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Closing the gap that scars Australia: stop our mob from dying prematurely Closing the gap that scars Australia: stop our mob from dying prematurely
(7 months later)
Our nation is at its best when it comes together in shared spirit of Our nation is at its best when it comes together in shared spirit of achievement and a shared desire to achieve a common goal.
achievement and a shared desire to achieve a common goal. In 2008 we witnessed such a moment. Our political leaders came to the fore in a demonstration of leadership, putting aside partisan politics. The Australian public joined them. And as a nation we united to take a stand.
In 2008 we witnessed such a moment. Our political leaders came to the Together we agreed that this would be the generation to close the unacceptable health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians.
fore in a demonstration of leadership, putting aside partisan politics. The We committed to close the health and life expectancy gap within a generation: by 2030. As a result we now have a national effort to close the gap, a priority for government action until the goal is met.
Australian public joined them. And as a nation we united to take a stand. Health inequality is a stark reminder of a great divide in the nation across education, income, housing, mental health, chronic disease, child and maternal health, access to health services, and more. It is a scar of an unhealed past and a stain on the reputation of the nation. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is an immense and unnecessary burden of suffering and grief.
Together we agreed that this would be the generation to close the But we are optimistic that we can make real inroads into our shared goal if we continue to place a high priority on it. At a government level this means renewing the national partnership agreement on closing the gap in Indigenous health outcomes and forging an implementation plan for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health plan in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
unacceptable health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres We must remember that despite times of fiscal austerity Australia is enormously wealthy nation with very high standards of health and life expectancy. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders do not share the same standards of health.
Strait Islander people and other Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are all too aware of this. Often our children have attended dozens of funerals by their early teens. Our elders are denied longer, healthier lives, and our communities are all the poorer for it.
We committed to close the health and life expectancy gap within a The Close the Gap campaign was touched directly by this harsh reality early on in the campaign. In 2009, just two years after the campaign was launched, Clarence Paul from Mornington Island whose photo with his grandson became an iconic campaign photo passed away at age 48. This is 31 years fewer than the average life expectancy for non-Indigenous Australians.
generation: by 2030. As a result we now have a national effort to close the gap, The campaign contacted Mr Paul’s family to ask if they would like us to stop using the photo that had become the defining image of what the campaign was all about.
a priority for government action until the goal is met. The response was instant and clear – the nation must stop the passing of our mob prematurely. We must as a nation achieve health equality for our people. We were told that the campaign should continue to use Mr Paul’s image to help with the national effort to close the gap.
Health inequality is a stark reminder of a great divide in the nation The photo stands as a memorial to a much loved uncle, father, grandfather, brother, son and respected community member. It stands as a reminder of the task at hand. We thank his family for the inspiration they provided the campaign in those early days.
across education, income, housing, mental health, chronic disease, child and Five years later, we continue to work with all sides of politics and engage the public in our efforts. Last year, six years into the campaign, 972 community events involving 140,000 Australians were held on national close the gap day in 2013. Today, almost 200,000 people have joined us in this effort.
maternal health, access to health services, and more. It is a scar of an We are starting to see some progress – there are reductions in smoking rates and improvements in maternal and child health. We must build on these. Turning around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality requires a concerted national effort over years. It requires continuity and diligence. And it requires investment.
unhealed past and a stain on the reputation of the nation. For Aboriginal and Achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and life expectancy equality by 2030 is an agreed national priority. The Australian public demand that government, in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their representatives, build on the close the gap platform to meet this challenge.
Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is an immense and unnecessary burden of They believe that we can and should be the generation to finally close the gap. We should all live up to the challenge that Clarence Paul’s family set us – stop our mob from dying prematurely.
suffering and grief.
But we are optimistic that we can make real inroads into our shared goal
if we continue to place a high priority on it. At a government level this means
renewing the national partnership agreement on closing the gap in Indigenous health outcomes and forging an implementation plan for the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander health plan in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people.
We must remember that despite times of fiscal austerity Australia is
enormously wealthy nation with very high standards of health and life
expectancy. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders do not share the
same standards of health.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are all too aware of this.
Often our children have attended dozens of funerals by their early teens. Our
elders are denied longer, healthier lives, and our communities are all the
poorer for it.
The Close the Gap campaign was touched directly by this harsh reality early
on in the campaign. In 2009, just two years after the campaign was launched, Clarence
Paul from Mornington Island whose photo with his grandson became an iconic campaign
photo passed away at age 48. This is 31 years fewer than the average life
expectancy for non-Indigenous Australians.
The campaign contacted Mr Paul’s family to ask if they would like us to
stop using the photo that had become the defining image of what the campaign
was all about.
The response was instant and clear – the nation must stop the passing of
our mob prematurely. We must as a nation achieve health equality for our
people. We were told that the campaign should continue to use Mr Paul’s image
to help with the national effort to close the gap.
The photo stands as a memorial to a much loved uncle, father, grandfather,
brother, son and respected community member. It stands as a reminder of the
task at hand. We thank his family for the inspiration they provided the
campaign in those early days.
Five years later, we continue to work with all sides of politics and
engage the public in our efforts. Last year, six years into the campaign, 972 community events involving 140,000
Australians were held on national close the gap day in 2013. Today, almost
200,000 people have joined us in this effort.
We
are starting to see some progress – there are reductions in smoking rates and
improvements in maternal and child health. We must build on these. Turning
around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality requires a
concerted national effort over years. It requires continuity and diligence. And
it requires investment.
Achieving
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and life expectancy equality by
2030 is an agreed national priority. The Australian public demand that
government, in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
and their representatives, build on the close the gap platform to meet this
challenge.
They
believe that we can and should be the generation to finally close the gap. We
should all live up to the challenge that Clarence Paul’s family set us – stop
our mob from dying prematurely.