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

Moving Forward TogetherJanet Kellyinadequately resourced. The need for mainstream services to be moreresponsive with improved performance and accountability, and staff that are‘culturally equipped to provide services to Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander peoples is highlighted. For a country with no agreed cultural modelsof practice this is a significant document. However, at the time of writing(November 2008), the Framework has been discussed at higher organisationalmanagement levels (for example between Executive Officers and managers ofAdelaide health services) but is still mostly unknown and unheard of by healthprofessionals in Adelaide (Discussion with health professionals at Gilles PlainsCommunity Campus, October 30, 2008). This highlights policy to practicegaps that impede the implementation strategies that could support respectfulcollaboration.Close the GapThe fourth major influence on Aboriginal health care has been the ‘Close theGap’ Campaign launched by Oxfam Australia (2008) and the Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma (2005). In2005, Calma called for Australian Governments to commit to achievingAboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders health and life expectation equalitywithin 25 years, over one generation. The Close the Gap campaign, supportedby Calma (2005), ANTaR 10 and Oxfam 11 lobbied all levels of government toincrease budget measures and support programs that work with Aboriginalcommunities. The campaign highlighted that there is a common publicmisconception that Aboriginal people’s health care has been well resourcedand financed, when in fact, the Federal Government spends approximately 70cper capita on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for every $1 spenton the rest of the population. Oxfam Australia identifies that ‘spending less onpeople with worse health is not good national policy’ (Oxfam Australia 2007,p. 8). This independent campaign sought to lobby governments, key decisionmakers and the Australian public.10 ANRaR - Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation is an independent, national network ofmainly non-Indigenous organisations and individuals working in support of justice for Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.11 Oxfam Australia is an independent, not-for-profit, secular, community –based aid anddevelopment organisation whose vision is for a fair world in which people control their own lives,their basic rights are achieved and the environment is sustained.80