36 new health promotion projects received funding to increase awareness of chronic disease and promote better health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Background
The Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, announced 36 new health promotion projects aimed at increasing awareness of chronic disease and promoting better health in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. “The Live Longer! Campaign involves local communities exploring new ways to combat and prevent chronic disease by addressing nutrition, physical exercise, quitting smoking and having regular health check-ups,” Minister Snowdon said.
“Two-thirds of the gap in health outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the wider Australian population can be attributed to largely preventable chronic diseases. Tackling obesity, smoking and excess alcohol consumption will contribute to cutting the rates of diseases like diabetes, renal and heart disease and some cancers.”
The Live Longer! Campaign is a program that is part of the $805.5 million Indigenous Chronic Disease Package (ICDP). The ICDP aims to reduce key risk factors for chronic disease, improve chronic disease management and follow up, and increase the capacity of the primary care workforce to deliver effective care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with chronic diseases.
Objectives
The Live Longer! Campaign Program aims to:
- raise awareness that conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and stroke are not inevitable and may be prevented;
- promote a change to a healthier lifestyle to help prevent these conditions and improve the health of those who already have one; and
- raise awareness of how regular check-ups from a doctor, nurse and/or health worker can help prevent and manage illness.
Recipients
| Organisation | Project | |
| ACT | Solid Young Fulla’s Aboriginal Organisation | Chronic Disease Self Management Education for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding areas |
| NSW | Arts OutWest | Spread the Word |
| NSW | Gandangara Health Services Limited | “Be Healthy, Get Health Help!” |
| NSW | Kool Purple Kookas Indigenous Corporation | KPK’s Cookbook Competition |
| NSW | National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy | Healthy Living is Affordable Living |
| NSW | National Heart Foundation | Be Stronger, Live Longer |
| NSW | South Eastern Sydney Medicare Local | The Sutherland and St George Aboriginal Healthy Lifestyle Program |
| NSW | Southern NSW Medicare Local | Aunty Jean’s good health team program – Goulburn |
| NSW | Wingecarribee Family Support Service | Aboriginal Families Program – Aboriginal Young Men’s Project |
| NSW | Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre Aboriginal Corporation | Quit Smoking Campaign |
| NT | Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation | Anyinginyi Friday Night Games |
| NT | Rob de Castella’s SmartStart for Kids! | I-CAN (Indigenous Communities for Activities and Nutrition) |
| QLD | Abm Aboriginal | Awin Udnum (Good Path): Seasonal Health Workshops on Traditional Country |
| QLD | Girudala Community Co-op Society Ltd | Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Exposure Project |
| QLD | NPA Family and Community Services | Let’s Get Moving – Physical Activity Program |
| QLD | Out There Kowanyama Inc | Community gardens for health |
| QLD | Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media Corporation | Promoting health living in Queensland’s remote Indigenous Communities |
| QLD | Roma Community Garden Inc | Lets Talk Life: Filling the Gap Between the Why and the How of Eating Good Tucker, Being Active and Living Longer |
| QLD | Townsville Intercultural Centre Ltd | Our Mob: Healthy in the Tropics |
| SA | Life Without Barriers | Murilpun Namawi Nomawi Winyil Po:rlar Piltenggi “Keeping our families and children strong” |
| SA | Murray Mallee General Practice Network | Healthy People, Healthy Culture, Healthy Future |
| SA | Southern Adelaide Medicare Local | Ngaityo Wodli (My Home) |
| SA | Tauondi Incorporated | Live Longer! Mobile Training Van |
| VIC | Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative (BADAC) | Ballarat Aboriginal Health Campaign |
| VIC | Dianella Community Health | Hume Chronic Condition Prevention Program (to be named by local Elders) |
| VIC | Horsham 298 Primary School – Rasmussen Road Campus | Good Tucker, Good Health |
| VIC | Mallee Sports Assembly Inc | East End Health for East End Wealth |
| VIC | Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation | Koori Family Lifestyle Project |
| VIC and NSW | Albury & District Local Aboriginal Lands Council | Walan Ma Rra (To Make Strong) |
| VIC and NSW | Balranald Aboriginal Health Service | Health Management and Understanding of Early Childhood Development |
| WA | Extra Edge Community Services Inc | Eat Wise Live Wise & Play Love – Projects |
| WA | Goldfields Midwest Medicare Local | Reach for Your Goals – Hip Hop Youth Anti-smoking |
| WA | Ilkurlka Aboriginal Corporation | Spinifex Health Promotion Projects |
| WA | Langford Aboriginal Association Inc (LAA) | Live Longer (BILL) |
| WA | Meerilinga Young Children Foundation Inc | Tucker for Toddlers and the Early Years |
| WA | Melville Senior High School | Moorditj Melville (ACE Program Community Health Project) |
