The Policy of Assimilation: Impact on Indigenous Health (NUR332)

This report investigates the profound and lasting impact of the 1961 Policy of Assimilation on the health outcomes of Australian Indigenous young people (aged 10-24). It delves into the historical context, analyzing how the policy aimed to integrate Indigenous populations and the resulting disparities in health. The report examines pre-invasion health status, current health challenges, and the intent behind the policy. It explores the links between the policy and present health status, focusing on issues such as education, racism, smoking during pregnancy, traditional birthing practices, and vocational training. The analysis highlights the complex interplay of factors contributing to health inequalities, including socioeconomic disparities, cultural practices, and systemic discrimination. The report emphasizes the need for culturally safe healthcare and government policies to address these disparities, and concludes with recommendations for improved health outcomes for Indigenous youth.

POLICY OF ASSIMILATION 1961
The policy of Assimilation 1961
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The policy of Assimilation 1961
Introduction
For a very long time, the gap between the health outcomes of the Aboriginal and the
Torres Straits Islanders (the indigenous groups in Australia) remained a considerable concern
to the Australian government even before the introduction of assimilation policy.
Assimilation policy was founded based on addressing this disparity of the economic, social,
and political aspects of the Aboriginals and part-Aboriginal faction (De Leeuw et al., 2010).
Although despite the many concerted efforts to address these factors, the growth has not been
so much substantial, the research studies show that Aboriginals and part-Aboriginals people
aged 10-24 years are still experiencing dramatically minimal health privileges than their non-
indigenous counterparts. The paper is a research study sequentially delving into the very
policy of assimilation and how it has affected the health outcomes of the indigenous groups;
thus, unleashing a better understanding in this area.
Pre-invasion Health Status
Before, the Aboriginals had their lifestyle that was defined by their ability to enhance
their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual conditions. These people were economically
stable, and their lifestyle emphasized the need for sustainability, growth, and balance. The
laws they had also promoted reciprocal sharing of the relationships and internal connections
(Eckermann et al., 2010). They were mainly hunters and gatherers, with a little of farming,
the list is long. However, these conditions dramatically changed with the invasion of the
British in 1788. Robust policies were subjected upon their livelihood to monitor their
activities and implementation of the colonial agenda.
The current Health Status

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Indigenous group takes part in health risk behaviour more frequently as compared to
their non-Indigenous counterparts. Indigenous young Australians have a relatively shorter life
expectancy, and the figures are estimated to be 10.6 years less for men and 9.5 years less for
women (Jackson Pulver et al., 2010). Almost 70% of the health disparity between the
Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians can be elaborated by non-communicable chronic
diseases, and at the peak of it is cardiovascular disease contributing almost 23 % of this
problem. Diabetes is at 12%; mental disorders are coming at 10% and other chronic
respiratory diseases at 8%.
Intent of Assimilation
It was intended to change the lifestyle of all Indigenous people in a way that they
could ultimately attain the same lifestyle as other Australians and to live as part and parcel of
the great Australian community with privileges and other dignities accorded by life (Kelaher
et al., 2014. The implementation was through extension services, provision of health,
education, progressive improvement in housing and hygiene standards. It enabled improved
healthcare, and general wellbeing of the Indigenous groups both young and old, which has
continued to date. For example, population explosion and fewer of cases infant mortality
indicating of improved healthcare.
Links between the intent of the Assimilation Policy of 1961 and the present health status
of the Australian Indigenous Young Peoples population
Progressive changes in legislation and various administrative functions have grown
the policy of assimilation since its inception in 1961 (Gulati et al., 2015). Although there has
been recognition of the fact that each state and the northern corridors exhibit specific
challenges in aboriginal advancement and the fact that conditions vary from one place to
another, there has been a vigorous exchange of views to speed up the attainment of the goal
of a single and united Australian Community. This has been implemented through creating a

