Key Recommendations
- That substantial extra land be granted to the Gorge Mission and Chillagoe Aboriginal communities so self-sufficient programs may be developed.
- That all land and management powers in relation to Yarrabah, Gorge Mission and Chillagoe Aboriginal communities be handed to those respective communities.
- That the Department of Aboriginal and Islander Advancement relinquish all powers and controls in relation to Yarrabah, Gorge Mission and Chillagoe Aboriginal communities.
- That the 34 per cent of the Aboriginal community currently homeless be decently and adequately housed within the next 12 months.
- That substantial funds be set aside for the development of self-sufficient, employment orientated programs deemed necessary by the Aboriginal community.
- That the Yarrabah Community Council be allocated funds to employ competent full-time medical staff including doctors.
- That the Aboriginal community be allocated funds to establish health services in Cairns, Mossman, Innisfail and Mareeba.
- That the Aboriginal community be allocated funds to establish child care programs in Cairns, Mossman, Mareeba and Innisfail.
- The Aboriginal community be allocated funds so that mobile clinics can be attached to and form an extension of the health services above to service the more isolated areas.
- Funds be allocated for the inclusion of a dental service in the Cairns Base with the provision to provide part-time mobile service to the more isolated areas.
- Funds be allocated to the Aboriginal community for intensive “health worker” training programs so Aboriginals can develop all the necessary skills associated with health care (including curative) and use those skills toward the improvement of health standards in their own communities.
- Funds be provided to train and pay part-time maternal and child health resource workers who are currently members of the community and who are themselves skilled Aboriginal mothers with young children, as there is an obvious rejection of professional assistance in pre and post natal education.
- That representatives of Aboriginal communities and as selected by the Aboriginal communities, be co-opted to hospital boards and other health authorities.
- That Aboriginal communities themselves have responsibility for maintaining the statistics necessary to monitor development in health matters concerning their communities so that they can accurately assess their own needs and progress.
