Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia Inc. : CEO Communique Issue 2

Welcome

Mary Buckskin, CEO for AHCSA

A lot has happened since our last CEO Communiqué. Last Thursday, 1 May, we held an Advocacy Day in Old Parliament House. We’d like to thank all those who attended and Oxfam for their support in organising this event. Oxfam have been a great support in helping us to ensure that government deliver on their promises to Close the Gap.

Aunty Josie Agius gave the Welcome to Country and Darrien Bromley, AHCSA’s Business Manager, introduced speakers Minister for Health John Hill, AHCSA Chair John Singer, Dr Tamara Mackean, President of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Jay Weatherill and Vicki Chapman, Member Representing the Opposition and Spokesperson for Health. Speakers were each presented with a pledge by Josh Cabillo, Sturt Football Club and Andrew McLeod, Adelaide Crows, signifying the 115,000 signatures received so far for Close the Gap campaign.

Thank you also to Board Member Polly Sumner-Dodd and Dreamtime Public Relations who took some great photos of the event which we hope to share with you in the next AHCSA News.

If you have any queries about CEO Communiqué, please don’t hesitate to contact Mandy Green or Angela Francisco who are sharing the Executive Assistant role at AHCSA on (08) 8132 6700, mandy.green@ahcsa.org.au or franciscoa@ahcsa.org.au

I hope you enjoy CEO Communiqué.

Kind Regards

Mary Buckskin
Chief Executive Officer

AHCSA Recognition Awards

As you know there have been many people over the years who have been working tirelessly to improve the health and well being of our communities. The AHCSA Board would like to acknowledge their work and commitment and so have established the AHCSA Recognition Awards. The first recipients of these awards were Laurie Rankine, Polly Sumner-Dodd and Cephas Stanley. The awards were presented at the recent AHCSA Board dinner. Congratulations all and thank you for your ongoing dedication and commitment. Further information and photos of the event can be obtained from Mandy Green.

United Nations Permanent Forum

AHCSA Board Member Yvonne Buza and 39 other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were in New York attending the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Delegation leader Les Malezer said that he and other delegates would explain the impact of the current intervention and suspension of the race discrimination act. “Aboriginal people in Australia can be discriminated against just as much as we were 50 years ago. As well as requiring the repeal of parts of the Racial Discrimination Act, the intervention also breached a number of United Nations Charters,” Mr Malezer said.

AHCSA Board Meeting

A full Board meeting was held on 22-23 April in Adelaide. Among invited guests was Dr Mick Adams, NACCHO Chairperson who spoke about working closer with all NACCHO Affiliates to build stronger relationships from the ground up.

Meeting with Minister Hill

AHCSA Chair John Singer and CEO Mary Buckskin met with the Minister for Health John Hill recently. During the meeting, Minister Hill reinforced recognition of AHCSA as the state peak body for Aboriginal health and substance misuse services. Discussions took place on the State Health Bill for the new Health Performance Council.

Staff Changes

Clinton (Stano) Dadleh has left AHCSA to work with the Menzies School of Health Research in Darwin and Carmen Dadleh has been appointed for three months to fill the GPET position. Janine Engelhardt has also resigned and moved to Canberra to continue working with NACCHO as the Senior Policy Officer. We wish Janine and her family all the best for their new life in Canbera.

Other new staff include Lois Multa (Receptionist), Jarrad Sharrock (Finance Trainee) and Helen Diassinas (CCRE Admin). Beth Hummerston is on a five week placement with AHCSA working on the remote and rural STI Screening Project with Dr David Scrimgeour and Sean Taylor (RN). The funding bodies are currently reviewing the GPET and WIPO programs, and an outcome is expected in the 2008/09 financial year.

New Changes in CHSA

CHSA has created new and separate portfolio for Aboriginal health within its structure. As a result a new Executive Director position has been created to head the new branch. Jackie Ah Kit has been moved to this new position. AHCSA is pleased with CHSAs commitment to Aboriginal health and sees the establishment of the executive Aboriginal health portfolio as an important step towards improving Aboriginal health and increasing access to mainstream health services. We are looking forward to continue working collaboratively with CHSA to progress Aboriginal health and to also work with them on the proposed Centre for Excellence in Aboriginal Health at Port Augusta.

AHCSA News 04.08 Now Available!

The latest newsletter is now available in print and on our website www.ahcsa.org.au

If you are not on our mailing list and would like to receive a copy, please don’t hesitate to call Amanda Mitchell on (08) 8132 6700. Amanda does a great job of coordinating the newsletter in association with Dreamtime Public Relations. If you would like to contribute articles for the July edition, please email amanda.mitchell@ahcsa.org.au

Disclaimer
CEO Communiqué is copyright to the Aboriginal Health Council of SA Inc. (AHCSA). No part may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the Chief Executive Officer of AHCSA. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the information contained in this newsletter is accurate, errors and omissions may occur. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter, we apologise for any inconvenience caused and ask that you click the unsubscribe link below.

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