Australian Government Healthcare System

Running Head: HEALTHCARE 0
[School]
[Course title]
ABROGINAL &TORRES ISLANDERS
AUSTRALIA

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Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................2
Pre-invasion health status.............................................................................................................2
Western Medical Model and own interpretation of the indigenous health..............................2
Assimilation Policy of 1961...........................................................................................................3
Australian indigenous young people identity and racism..........................................................3
Smoking during pregnancy and Traditional Birthing Practices...............................................4
Higher educational attainments and professional employment opportunities........................6
Recommendations for the Australian Indigenous young people...............................................7
Bibliography...................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
This report will step by step reflect all the policies made by the Australian Government for the
betterment of the heath and position of the young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander i.e.
indigenous people in Australia between the ages of 10-24 years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait
islander are the name given to the indigenous people in Australia.
Pre-invasion health status
Without having the adequate information about the historical outlook, it is very problematic to
identify the present status of the Aboriginal health. According to a paper presented by Marica
Anderson it was clarified on the obvious basis that the undisputed pre contact health care system
conducts its function upon the social system which is built on three sets of inter-relationship
which were present between the people and the land, amongst the people and maker and between
the humans (Griffiths 2019). But the morale of the indigenous people started facing hindrances
after coming in contact with the British people. Assumption was made on the different
perspectives of health and safety (Lovett 2017).
Western Medical Model and own interpretation of the indigenous health.
Sl no. Western view Indigenous interpretation
1 Humans are considered as the most
important part of the world.
Humans were not considered as the most
important part of the world.
2 Good health is important for the self
and the community at large.
Health is essential for personal gain only
3 Scientific and medical knowledge
brought about a diverse change in the
healthcare processes.
World is based upon the spirituality and
beliefs, health was mostly overlooked.
4 New and improved techniques are
been implemented to look after the
healthcare systems properly
Mostly were depended on the medicines
made by the plants or the natural herbs.
Medical science was not adequately
developed.
5 By contrast, biomedicine generally
looks for the one treatment that will
Traditional practices emphasize
communication with spirit beings and

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benefit the highest number of people
with a particular disease, such as HIV.
direct requests for healing. This
communication occurs through prayer,
song and ceremony
Assimilation Policy of 1961
For providing a better living condition to the aboriginal and part of aboriginality similar to that of
the others, this policy of assimilation was overtaken by the government of Australia. This policy
helps the aboriginal people to lead a life and enjoy all such rights, responsibilities, privileges and
observation of the customs etc. which are enjoyed by the people of other community of Australia
(publication 2010). Methods used in advancing this policy are encouraging and extending the
applicability of government settlement works for the indigenous, provision of better healthcare
and other welfare facilities, provisions of educational and vocational training etc. Extension of
social service benefits, economic welfare conditions, emotional wellbeing etc. are some of the
major steps taken by this policy (gov 1961).
Australian indigenous young people identity and racism
The constant gap between the health and socioeconomic outcome of the Australian indigenous
and non-indigenous can be explained with the help of racism which is considered as the key
determinant of the health of the indigenous Australians. These people are considered as one of
the most disadvantaged group in Australia and this disadvantage is resulted from the social
practices of the past, federal and state legislations which had refused to recognize the human
rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people (Bodkin-Andrews 2016).
The term racism on the individual basis means the beliefs and attitudes that certain group
members have advantage in relation to other groups who are considered as disadvantaged on the
basis of their race, ethnicity and cultural background. The ones who are thought of as inferior are
forced to reside in the unfavorable and different conditions. On the basis of the society the term
racism can be considered as the maintainer or the aggravator of unequal provisions of
opportunity amongst the ethno racial groups and that racial discrimination is considered as racist
behavior and that practice which provides unequal opportunity among those groups (Pruitt
2016).

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The ideology of racism has a very strong influence on the identity of the indigenous people and it
can be established by the various elements, the first one out of them is classifying the people into
varied social groups on the basis of their biological, genetic and physical characteristics. Second
one suggests that the behavior of the people are related to those biological, genetic and physical
differences. Third one states that the basic way of distinguishing between characteristics of
people are their physical ones i.e. color. Lastly, some group of people are considered more
competent as compared to that of others i.e. being Europeans and Aryans (Lentin 2016).
Indigenous people in Australia are continuously facing interpersonal and institutional racism
because they are helpful in creating and sustaining their socioeconomic status which further
prevents them from any types of economic opportunities and ownership of lands. When the
question arises about the health status and identity of these people, it is very commonly
evidenced that the expectancy of life is much lesser in that of nonindigenous people. Racism is
basically considered as that key which very clearly determines the health of the indigenous
people (Jonason 2015).
In Australia the white people are given more preferences as compared to that of the black ones.
This criteria is further implemented in providing them adequate health care and other services.
Identity and racism becomes the essential part of distinguishing between the indigenous and
nonindigenous people (Ruhanen 2018).
Smoking during pregnancy and Traditional Birthing Practices
In indigenous people, their cultural values, poor health and low social economic statuses creates
a need for anti-smoking approaches to be made-to-order for the indigenous population. In these
communities the rate of smoking is very high and common for all individuals, this may be due to
low literacy rates and misuse of other substances which are found in connection with termination
of smoking. But smoking during pregnancy can hamper the new beginning of the life that is the
health of the baby as they are exposed to harmful chemicals and also reduces the flow of blood in
the babies. Smoking during pregnancy may lead to damage the hearts and lungs of the baby and
sometimes may also lead to miscarriages (Gould 2017).