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focus on critical areas of education, health care provision, housing, social welfare programs
like sporting for the young Indigenous Australians, and extension programs that create
growth and sustainability.
Australian Indigenous Young Peoples and Identity and Racism
It is suggested that the nascent discourses underpinning the social, educational,
emotional, and economic challenges identified for the very Indigenous Australians in
comparison to their non-Indigenous counterparts (Hansen 2015). This aspect is increasingly
dissociating with the comprehension of the interrelationship between the historical and the
contemporary issues revolving around racisms. It can also be suggested that from the Western
perspective regarding Indigenous identity and the ways of being are still deeply rooted within
the guise of epistemological racism. A lot of debates have been done to explore not only the
dynamics and complexities with regards to racism and identity from aborigines and part-
aborigines perspective but also to define the role played by education especially among the
Young Indigenous Australians.
Education has been seen as the most vital tool for impacting a range of quality of
lifestyles across the Australian communities. It has become globally recognized as the
cornerstone of programs and government initiative for righting the wrongs and mischiefs
subjected to people from traditionally unrecognized backgrounds. However, despite this
noble intervention, an ill feted section of the society has perfected the art of manipulating
them to perpetuate inequalities within the very same responses that were are established to
redress such inequalities. In particular, taking the perspective of Australian young Indigenous
groups, it is unbeatable that they have undergone an extensive history of educations
inequalities in comparison with their non-Indigenous Australian counterparts. For a fact, it
has been against this background of historical machinations that the Indigenous section of
Australia appears to be the bottom rung on the ladder of society (Altman and Fogarty 2010).

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This assertion is particularly strong considering that even in the current dispensation, this
section of the society have been seen being at risk for getting into contact with the justice
system, unemployment, and continuously increasing physical and mental health problems.
Be that as it may, the mainstream media and some picked academic models may be at the
forefront in promoting inconsistent models to understanding the on-going effects of such
inequalities (Carlson 2016). At the same time, they tend to ignore the legacy extracted out of
racism that might be seen as the conduit for traversing inequalities and the very identities of
this indigenous slot. It is the view of this discussion that the government should define the
very dimensions of racism embedded in this society and counter them with appropriate
policies that will alleviate inequalities in the key sectors of healthcare, housing, education,
infrastructures, social and cultural prospects, and other vital areas in the Australian economy.
Australian Indigenous Young Peoples and Smoking during Pregnancy and Traditional
Birthing Practices
As the name suggests, these group of people are still ingrained into some of the most
indigenous cultural practices and lifestyles that have proven to be life threatening. Young
pregnant women from socioeconomically disadvantaged conditions like these Indigenous
Australians exhibit high prevalence of smoking. Smoking tobacco has created the most
significant risks factors for the health Australians Indigenous pregnant women and their
young ones. Common research undertakings across these regions bring forth opportunities for
cross-cultural endeavours, including social normative utilization of tobacco as barricades to
quit pregnancy (Berkman et al., 2011). There is need therefore, assess various interventions
that can be advanced at both the family and community levels of these societies. In Australia,
socio-economic disparities emphasize the need to enhance the execution and reach of
strategies to thwart and regulate not only potential tobacco smoking, but also the cultural

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practices like birthing styles that mind jeopardize the health of these Indigenous group of
people.
The government should seek for interventions that advance civic education,
community healthcare providers and policy geared towards non-tobacco use during
pregnancies (Tang et al., 2016). Qualitative pronouncements are therefore required to
understand the problems and opportunities, like more effective approaches geared towards
strengthening support of quitting tobacco. Because of this, studies show that aboriginal
infants exhibit very poor birth outcomes than their non-aboriginal infants. In this area poverty
and trauma are the major cause of harmful use of tobacco, alcohol and abuse of other harmful
substances among women and youth. Statistically, of 28,119 births, 16 % of the births were
SGA, 13% were preterm, and supposed 2% were parentally (Roberts 2011). Fifty one per
cent of such births were coupled with risks factors of health. The recent government
endeavours have demonstrated the growing interest of Australian governments in Australian
Indigenous young people's welfare powerfully, and a lot of efforts have been employed to
better their health standards. There is a significant disparity between the health of young
Indigenous Australians and their non-Indigenous counterparts. It can be therefore concluded
that almost a big proportions of these births are exposed to various risks factors, although the
risks may be reversible, a lot more need to be done to reduce that number exposed to risks.
These are things like building capacity, to train and educate this population about the risks
involved, also the government must seek to venture on the projects that will alleviate poverty
through provision of employment opportunities to the youths.
Educational Attainment and Professional Employment
Building vocational training institution is one of the core programs that were
enshrined in the Assimilation policy document. But even so, the studies claim that indigenous
young Australians finish their secondary programs at almost a half the rate of their non-

