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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (6 June) . . Page.. 2041 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

Much work was done in that time. Kate Carnell, as the former Chief Minister, put out the draft Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander regional health plan, which looked at injury, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, diabetes, cardiovascular and circulatory diseases, maternal and child health, mental and emotional health, suicide, violence, preventable diseases, sexual health, hep C, HIV, pneumonia, influenza, child immunisation and welcoming home the stolen generation. I think it would be fair to say that the previous Assembly that welcomed Aboriginal people to the bar of this place to tell their story-which I have to say I was not here for-led the way in this country.

We also need to look at issues like men's health services. What the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander regional health plan was expected to do was start breaking down those barriers and allow us to work together as a community to improve the lot of indigenous Canberrans. That plan was released in October 2000 with the moving over the boundaries partnership agreement, or the MOB, as it was known. Money was put into that to address that need, but I would say to anybody here that it is still not enough. We need to build on that.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare with the Bureau of Statistics and the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing do analyses of expenditure on health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The latest report I have been able to see-1998-99-said that in the ACT, the ratio of expenditure on health services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to non-indigenous people was $2.56 to $1 in comparison to the national ratio of $1.22 to $1. At the time it was released some doubt was cast on the numbers, but this Assembly, through appropriation bills, has made a commitment to the Aboriginal people, and it needs to be built upon.

If you look at the social determinants of health, two that crop up time and time again are access to a job and, through that job, income and access to housing-a decent roof over your head. On 8 November 2000 we announced $50,000 going to Winnunga Nimmityjah to run a housing support service. In that announcement we talked about housing services, the choices that are available and the responsibilities you have when you get into housing.

The money was also meant to provide information and cultural awareness training to housing providers so that the education process could go on to get better health outcomes. It is a starting point. When you take into account the low base that our indigenous brothers and sisters come from in many cases, you understand there is much more to do.

Another initiative of the previous government to increase access to jobs and full-time employment was for self-starters who wanted to get into business. The Indigenous Business Chamber was given a boost by that government of almost $20,000 to help set itself up. I was delighted to see the current Chief Minister open that service. We know that it is there and that we are giving encouragement, which is so very important.

But the work needs to go on. We are now looking at the second framework agreement in its draft form so that we can continue that work. The ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Forum has developed an ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander regional health plan. There are seven principles to that plan.

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