Blind eye to indigenous health funds fraud'
22.07.2005
GOVERNMENT funding to remote Aboriginal communities for child health and care programs was often embezzled, no health care was delivered and nothing was done about those misusing the funds, a Cape York general practitioner, Lara Wieland, said yesterday.
Dr Wieland, who formerly worked in the cape with the Flying Doctor Service and is now with Noel Pearson's Cape York Institute, said too often funds were allocated for special projects, but the money never got through because it was misappropriated, and public servants were afraid to follow up on complaints.
``My experience is that governments turn a blind eye to this sort of conduct and crooks within indigenous community administration know it,'' she said.
Dr Wieland will accompany Mr Pearson and federal Treasurer Peter Costello through northern Aboriginal communities today.
She said a 20-year plan should be formulated to develop the health of indigenous children.
``Every child has a birth right to be healthy and educated and each should be given life skills,'' she said.
Two years ago, Dr Wieland presented John Howard, who was visiting Weipa in Cape York, and Queensland Premier Peter Beattie with a nine-page letter outlining the view of doctors on what should be done to improve the health of Aboriginal people, particularly children.
She has also reported allegations of misuse of funds to the Queensland Crime and Misconduct Commission.
Her letter to the Prime Minister spelt out incidents of sexual and violent assault, the lack of health programs, family breakdowns and domestic violence and outlined the need for professional health workers, including mental health and school nurses, to be employed on all communities.
``Nothing happened and the truth is that on one community where I worked I now see children I reported back then as being abused still in the abusive households,'' she said.
Dr Wieland said the Cape York Institute had worked out a system of health service delivery in co-operation with the federal and state governments that should work to help solve the problems.
One initiative being worked on to get doctors to the communities was to introduce a system of inviting medicos who had recently retired or were near retirement to spend a couple of years with an indigenous community.
The project was being developed with Apunipima Aboriginal Health Council in Cairns and was expected to be in operation in 12 to 18 months.
Dr Wieland said well-meaning people wanted to work on communities but became disillusioned.
``To succeed requires commitment from the community itself and from everybody connected with it,'' she said.
``In a way it helps Aboriginal people to take control of their own lives. The commitment needs to be robust to really help these people build themselves up. People on communities have control over nothing and that is a huge detriment to health and well-being.''
