WHY THE VOICE TO PARLIAMENT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE ASTHMA HEALTH OF AUSTRALIA’S FIRST NATIONS
28 Sep 2023
Asthma Australia is committed to working with First Nations communities to achieve change in the asthma health of their children, young people and adults and supports the Voice to Parliament.
We know that strong and sustained improvements in health for individuals and communities can only be achieved by improvements in the way health information and health services work for First Nations people and their communities.
Asthma health is only one of many health issues in which First Nations people have poorer health status and poorer health outcomes than the rest of Australia. Premature deaths in First Nations people are also higher than for all other Australians – and deaths from asthma contribute to that.
To change these unfair and preventable health outcomes requires all governments in Australia with responsibilities for the health of individuals to work with First Nations communities and each other.
In too many Indigenous communities of Australia, there is no specific asthma health care available locally.
Achieving strong and sustainable change in the asthma health of Indigenous Australians needs health care that works for Indigenous children, mothers, families and adults – within their communities and throughout our health care system. It needs housing that provides healthy environments for children and adults, free of mould, dust and other triggers of asthma. It needs asthma support in schools and in community health services.
Asthma Australia is working to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health improvements – but we are faced with the issues of working with multiple federal, state and territory government health agencies, individual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and leaders, and our ability as a small specialist organisation is limited to offering support and collaboration.
The establishment of the Voice strengthens the leadership and capacity of Indigenous communities to draw on our expertise and support and build the healthcare services that work for them.
It is essential that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders inform and participate in the design and delivery of services and supports to create a healthier, fairer and more equitable future for all Indigenous Australians.
Building the Voice into Australia’s Constitution will embed that participation and ensure that it will endure.