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Source: (AIHW 2018)
The graph above reflects the different categories, sexes etc. of the aboriginal people. Smoking
habit can be categorized under three heads i.e. the ones who smoke daily, ones who smokes once
a week and others who for less than a week. The passive smoking not only harms the baby but
also to the health of the mothers are considered into risk. A women who smokes can face
difficulties in conceiving, early commencement of menopause and also increases of risk of
cancers. So in Australia the PRECEDE-PROCEED model is been implemented for the
promotion of health and interventions and tries to motivate the women to stop or prevent them
smoking and teach them to value their lives and avoid the risk creating behaviors (Walker 2019).

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Source: (AIHW 2018)
The unplanned pregnancies, their sad endings and miscarriages after 21 weeks are most
commonly observed in the young aged indigenous people. No other relation in the life can ever
have the similar kind of experience which is shared by a mother and child. Traditionally it was
thought to be built by the grace of the God, becomes well established and required to be nurtured
continuously. In the older period it was seen that the women were dying at the time of giving
birth to babies, deliveries were done at homes but adequate care was not provided to the women
as well as to the babies.
The Australian National Maternity Service Plan has basically discovered three priories’ areas for
enlightening the conditions of the indigenous women and those are as follows:
1 Developments and expansion of the maternity care in the competent culture,
2 Developing and supporting the workforce of the maturity care of these people,
3 Implementing those programs which are dedicated towards birthing on the nation.
Birthing on country means those services which are implemented for the women of the
indigenous people and the basic elements it contains are based and governed by the community.
It allows the incorporation of the traditional practice along with its connection with the land and
nation (Sayers 2017).
Higher educational attainments and professional employment opportunities
The aboriginal and Torres Strait islander are the people who are considered as the first people of
Australia but they face a lots of disadvantaged situations be in course of social, economic,
emotional and educational aspect. Education is considered as most important and crucial factor
in influencing the qualified standards of lives. Lack of education may force the people to lead a
life full up of inequalities. Thus it can be said that education is the strongest tool which can be
used to redress inequality. Indigenous people in Australia has faced a long and inseparable
history of education inequality as compared to that of the non-indigenous people (Sikora 2015).
According to a study made by Tripcony it was determined that the indigenous people in
Australia faces the greatest risk of unemployment, greater contact with injustice, increased
complications regarding negative physical and mental health.
It was around 1960 when the awareness regarding the importance of education was raised and
apparent policies Indigenous people were taught of the importance of their own culture and

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assimilating policies were made for the betterment of their cultures and were also started to be
included as the essential part of the wider Australia.
Due to lack of adequate education the youth of these group were also deprived of the better
professional employment opportunities. They were being forced to work as labors and at lower
rates as compared to the general public of Australia or the non-indigenous people. The major
source of income for these people was to be related with the agricultural activities or other
innovative activities like art, craft, pottery etc.
Having education is very much important in all the spheres of life. Due to lack of knowledge
indigenous people were undergoing many health related issues. They were huge sufferers of
diseases like HIV, heart problems, damaging of Lungs and kidneys etc. No proper employment
facilities forced them to face the worst of situations. No work lead to no money and further
destruction of health and family life and also poor social, economic and political conditions
(Gilroy 2017).
Recommendations for the Australian Indigenous young people.
Traditionally there were many problems faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people in Australia but now as a registered nurse in a health care professional I would take up or
suggest certain steps taken for helping these people without hampering their culture and for
reducing the gap between the indigenous and non-indigenous people will be as follows
First I would try to address the inequality oh health between the indigenous people and the others
basically in relation with the chronic and communicable diseases infant health, mental health and
th4e expectancy of life and then would try to treat them and would also try to implement the new
policies made by the Australian government to provide them aid. I would like to set up camps
and explain these people the importance of their life and education to run that life properly.
Secondly I would like to make an overview of the health status of these people which would
include the comparison of health of these people with those of non-indigenous ones and then
would also try to fight for their rights.
Thirdly would try to implement those policies and approaches which can lend a helpful hand in
improving the health of these people. Policies like COAG i.e. Council of Australian Government
which had taken steps to address the disadvantages faced by these people and also their health
related issues. NAHS i.e. National Aboriginal Health Strategy which provided guidance and
recommendations for the health care facilities. NPHP i.e. The National Public Health Partnership

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Group whose basic intention was to provide a mechanism for the government of the state and
territory to grow together and join the approaches of commonwealth and public health of these
people.
Thus to reduce the gap between the indigenous Australians and the non-indigenous people There
were numerous new policies made by the government of Australia the most recent were the
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
implemented in the year 1996-2001 whose aim was to provide life anticipations for Indigenous
male and female populations as a whole. This gives a gap in life expectancy of approximately 17
years for both sexes – considerably greater than that seen in the other First World countries etc.
Lastly I would also try to explain or teach the people the importance of their health without
hurting their cultural beliefs. Up to the level I can, I would like to help these people to lead a
healthy life for which education and training is necessary and also the proper employment
facilities lead a big helping hand.

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