Tuesday 22 April 2008

'Racism to blame' for Aboriginal health problems

The Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTAR) group says racism is directly to blame for many health problems in the Aboriginal community.

The group has launched a national campaign called "Racism makes me sick" to highlight the issue.

ANTAR's national director Gary Highland says heart disease, mental illness, premature births and other illnesses in the Indigenous population can be directly attributed to the negative impact of racism on a person's health.

He says the life-expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous will not improve unless some positive changes occur in attitudes.

Related:

2020 Indigenous youth delegate calls for national body
An Indigenous youth representative at this weekend's 2020 summit says a new national Aboriginal body should be created to avoid some of the add-hoc policies surrounding the federal intervention.

Call for new indigenous body
Former ATSIC Commissioner Klynton Wanganeen says he will raise the idea of a new national body to represent indigenous communities at the 2020 Summit.

Aboriginal delegation heads to UN
The National Aboriginal Alliance is taking its concerns about the Northern Territory intervention to the United Nations.

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