A not-so-pretty Postcard from The Alice

Why, asks Kay Richardson, are so many indigenous children, our Australian children, in such a dreadful state of health? Surely there is a role for the FMCA in this equation?

As I sit here writing to you from the heart of Australia I could easily suggest that we, as a nation, should be diagnosed with serious cardio-vascular disease! Why, here in Alice and in other outback towns, are so many indigenous children, our Australian children, in such a dreadful state of health?

A sweeping generalisation - probably - but there are far too many children for me to ignore. They are not European, they are not Asian, they are Australian Aboriginal children and their situation on the whole is desperate. They might laugh, play and act like children from the dominant culture (a term for us non-traditional owners),  but the children I see are also seriously malnourished and on the way to innumerable chronic health problems.

I am not talking about the kids who regularly go to school or are well supported (and yes, there are plenty of them). What  I have been told and what I have seen are kids whose only access to fresh food occurs when they are brought into town, given a few dollars and told to "piss off and get some tucker" whilst their carers sit under trees and drink grog. The little ones on the hips of their siblings are given whatever will shut them up and the others buy quick-fix junk food like chips, chocolate biscuits and soft-drinks. I have seen these children line up outside takeaway franchises in their towns, just as their carers line up outside the pubs. Are they paying the price of their own addictions or are they simply responding the only way they know how?

Plenty of research exists to verify my observations; much has been written about the health and welfare of indigenous children and it is well worth discovering. One book you simply should read is Why Warriors Lie Down and Die, Richard Trudgen's account of Yolgnu aboriginal health delivery in Arnhem Land (published by Aboriginal Resource and Development Services in 2000, www.ards.com.au). After a few chapters I began to realise how much was missing from my Australian history lessons! The book is filled with very sad stories; however, it also contains a number of constructive suggestions and some have
since been implemented by Yolgnu communities.

I was also appalled to learn that, in some remote communities, the cost of fresh food is up to 180% higher than in capital cities and average incomes are well below the poverty line. I would not have considered this possible, but having paid twice the normal price for poor quality food in regional towns, I can believe it to be true.

How can this happen in the "lucky country" where we are so proud of our wonderful food industry? Have we been distracted by other events, or so busy with our lives that we've forgotten to look in our own backyard? No wonder Noel Pearson weeps for his "poor people". Don't get me wrong, there are good stories - whilst in the library this week I read about a wonderful health program delivering food, care and nutrition education to young mothers, in their own language, by their own people. Public awareness is also increasing, and, with that, many are calling for change. For example, the National Rural Health Alliance issued a position paper in March 2006, called Providing fresh food in remote Indigenous communities, which has some good suggestions, and many of which are already being implemented by the Fred Hollows Foundation and other NGOs delivering nutrition programs in remote communities.

The question I put to FMCA members is: what can we do? Surely there is a role for us in this equation? I know our own [Vice President] Veronica Cuskelly has shared her expertise with the indigenous women at Numbulwar - should we all be doing the same? I, for one, intend to think hard on how I might make a contribution, and hope that you do too. If you have any experiences to share or food education ideas to suggest, please let me know.

Kay Richardson is the founder of the Children's Food Education Foundation, a charity  established to promote an understanding of food, health, nutrition and healthy food choices by children and young people (www.childrensfoodeducation.org.au).