-Indigenous Australians

It is a commonly known issue in Australia that as a minority group, the people of Indigenous Australian ethnicity have always been treated, or at least perceived, differently to those of non-Indigenous disposition. This can be applied to different contexts such as social, economic, education, or in relation to this essay – legal contexts. Generally, Indigenous Australians face issues such as less opportunity for formal education, less access to sufficient income, more health issues, and higher rates of imprisonment (Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service

The Assimilation policy (1961) has impacted on Indigenous Australians within their physical and mental state and identity present in today’s society. Australia is commonly considered to be free and fair in their culturally diverse societies, but when the Indigenous population is closer looked into, it is clear that from a social and economical view their health needs are disadvantaged compared to non-Indigenous equals. In relation to this, the present Indigenous health is being impacted by disadvantages of education, employment, income and health status. Even urban Indigenous residents are being affected just as much as those residing in remote and rural areas of Australia.

“Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people have a greater amount of disadvantage and significantly more health problems than the non-Aboriginal & Torres strait Islander population in Australia”

Aboriginal health standards are so low today that all most half aboriginal men and a third of the women die before they are 45. Aboriginal people can expect to live 20 years less than non-indigenous Australians. Aboriginals generally suffer from more health problem and are more likely to suffer from diabetes, liver disease and glaucoma. The causes of their poor health and low life expectancy are poverty, poor nutrition, poor housing, dispossession of their traditional land, low education level, high unemployment, drug and substance use, unsafe sex, limited health care and diseases.

Australian government today recognises that educational policies regarding Aboriginal people cannot be made without considering social and economic policies aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal communities in general (TICHR, 2006). Main contemporary issues facing Aboriginal communities are proving land ownership, remoteness, health status, education and employment status and social attitude of Non-Aboriginal population towards the Aboriginal communities (Challenges facing the Indigenous communities today, n.d.). Tackling this issue is not a simple task: the document “National Indigenous Reform Agreement” (2010) which aims to improve outcomes for all Indigenous Australians recognizes that this process needs approach from different aspects, taking into account “seven key building blocks: Early Childhood, Schooling, Health, Economic Participation, Healthy Homes, Safe Communities, and Governance and Leadership” (as cited in DET Queensland,

Critical factors, highlight why things are as they are and if there are possible alternatives (Germov 2011, p.9). Institutionalized racism is a critical reason for the disadvantages indigenous people face that could be expressed implicitly or explicitly (Larson, 2007). The Indigenous population directly experiencing racism through social and political institutions, is critical and a determining factor for their current state (Larson, 2007). Institutional racism is measured through the socio- economic status of certain minorities (Larson, 2017). Although racism is mostly implicit nowadays, it is still overall evident in the social health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians today (Jackson 1999).The gap between the health statuses of Indigenous Australians as opposed to non-indigenous people are high (Darren, 2007). There is an estimated gap of 17 years between indigenous and non-indigenous life expectancy in Australia (Darren, 2007). This could be due to the absence of equal public health resources in primarily remote areas (Darren, 2007). There is Lack of Access to safe drinking water, effective sewage systems and healthy housing in indigenous neighborhoods (Darren, 2007). This further impacts Indigenous socially as many of them are subjected to poor living standards due to the inability from the government to provide the

“The status of Indigenous health in contemporary Australia is a result of historic factors as well as contemporary socio-economic issues” (Hampton & Toombs, 2013, p. 1).

Marmot, M. (2011). Social determinants and the health of Indigenous Australians. Med J Aust, 194(10),

This paper will examine the healthcare of Indigenous Australian peoples compared to non-indigenous Australians. The life expectancy gaps between the two are a cause for alarm when statistics show Indigenous Australian peoples die on average 17 years earlier than non-indigenous Australians (Dick 2017). This paper will examine the social determinants of health to explore these factors and what interventions are in place to improve health status and life expectancy gaps for equality. The Federal Government has seen the implementation of the Northern Territory Intervention and the Closing the Gap Initiative. This essay will examine these two strategies and discuss the effectiveness of both policies. It will explain the differences, similarities and look at the success so far to

As health professionals, we must look beyond individual attributes of Indigenous Australians to gain a greater understanding and a possible explanation of why there are such high rates of ill health issues such as alcoholism, depression, abuse, shorter life expectancy and higher prevalence of diseases including diabetes, heart disease and obesity in our indigenous population. Looking at just the individual aspects and the biomedical health model, we don’t get the context of Aboriginal health. This is why we need to explore in further detail what events could have created such inequities in Aboriginal health. Other details that we should consider are the historical and cultural factors such as, ‘terra nullius’, dispossession and social

There is a populace of 18 million in Australia with Indigenous Australians making up roughly one percent of the Australian population. Due to this, the closest that a non-Indigenous Australians will come to have contact with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is through representation in the Australian media. Most media stories are viewed as one sided or racist with even the Prime Minster Tony Abbott making comments that it is a ‘lifestyle choice’ for the Indigenous peoples to live the way that they do in small communities consisting of up to 8 people. These statements that he had made is seen as racist, leaving him open to criticism by members if his own party, friends and his opponents. The 2 articles

In many states, Indigenous people were not only paid less, but their wages were also withheld from them, and placed in trust funds that were appropriated by the government.1-3,6 This has been linked to the deeply-entrenched poverty among Indigenous Australians today, which limits Indigenous people’s access to health services, as they struggle to afford the expenses of treatment, transport and medications. Hence, this exacerbates the existing discrepancy in mortality and morbidity rates. 1-6

Indigenous Australians have lived in Australia long before British pioneered to imprison their criminals. Thus, their history is quite long, and they have member of customs and cultures as well. Currently, their population has approximately occupied 2% of Australians. It means they are living among the Australians, and it seems that they don’t have problems, but there are many problems between Indigenous Australians and non-indigenous Australians.

The health of a population is an important aspect to all governments, this is especially present in Australia. Health can be measured in a number of different ways, one of which is statistical information. From administrative and survey data statistical information about the health of Australians is assembled. This data is used to implement policies to improve the health and well-being of the Australian population (Department of Health, 2014). In Australia the population is divided in two groups, for statistical purposes. These two groups are Indigenous Australians, and non-Indigenous Australians. In 2006 about 2.5% of the total Australian population were estimated to be Indigenous Australians or of Torres Strait Islander decent

Burden of disease and injury in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: the Indigenous health gap. Vos T, Barker B, Begg S, Stanley L, Lopez AD. Int J Epidemiol. 2009 Apr;38(2):470-7. Epub 2008