AHCWA (Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia)

Staying healthy in hot times can be tough, so prepare for the warmer weather and check in with yourself and your mob throughout the coming months. If you or anyone in your family, friends, or community is feeling unwell or needs extra support, visit your local clinic. 

The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia and the Council of Aboriginal Services Western Australia have jointly expressed our deep concern about the WA Government’s new Jurisdictional Action Plan under the five-year National Skills Agreement, which fails to address Aboriginal workforce needs, and entirely overlooks Aboriginal Community-Controlled Registered Training Organisations. Read more below:

On 26 January 1972, Michael Anderson, Billy Craigie, Bertie Williams, and Tony Coorey drove three hours from their homes to Ngambri and Ngunnawal Country (Canberra), and what is now known as Old Parliament House. Once there, the four young Aboriginal men set up a beach umbrella and sat down beneath it, staging a sit-in protest against the approach to land rights under Prime Minister William McMahon’s government, and in doing so, established the original Aboriginal Tent Embassy. The men pushed for Aboriginal sovereignty, issuing a list of demands that called for rights to homeland, the protection of sacred sites, mining rights, and compensation for what couldn’t be returned. These demands specifically mentioned the Northern Territory, after the Yolngu people living in Yirrkala took legal action against mining company Nabalco in 1968. The Court ruled in favour of Nabalco in 1972. Over the next four years, numerous attempts were made to move the protestors on, but the Embassy remained steadfast in its mission. Finally, on 16 December 1976, the Governor General signed off on the Northern Territory’s Aboriginal Land Rights Act—the first of its kind. This legislation allowed Traditional Owners to reclaim land titles lost since colonisation. As negotiated, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was temporarily dismantled following the passing of this legislation. It has since been re-established and continues to remain a symbol of resistance against colonial rule. 

Kaya you mob, We are looking for YOU to submit designs to be featured on either our social media accounts or on condom packs! Condom packs?!? Yes, you heard that right! Check Protect Respect, The YEP Project, & WAAC are looking for submissions of sexual health designs and memes. Extra points go to submissions that are mob/ Blak specific and/ or HIV specific For more information about HIV, check out Young Deadly Free ‘s video: https://lnkd.in/gtEv8BSM Swipe to find out more information and to see reference photos. To submit, scan the QR code or visit the link: https://lnkd.in/gWNaA57M

AHCWA staff had a great time in Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country (Canberra) on 4 and 5 December for the 2024 NACCHO Members’ Conference. Alongside over 500 attending delegates, they had the opportunity to network, celebrate, and hear from a host of Aboriginal leaders across the country. The Conference was part of a broader program that commenced on 1 December and included the NACCHO Men’s Health Day, NACCHO Youth Conference, and NACCHO Annual General Meeting. What a fantastic week!

Congratulations to our Indigenous Health Workforce Traineeship (IHWT) graduates who completed their Certificate IV in Mental Health at Marr Mooditj Training Aboriginal Corporation. The trainees from Derbarl Yerrigan Aboriginal Medical Health Service and Moorditj Koort Aboriginal Corporation will expand on their knowledge through work in the areas of Mental Health & Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) at their respective organisations. For more information, reach out to ihwt@ahcwa.org or register your interest by completing the form at: https://lnkd.in/gSwXFnUd

Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now. The 2024 theme for Human Rights Day this 10 December encourages us to speak up against hate speech and misinformation, emphasizing the growing need for advice and guidance with strategic, clear, and effective communication. Health is a fundamental human right, and Aboriginal people in Western Australia deserve to enjoy the same level of health and wellbeing as all Australians. As the leading authority for Aboriginal health in Western Australia, AHCWA strives to influence the Aboriginal health agenda on a state and national level to empower Aboriginal people.

Lung cancer is very common in our mob! In fact, it is the most common cause of cancer-related death among Aboriginal people. You can develop lung cancer even if you’ve never smoked, so let’s make deadly choices to protect our communities and culture. If you have any concerns about lung cancer, have a yarn with your doctor or the Tackling Indigenous Smoking team at your local AMS.

Congratulations to the 2024 Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association, with a special shout-out to the Western Australians winning national awards. Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service’s Dr Daniel Hunt has been recognised as Indigenous Doctor of the Year. Dr Hunt is a Jaru man who has previously won NAIDOC Scholar of the Year and the 2022 Royal Australian College of General Practitioners award for Western Australian GP In Training of the Year. One of AHCWA’s Ngalla Bidi Bursary beneficiaries, Shoshanna Scott, takes home the Indigenous Medical Student of the Year award. Shoshanna has been on a roll this year, with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine naming her one of their 2024 President's Prize winners. She is now in her final year of medical school. Thank you Dr Hunt, Shoshanna and all the award winners, for your dedication and commitment to advancing health outcomes in Aboriginal communities. Your contributions drive meaningful positive change; we could not be more proud. 

Movember 2024 has officially come to an end, so let's take a look at how the participating men at AHCWA transformed this last month. Don’t they look Mo-tastic!? Thank you to everyone who took part and to those who donated. While the campaign may be over until next year, it is important to continue the fight to improve men’s health. Remember to check in and have a yarn with the men in your life—you never know what someone might be going through.