Another military-style Indigenous intervention?
There has been a lot of talk about how Tony Abbott wants to be the Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Now that he’s finally got the top job, he will look to fulfill promises such as bringing indigenous affairs into the department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and to establish an Indigenous Advisory Council, headed by former ALP President Warren Mundine.
But while indigenous advocates hail a new era of government cooperation, there is less detail and discussion about the direction of indigenous health policy under an Abbott-led government. Warren Mundine himself recently made comments suggesting a possible military-style intervention into indigenous health services, which has generated discussion about what is the best way to bridge the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous healthcare.