Anna Alex – PHAA intern Back in May 2019, a group of Torres Strait Islanders lodged a landmark climate and … More
Category: Indigenous health
PHAA celebrates Michelle Dickson’s teaching contribution and shares her COVID-19 ‘silver linings’
‘For over 30 years, she has made a catalytic contribution to strengthening Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their communities … More
Henrietta Lacks’ iconic story of inequity, injustice, and disparities in health holds Australian relevance
Dr Mary-Anne Land (PHAA) & Associate Professor Lisa Whop (ANU) As a young mother, Henrietta Lacks and her husband were … More
An update on the public health vaccination campaign tackling COVID wave in Illawarra
TOBY DAWSON – Vax the Illawarra Campaign Volunteer Background: In September we shared stories about the Vax The Illawarra campaign … More
10 ways we can better respond to the pandemic in a trauma-informed way
By Christina Heris, Australian National University; Catherine Chamberlain, The University of Melbourne; Cindy Woods, The University of Melbourne; Helen Herrman, The … More
Dr Kim O’Donnell’s public health message: ‘if they get it right for blackfullas, they’ll get it right for all fullas’
Jeremy Lasek – PHAA Introduction In recent weeks, we’ve loved blogging and sharing the rich and diverse stories of a … More
PHAA and SBS-TV recognise the work of ‘Too Deadly for Diabetes’ creator, Ray Kelly
Jeremy Lasek – PHAA One of the great strengths of the PHAA’s annual awards is to uncover great stories of … More
Dr Dawn Casey PSM wins Sidney Sax Medal for her COVID leadership
Jeremy Lasek – PHAA Introduction After a long and distinguished career of public service, Dr Dawn Casey PSM, while a … More
PHAA President ‘honoured’ to be leading western NSW COVID-19 crisis team
Jeremy Lasek – PHAA A team of public health experts from five states and territories is currently on … More
2021 NAIDOC Week: Vital new research will help ‘Heal Country’
Public Health Association of Australia In this NAIDOC Week 2021, the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) embraces First Nations … More
National Reconciliation Week: Supporting Indigenous-led public health responses
National Reconciliation Week 2021 ‘We’ve been successful because we’ve had a seat at the table, where we’ve had respect for … More
Indigenous families face soaring costs in treating burn injuries
When it comes to Closing the Gap on health inequities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people there are … More
Indigenous Australians’ incarceration Gap widens during the pandemic
Introduction: Today on national Close the Gap day, the Public Health Association of Australia released a statement about the rising … More
March 4 Justice – ending the silence on gender-based violence
Karina Martin, Public Health Association of Australia “We are all here today, not because we want to be here, because … More
National Preventive Health Strategy: realising the opportunity to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes by addressing tobacco use
With the Commonwealth Government’s National Preventive Health Strategy due for finalisation in the coming months, Dr Raglan Maddox, Professor Tom … More
National Cervical Screening Program isn’t meeting the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, survey reveals
Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates have halved in Australia since the introduction in 1991 of the National Cervical Screening … More
A minimum price for alcohol helped curb problem drinking in the Northern Territory — is it time for a national rollout?
Nicholas Patrick Taylor, Deakin University and Peter Miller, Deakin University The “floor price” for alcohol introduced by the Northern Territory … More
New report calls for action to confront our nation’s collective racism
Dr Summer May Finlay For reconciliation to be effective, it must involve truth-telling, and actively address issues of inequality, systemic … More
Preventive approaches needed to improve child and youth health and wellbeing
Tracey Oorschot and Jane Frawley Child, youth, Indigenous and social policy advocates have campaigned for improved health and wellbeing of … More
Food security during COVID a critical challenge for remote Indigenous communities
NAIDOC Week 2020 – ‘Always was, always will be’ To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020, the Public Health Association of Australia … More
Ensuring COVID-19 information is culturally appropriate
NAIDOC Week 2020 ‘Always was, always will be’ To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020, the Public Health Association of Australia is … More
WellMob portal provides a one-stop-shop for COVID-safe information
NAIDOC Week 2020 ‘Always was, always will be’ To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020, the Public Health Association of Australia is … More
COVID-19 results in new ways of working with Indigenous young people in remote communities
NAIDOC Week 2020 – ‘Always was, always will be’ To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2020, the Public Health Association of Australia … More
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allies start with the basics; correct terminology.
Dr Summer May Finlay If you can’t get the simple things right, how can we trust you to get … More
More Deadly News: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tobacco use continues to go down
NAIDOC Week 2020 Raglan Maddox, Katherine A. Thurber, Tom Calma, Glen Benton, Emily Banks, Raymond Lovett Smoking is a leading … More
Self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is working during COVID-19 crisis
Australian Public Health Conference 2020 Plenary 1 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Facilitator – Summer May Finlay, Vice … More
Smoking rates falling among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Christina Heris and David Thomas Following a history of being paid or provided with rations of tobacco, smoking is … More
It’s time to stop locking up 10 year olds
Many Australians would no doubt be shocked to learn that our current laws in every State and Territory allow children as young as 10 years old to be arrested by Police and sentenced to prison by Courts. That’s a primary school child, removed from their family, school and everything familiar to them, and locked in a cell. As a parent, it’s when your own child reaches the age of 10 that the horror of this possibility becomes real.
Black Lives Matter protests should proceed – safely
Two hugely important public health objectives – Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 have been framed as competing imperatives. They are not. The Black Lives Matter movement in Australia seeks to highlight the deplorable circumstances of disadvantage and discrimination experienced by Australia’s First people.
Where do you fit? Tokenistic, ally – or accomplice?
This National Reconciliation Week is a good time to decide where you fit – how can you support the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Just three per cent of the Australian population, are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We need the other 97 per cent of Australians to do the heavy lifting if we are ever to see true reconciliation.