Moving Forward Together in Aboriginal Women's Health: - Theses ...

Moving Forward TogetherJanet KellyIn 2004, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), thenational voice of Aboriginal people was abolished by the Federal Coalitiongovernment due to allegations of misconduct by the Chair and Deputy Chair.Aboriginal communities across the country watched in disbelief as they lost theironly autonomous, elected national Aboriginal voice. It was replaced by aGovernment elected National Indigenous Committee which itself disbanded inJanuary 2008 (Eckermann et al. 2006). During the 2000s Aboriginal controllededucation, employment and support programs became increasingly incorporatedinto mainstream services or were de-funded (Eckermann et al. 2006).In 2007, the Little Children are Sacred Report or Ampe Akeyernemane MekeMekarle was released as a result of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into theProtection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse (Northern Territory Board ofInquiry 2007). The 2007 pre-election government strategy involved declaring anational emergency and sending police and army personnel into communities to‘stamp out child abuse’. Alongside this were strategies of alcohol restrictions,welfare reforms, enforced school attendance linked to income support, compulsoryhealth checks for all Aboriginal children, acquisition of Aboriginal townships bythe government through five year leases, reversing Traditional land permit systems,banning pornography, improving governance, increasing policing levels, groundclean up and repair of communities to make them safer, and improving housing andreforming community living conditions through introducing market based rental.Doctors, nurses and other professions were encouraged to volunteer their time andexpertise to the cause (Brough, Mal 2007; Brough, M 2007a, 2007b; Department ofParliamentary Services 2007; Hinkson 2007; Senate Committee 2007).This strategy was met a very mixed response by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, and was primarily maintained by the newly elected FederalLabor Government. Many view the strategy as a short term, high publicity responseto sensitive and complex issues tied to colonisation history and practices (see forexample Anderson, 2007; Atkinson 2007a, 2007b; Calma 2007; Dodson 2007;Hinkson 2007). Many others felt it was at last a move toward action. Aboriginalleaders and academics continue to debate the issues in press releases, articles andbooks, highlighting complexities and advocating for more balanced, planned andculturally safe and respectful strategies. At the time of writing, there are still mixed52