To the Editor: The Hon. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, addressed federal Parliament on 26 February 2009 regarding the Closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage: the challenge for Australia report.1 In his speech, he asserted that government strategy to close the gap will focus on the treatment of Indigenous Australians’ illnesses “largely through the mainstream health system, because that is where 70% of Indigenous people are treated”.2
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- 1. Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage: the challenge for Australia. Canberra: FaHCSIA, 2009. http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/indigenous/pubs/general/documents/closing_the_gap/default.htm (accessed Apr 2009, link updated May 2009).
- 2. Rudd K. Closing the gap report [transcript of speech]. Parliament House, Canberra; 26 Feb 2009. http://www.pm.gov.au/media/speech/2009/speech_0840.cfm (accessed Apr 2009).
- 3. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health performance framework 2008 report: detailed analyses. Canberra: AIHW, 2009. (AIHW Cat. No. IHW 22.) http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/ihw/aatsihpf08r-da/atsihpf08r-c03-15.pdf (accessed Apr 2009).
- 4. Britt H, Miller GC, Charles J, et al. General practice activity in Australia 2007–08. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2008. (AIHW Cat. No. GEP 22.) http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10651 (accessed Apr 2009).
- 5. Britt H, Miller GC, Charles J, et al. General practice activity in Australia 1998–99 to 2007–08: 10 year data tables. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2008. (AIHW Cat. No. GEP 23.) http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/gep/gpaia98-99-07-08-10ydt/gpaia98-99-07-08-10ydt-c00.pdf (accessed Apr 2009).
- 6. Britt H, Miller GC, Knox S, et al. General practice activity in Australia 2001–02 (Figure 16.1 and Table 16.1). Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2002. (AIHW Cat. No. GEP 10.) http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/8149 (accessed Apr 2009).
- 7. Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. A national profile of Australian Government funded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care services. Service activity reporting 2005–06. Key results. Canberra: OATSIH and NACCHO, 2008. (Department of Health and Ageing Publication No. 4185.)
- 8. Larkins SL, Geia LK, Panaretto KS. Consultations in general practice and at an Aboriginal community controlled health service: do they differ? Rural Remote Health [Internet] 2006; 6: 560. Epub 2006 Jul 19.
- 9. Thomas DR, Heller RF, Hunt JM. Clinical consultations in an Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Service: a comparison with general practice. Aust N Z J Public Health 1998; 22: 86-91.
We are employees of NACCHO, which represents more than 145 ACCHSs across Australia.