Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jun 2001
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 The Sydney Morning Herald
Contact:  http://www.smh.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/441
Author: Mark Metherell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/racial.htm (Racial Issues)

INDIGENOUS DRUG ABUSE A CAPITAL SHAME - NEW BODY RAISES ALARM

They die in a city which prides itself as Australia's most affluent 
and enlightened community.

The national capital's Aboriginal population is blighted by massively 
disproportionate use of booze and illict drugs - and death, according 
to health leader Ms Julie Tongs.

She told the launch at Parliament of a new national body to fight 
indigenous substance misuse: "We are tired of burying our young 
people in this community." Last year, three young people died from 
overdoses within six weeks.

Canberra's experience reflects what happens throughout Australia, 
according to the chairman of the new National Indigenous Substance 
Misuse Council, Mr Scott Wilson.

He said death was so frequent from substance abuse that some 
communities were becoming dysfunctional. "Right across the country 
community members are attending funerals on an ever frequent basis. 
So frequent that we believe post traumatic stress disorder is a way 
of life."

Mr Wilson, the director of South Australia's Aboriginal Drug and 
Alcohol Council, said there were people at yesterday's launch who had 
lost 30 family and extended family members due to alcohol-related 
death in the past three years.

But Mr Wilson said the council will battle to make a big difference 
while it remained under-funded. The big priorities were to provide 
the right services for communities, many of which had different 
needs, and ensure continuation of programs.

Opposition spokesman Mr Bob McMullan said the Government's launch 
came yesterday with no funding or formal consultative role with the 
Commonwealth.

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr Ruddock, made no commitment 
but asserted the Federal Budget offered the strongest commitment to 
reduce indigenous disadvantage.

Mr Ruddock said alcohol was "inarguably [sic] one of the most 
destructive forces tearing at the fabric of a great many indigenous 
communities today".

Mr Wilson said there were more than 60 indigenous substance misuse 
agencies, but there was a need for a national voice to ensure the 
right programs were funded by the Federal and State governments.

"Substance misuse is such a big problem in many communities.

"But there is no voice out there," he said.

Ms Tongs blames a shortage of appropriate services for indigenous 
people and racism for the failure to prevent the accelerating death 
rate from overdoses. Last year, 27 per cent of Canberra's fatal 
overdoses came from Aboriginal people, who represent 0.95 per cent of 
the population.

She said there was a reluctance "to recognise that there is a 
community out there that is self-destructing, that is so 
dysfunctional".

The ACT Health Minister, Mr Michael Moor, said many indigenous people 
regularly used drug and alcohol services.

He named six recent developments to expand support for indigenous 
people with drug problems.
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