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indigenous counterparts. Also, they are twice as likely to take part in Vocational training and
education in schools subjects. This phenomenon is a national concern (Young 2016).
Vocational education and training is supposed to address the needs and aspirations of the
indigenous young Australians in their quest for seeking a better living standard. It is
therefore imperative that the government through its policy adoptions must consider the
future of education among the indigenous group.
It is agreed that these indigenous young Australians should get education in schools
with sort of special curricula and teaching methodologies for as long as the maximum benefit
could be derived from it. Where those schools are established, they should be educated and
supervised by authority charged with the mandate of ensuring aboriginal education. This will
not only bring knowledge and impart skills to these students, but it will also address the need
for inclusivity in the decision making with regards to Aboriginal people (Jamieson et al.,
2011). Not unless for this condition above children should undertake their learning activities
in normal schools, instead of special schools. It is a fact that with the inception of
assimilation policy, large number of children from the Aboriginal community can now attend
school. Considerations must also be focused or geared towards welfare work; there should be
a provision of a training program associated with the welfare work in all the States and the
Northern areas in particular. This will enable the recruiting and training of the locals as the
welfare workers hence better growth, enhanced living standards and awareness.
The health of the Australian indigenous people has been critically poor since the
regimes of colonization. This, in fact, has triggered a wide range of concerns and attention
both from the state and national governments. Before the advent of assimilation policy, the
relationships between the Indigenous people and the colonial masters witnessed the onset of
catastrophic health conditions that progressively stemmed out into the present to engulf the
Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders groups (Short 2016). This aspect of life is very real; it

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has been shaped by history and by several variables that define Australia today. There are
some historical and policy factors that have underpinned the gap or inequality between
Indigenous and their non-Indigenous counterparts.
Conclusion
I suppose in this context, the aspect of cultural safety can widely be debated. Williams
(1999) defines cultural safety as an environment that is safe spiritually, socially, physically or
even emotionally for its people. The parameters of cultural safety have been a matter of a
great concern in Australia particularly within the organizations that represents and offer
services to Indigenous Australians. For me to bring a deeper understanding into this sub area,
I would wish to underpin some of recommendations developed by Social Justice
Commissioner in his Native Title Report 2011. He recommended that Indigenous Australian
people and their organizations work as a team to establish governance and relationship
models that enhance cultural safety, through promoting consistency with the UN Declaration
of Rights of Indigenous People. This Declaration put into consideration the urge to respect,
promote and strengthen their cultures and traditions, including the right not to be a subject of
a coerced assimilation and erosion of their culture.
However, when I looked at the recommendation and whatever is on the ground, I
come to realization that to some extent it hasn’t translated well or the way it was intended.
For example, in the health sector, the aboriginals’ cultural safety has been extensively
compromised with much of the literature showing intergenerational trauma on indigenous
young people and their families. In fact, this can help explain why unions like (CATSINaM),
were formed to help in endorsing and addressing the issues regarding cultural safety of these
people.

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I think cultural safety has been incorporated into practice in Australia through health
care. The Australian midwives are in the forefront for provision of culturally safe midwifery
care to the Indigenous women.
The concept of cultural safety since its inception has been deeply rooted in primary
principles of valuing diversity, allowing the indigenous groups to reflect on their own cultural
behaviour, access to cultural knowledge, comprehending the dynamics or complexities of
differences and conforming to or tolerating diversity.
The decision making for healthcare within a cultural framework applies to the needs
and aspirations of Indigenous Australians through a hierarchical model of cultural
frameworks. This places cultural safety at the summit of a continuum with awareness creation
at the bottom. The advocacy promotes cultural safe learning conditions for the Indigenous
Australian medical students and various doctors and pursues decisions that promote culturally
safe service delivery to their patients. Also, the Indigenous groups health workers
associations have established a framework, consisting of eight interconnected domains like
legal cultural conceptuality, valuing aboriginal health workers, collaboration and cooperation
et cetera et cetera.
Finally, examples of culturally safe care for Australian Indigenous Young Peoples has
been when the State parties were pressured or rather, advised to do away with the
discriminatory practices and attitudes like racism, and allow Indigenous children the access to
culturally relevant services in key sectors of health, education, recreation and sports, juvenile
justices, and other relevant social services. This has been done to ensure that Indigenous
young people in the country are indicative of recognition that they desire and aspire for so
that they could wholly enjoy their cultural rights and values.

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