The health of indigenous people in Queensland would only improve when state and federal governments, their agencies and professionals in the field began working together, an Aboriginal leader said today.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma said governments should stop seeing the health of indigenous people as purely a health issue.
"There are a whole lot of social determinants that impact on good health," Mr Calma said tonight ahead of a public meeting organised by the Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS).
"We have to address all of those if we are to see any sort of realistic outcome in the long term," he said.
The "paltry" amount of money going into Aboriginal health funding would achieve little unless other aspects of life were addressed, he said.
"We need to really look at ways in which we can address educational, literacy, poverty and mental health and wellbeing issues."
Mr Calma said he was not simply calling for more government money.
"What we are calling for is for governments to address all of these issues by engaging with indigenous people to help identify the problems and the solutions, looking at health from a social determinants approach and engaging with professionals in the field.
"We all need to be going in the same direction if we are going to see any real outcomes.
"We also need to get both governments on the same page – state and federal."
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