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 06 September 2008 03:31 BST

Aussie PM criticised for health record

Friday, 14 Sep 2007 08:15
John Howard 'has failed to improve the health of Aboriginal people'
John Howard's right to govern Australia as prime minister has been called into question by a prestigious health journal today.

The Lancet claims that this right has been "fatally compromised" as his government has failed to improve the health of Aboriginal people.

Eleven years ago Mr Howard's government promised to improve indigenous health and wealth, but the Lancet editorial says that there is no evidence this pledge has been met.

Indigenous Australians have worse health than the rest of the country's population, with lower access to health services, more disability and lower life expectancy.

Last week the Australian Medical Association (AMA) published its key health issues ahead of the federal election, placing indigenous health at the top of the list.

"Australia has a good health system by world standards, but it is not providing equal access for all Australians to high quality health care and services," said AMA president Dr Rosanna Capolingua.

According to the Lancet, health of indigenous people is set to worsen, with the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007 unlikely to meet its stated aim of protecting aboriginal children from sexual abuse.

"Few of the aggressive measures in the bill address child abuse; most are only likely to exacerbate the problem," the editorial states, adding that proposed interventions "do not tally" with the recommendation that Aboriginal people are consulted about initiative designed for their communites.

"Indigenous health is a national emergency that requires investment in health services and the social determinants of health – education, housing, economic development – which underlie the appalling inequalities that Aboriginal people face," the editorial concludes.

"The Howard administration's latest approach to indigenous health will not fulfil its decade-old election promise. John Howard's legitimacy to govern seems fatally compromised based on this critical health failure."
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