Aboriginal health

Victorian Aboriginal Health Conference 24-25 May 2012

Welcome

The Department of Health is excited to announce the first major conference on Aboriginal health to be held in Victoria.

The department is committed to helping to close the life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and non-Victorians through addressing their health needs.

It will do this by working with Victorian’s Aboriginal communities to improve Aboriginal health by providing leadership across government and engaging the health sector so Aboriginal health becomes everyone’s responsibility.

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Background

Aboriginal Victorians

The Victorian Aboriginal population is growing and young. In 2006 it was 33,517 and is projected to grow to as large as 48,233 by 2021. Almost half is aged 18 or under.

Connection to culture is strong. The majority of Aboriginal Victorians identify with a clan, tribal or language group. Over half have been involved in cultural events, ceremonies or organisations over the last 12 months¹.

Health gap

However Aboriginal Victorians experience poorer health outcomes than non-Aboriginal Victorians in almost every measure of health. This means they have a lower life expectancy than non-Aboriginal Victorians.

Time is right to close the health gap

Fortunately there has rarely been a better time in Victoria to help close the health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Victorians. In 2007, under the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Partnership on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes, the Aboriginal community and all levels of government committed to work together to close the health gap. On 24 March 2011 the Premier, Ted Baillieu, recommitted the Victorian Government to closing the gap here in Victoria.

This commitment has accelerated the rate of change in Victoria; however, there is still much to be done.

¹ Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, 2008 (4714.0), 2010