Close the gap

At all stages of the life cycle, Indigenous Australians are in a dire health situation compared to their fellow citizens.

There have been some improvements in recent years, but there's a long way to go. Indigenous peoples make gains but they are often smaller than those made by the non-Indigenous population - so the disparity in life chances remains static. In fact, there has been very little reduction in this inequality gap in Australia in the past decade.

We know the statistics well. Governments probably know them better than most - they have been stating how tragic these figures are and how committed they are to addressing them for some time. Earlier this week, for example, the Federal Health Minister stated that we should be very disappointed at the slow progress in respect of Indigenous health.

Yet despite decades of commitments from governments, we have no positive vision for when the health crisis facing Indigenous peoples will be dealt with and consigned to the history pages.

Indigenous peoples in this country still do not have equal access to primary health care or to the infrastructure that can promote healthy living that all other Australians take for granted.

But why? The simple answer is - a state of lethargy currently exists in Australia in dealing with this crisis.

As a nation, we pride ourselves on being the “lucky country” and on giving everyone a “fair go”. Yet we remain largely unconcerned that the basic facilities for good health do not exist for many Indigenous peoples.

Governments cannot guarantee that their citizens will be healthy - that involves individual choice and freedom. But they can guarantee that every opportunity has been provided to facilitate this outcome.

This is not a level playing field - an Indigenous child born today does not have the same life chance as a non-Indigenous child.

The call that we make today is for governments, working with Indigenous people, with non-government organisations and the broader Australian community, to shake off this lethargy. Let's stop being disappointed at our lack of achievement on Indigenous health and dare to dream about a positive future for all Australians.

To do so is not a pipedream. For we know that overcoming Indigenous inequality in health status is achievable.

There are examples of rapid gains in health status being made with focused, deliberate steps being taken. Steps that are backed with resources and driven by timelines. This is the lesson from countries like Canada and the US. And it is the lesson from various trials conducted within Australia.

There is also a litany of government reports and research which show us the path. Governments, working in partnership with Indigenous peoples, have identified the solutions and have committed to implementing them.

But to date, the rhetoric has not been matched with action. This is unacceptable.

In my Social Justice Report 2005 to the Australian Parliament, I called for a campaign to achieve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality within a generation.

That is how long it will take if we act now and with determination.

We are beyond hearing about general commitments without timeframes. We need bipartisan support to make overcoming this difficult challenge a national priority. All governments need to work together collegiately, in partnership with Indigenous communities and all sectors of Australian society.

Since I released the Social Justice Report last year, I have been working with a growing coalition of organisations who are determined to make a difference on Indigenous health. Thirty of these organisations signed an open letter to governments in December last year highlighting the Indigenous health crisis.

Many are represented in the Close the Gap campaign we are launching, which has come from that partnership.

We will continue to work together and are determined that this issue be treated as a national priority. This means putting it on the top of the agenda of the Council of Australian Governments - something that is currently not the case.

Our primary message is not to simply scream “crisis”. Our message, and our goal, is to champion hope and to focus on solutions. This crisis is not insurmountable. We can triumph. We are making steps, but they are too slow and not broadly focused enough. It will require additional funds, although this alone is not the solution.

It will also require a focus on the social determinants of health - living conditions, overcrowding in housing, education and employment. This is not just a health sector responsibility. This requires a whole-of-government, cross departmental approach.

We have no evidence of this occurring to date, despite the recommendations of the Social Justice Report and the existence of arrangements to coordinate federal Government activity across all areas of Indigenous life.

And make no mistake, genuine progress requires genuine partnerships - between governments, Indigenous organisations, the corporate and philanthropic sectors and the broader community.

Let us work together to commit to a timeframe for action to address this health crisis.

Why, I ask, should we believe we can halve poverty in Africa by 2015 - as the Millennium Development Goals promise to do - and yet we are not bold enough to commit to action for Indigenous health within Australia?

We implore governments to be true to their words in addressing this critical issue. And we beseech all members of the Australian community to join with us, to show us your support and let governments know in no uncertain terms that the time for action and progress has arrived to address this crisis.

That time is NOW.