The way the world works: Abbott

Abbott rejects Indigenous health funding appeal?

Federal fascist Health Minister Tony Abbott has rejected a call by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) for a doubling in funding for Indigenous health.

A Productivity Commission report out today paints a bleak picture for Aboriginal Australians. The report says Aboriginal Australians are more likely to drop out of school, go to jail, smoke and live in poverty.

And I might add, more likely to end up in jail or die in custody? Bleak indeed! And I'm sure that the Indigenous people could add a lot more to that list of problems in their sometimes isolated communities.

Abbott says there will be an increase in funding in the next Budget, but he says the Government cannot double its contribution.

"I don't think it's realistic to suddenly more than double Indigenous health spending and think that you are suddenly going to get results which are twice as good," he said.

"I just don't think the world works that way."

But what if doubling the Indigenous health spending makes indigenous people equal to non-indigenous people? That means you were ripping them off! Is that really how the world works?

The West Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation said the major parties in WA need to focus on the continuing problem of chronic diseases in Indigenous communities.

How the world works for Indigenous people Mr Abbott?

The organisation said it has had to cancel vital research projects because its state funding has been cut by almost $500,000.

Spokeswoman Vanessa Davies says the organisation wants a pledge that adequate funds will be restored.

"What happens is that some of the priorities and strategic directions for Aboriginal health fall along the wayside - there's no mechanism there or limited mechanism for all of the AMSs to get together to be speaking with Government about setting and establishing those sorts of priorities," she said.

By Sorry 28 January 05

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AMA slams major parties over Indigenous health

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) says Indigenous health standards will continue to be as poor as some third world countries, because the nation's major political parties are not serious about fixing the problem.

AMA spokesman David Meadows says Labor and the Coalition are only interested in drip-feeding remote communities when it comes to health delivery.

Mr Meadows says the Coalition's commitment of $10 million a year towards Indigenous health is shameful.

"The Government have a huge surplus, which its prepared to throw obscene amounts of money into buying votes on Medicare in the tunes of billions of dollars," he said.

"Yet here we have a solution for Aboriginal health, which has been fully worked up and fully costed at about $450 million, and they are not even prepared to go even a tenth of the cost towards that," he said.

The AMA's recent report "Healing Hands: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Requirements" estimates a funding figure of $1.6 billion over four years is needed to address health standards in Indigenous communities.

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AMA calls for extra health funding for Aborigines

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is asking for an extra $450 million a year to be spent on the health needs of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders.

The call comes in a report to be released today.

The study by Access Economics shows it would cost $400 million a year to meet the primary health care needs of Indigenous Australians alone.

AMA president Dr Bill Glasson says the life expectancy of Indigenous Australians is on a par with some developing countries and improvements are desperately needed.

"We have got a chasm of people dying young, dying of renal disease, heart disease, lung disease, a whole range of systemic diseases that are killing these people," he said.

The report recommends around 900 extra health professionals are needed to provide the services - at a cost of $36 million a year.

The AMA is also asking the Government for fully-funded training places to increase the proportion of Indigenous Australians working in health care.

By AMA 12 August 04

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