Challenges to the Health of Australian Aborigines: A Report

This report provides an overview of the health challenges faced by Australian Aborigines. It begins by highlighting the historical context of colonization and its devastating impact on the indigenous population, including forced displacement and exposure to diseases. The report emphasizes the lack of healthcare access, resources, and awareness among Aboriginal communities, leading to poor health outcomes. It discusses the importance of government initiatives and NGO efforts to improve living standards and healthcare. The report also examines the NT legislation, its aims, and its impact, including positive and negative effects on the community's well-being, psychological state, and cultural integrity. The references include sources on Aboriginal health and government policies, offering a comprehensive analysis of the topic.

Running head: HEALTH OF ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1HEALTH OF ABORIGINES
The need for understanding the health of indigenous health
The indigenous people of Australia live in areas and locality that are segregated from that
of the rest of societies living in that region. People there do not have access to necessities like
health care. There are not much health care treatment facilities and centers around them. Their do
not have enough resources that they can avail the basic requirements, they have less access and
connectivity to the areas that have well infrastructure and health facilities. They lack awareness
because they do not have sufficient knowledge and education as compared to the other people of
Australia (Health.nsw.gov.au, 2017).
It is very important for the Government authorities to take steps so that the lives of the
indigenous people can be improved. After colonization of Australia, the original inhabitants were
forced to settle in the areas that are remote and have less facility that can help them fulfill their
needs. Their health conditions are very poor because they live in unhygienic conditions, their do
not get timely treatment for the diseases or any other illness they face. Before the British
settlement indigenous people used to live in Australia but after the colonization the impact on
their lives was very devastating. There was a rapid population decline since the indigenous
people that were because they were introduced to a number of illnesses. There was negligence
towards their health care that was very evident and they suffered. It is therefore very important to
understand the health of indigenous people, their health needs a lot attention because they have
been neglected for years and that is the reason their condition is worsening more and more
(Health.nsw.gov.au, 2017).
The health of indigenous people is also a major concern for the local authorities and their
decreasing number is raising serious concerns, the UN human rights have raised the issue several

2HEALTH OF ABORIGINES
times that effective measures are to be taken to improve the health conditions of the indigenous
people. The Government therefore in its health plans takes effective initiatives to improve the
health conditions of people. They make programs that aim at creating awareness among the
people for improvement of their lifestyle and how they can stay healthy. Many NGOs are also
working for improving the living standard and the health conditions of indigenous people
(Health.nsw.gov.au, 2017).
History of Aborigines
In the history the Aboriginal people were imprisoned and a forcefully diagnosis was
made on them in suspicion of a disease called veneral disease; the British empire had made lock
hospitals where the experiments were conducted regarding the disease that aboriginal people
might have. The conditions of the hospitals were so bad that approximately 700 people died. The
aborigines have faced a lot of struggle in their own land, their land was taken by the British and
they were forced to take shelter in the areas that were remote and did not have connectivity to the
other areas. Looking at the history of the aborigines and the struggle they have faced, there is a
need to provide these people there from which they have been deprived and make their lives
better. Their health can be improved by creating awareness among them and giving them their
basic rights (Health.nsw.gov.au, 2017).
NT legislation
The NT legislation was one initiative by the Government of Northern Territory to
improve, the legislation addressed some of the serious issues of the land tenure, child sexual
abuse and the negligence of the Northern territory. The federal government of Northern territory
took this initiative. The bill was passed in the year 2007, it included subjects like social security,

3HEALTH OF ABORIGINES
community services. Police were deployed in the affected areas of the Northern Territory, the
condition of the aborigines was so bad that without the intervention of the government the
condition would not have been improved. They government imposed restriction on alcohol and
Kava in the region. The bill was eventually passed but there was a lot of hindrances and
oppositions form the local community leaders of the aborigines. The leaders of the aboriginal
communities approached the UN stating that after the intervention of the Government in
Northern Territory the condition of the people have worsened.
The Australian Indigenous Doctor’s association to see the impact of the intervenation on
the people of Northern Territory carried out a health impact assement. Local aboriginal
communities were also concerned about its impact on their lives because they have been already
suffering a lot. According to the Health Impact Assessment, the positive impacts of the
legislation were there but there were certain negative impact on the psychological and the social
well being and on the spirituality and cultural integrity of the affected community (Couzos &
Thiele, 2016).

4HEALTH OF ABORIGINES
References
Couzos, S., & Thiele, D. D. 2016. Aboriginal peoples participation in their health care: A patient
right and an obligation for health care providers. Aboriginal and Islander Health Worker
Journal, 40, 6-7.
Health.nsw.gov.au. 2017. NSW State Health Plan: Towards 2021 - NSW State Health Plan.
[online] Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/statehealthplan/Pages/NSW-State-Health-
Plan-Towards-2021.aspx [Accessed 17 Aug. 2017].