Hurry up and do nothing
09.08.2003
A lot of noise was made, but was anything actually done to make life better for this little girl, and others in her community? Tony Koch reports
Without attention to special needs, all the best intentions could amount to nothing
THE scant level of care given to women and children who suffer abuse on remote communities in Queensland was demonstrated last week in the most distressing example.
Prime Minister John Howard visited two Aboriginal communities -- Napranum and Aurukun near Weipa -- to hear about alcoholism and domestic violence first-hand so he could respond when premiers and federal ministers meet later this month.
I was implored by an Aboriginal woman to check on the progress of an eight-year-old girl whom The Courier-Mail wrote about in 1999. At Kowanyama community, Bruce Long had photographed the girl from the back. She was wearing a nappy, walking along a dusty street holding her mother's hand.
It was a powerful image, because this was a baby who had been raped by an adult. She was so damaged internally that doctors said she would never conceive. She had to use a colostomy bag.
The photograph so moved then Queensland governor Leneen Forde that she called a meeting of women at Parliament House to see what could be done, and from that was born the Boni Robertson inquiry into community violence.
To produce the photograph and tell the story is to bring an audience immediately to tears.
The then federal Aboriginal Affairs minister, Senator John Herron, expressed his desire to help. He, of course, is a highly regarded surgeon.
My inquiries revealed that the girl is growing up and doing ``quite well'' at school.
She was born with fetal alcohol syndrome because her mother was alcohol-dependent during the pregnancy. When the brutal night-time attack occurred, she was being cared for by her grandmother.
Her immediate medical needs were met: the surgery to her abdomen and post-operative care.
Since then, she has had virtually nothing. A year ago her mother was reported to the Families Department for neglecting her, and the child was put with another carer. The mother has since given up her drunken behaviour and is trying to reconstruct her life.
Before harsh judgment is passed on that mother, there should be an understanding of the pressures she has endured -- and the lack of professional support that has been available to her or her child.
Similarly, the State Government cannot be too harshly criticised without understanding its position.
An application was made through the courts for victim-of-crime compensation for the child, and she was awarded the maximum: $75,000. That award is made by government to provide for the future needs of the victim -- including, and in particular, the medical needs. Obviously in this case the amount awarded is nowhere near what would be required, but it is a start. The money, as in all cases involving minors, was paid to the Public Trustee to release as needed.
Medical experts say this child needed intensive and constant therapy to cope with the trauma she suffered. At best she has had an annual one-hour visit from a therapist, according to people who oversee her welfare.
Should the Public Trustee have ensured that the $75,000 was used to provide the necessary specialist therapy? That is obviously what should have happened, but the department is not structured to enable it to so intricately care for the medical needs of a client -- to make the appointments and arrange travel and supervision. Its expertise is in estate management.
In his vision to improve life on Cape York communities, Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson has emphasised how important it is to first get health right. That view was expanded upon in a letter given to the Prime Minister at Weipa last Tuesday by Dr Lara Wieland, the medico who has worked for three years on Cape York communities.
IT ALSO was an important issue identified by Boni Robertson in her report, but like so many recommendations that cost money it has not been acted upon.
Most of the communities have between 800 and 1200 residents: more than enough in any township, but especially in an Aboriginal community, to justify the permanent stationing of a doctor.
Wieland writes: ``There is a lot of talk about community control in health and self-determination and empowerment, but it seems to be only as it suits the bureaucrats. We should ensure there is access to Australian-average numbers of general practitioners in all communities and adequate numbers of registered nurses, and a local health-worker-to-population ratio of 1:150 as recommended by the Australian Medical Association.
``There needs to be a full-time adult counsellor and children's counsellor for each community and a part-time sexual assault counsellor available.
``People who have spent many years being drunk will have little support in learning how to have sober relationships, how to be parents and how to socialise without alcohol. There may also be an increase in workload for clinics initially, as people are sober enough to start feeling sick or caring about their health, even though there should be a decrease in trauma.''
Indigenous communities suffer much higher levels of psychosocial distress. The majority of mental problems are related to substance abuse, welfare and unemployment, relationship problems, domestic violence, witnessing violence, trauma and grief, lack of sleep and overcrowded housing.
``It is stressful for any of us to raise children, let alone trying to raise them in a crowded house where people steal your food and invade your privacy. A lot of these will be much less a problem once the alcohol is gone, but it won't change the things that people have experienced or witnessed. There will be a great need for help and counselling in this transition period,'' Wieland writes.
The specialist needs that will now arise as the communities become sober following the adoption of alcohol-control measures will be enormous -- but are not being addressed at all.
Without such attention, all the best intentions of Noel Pearson, Peter Beattie, John Howard, Boni Robertson, Dr Lara Wieland and their increasing band of supporters could amount to nothing.
Just like that eight-year-old girl, people will continue to be absolutely disadvantaged, raped, neglected, have money thrown at them and then be ignored.
