Media Release
11 February 2008
ANF supports stolen generation apology
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) today expressed strong support for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s decision to apologise to Indigenous Australia’s ‘stolen generations’.
ANF Federal Secretary Jill Iliffe said the apology would help heal the wounds of past injustice and begin a true process of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
“The apology is well overdue and will provide a basis for a new era of cooperation and respect within the Australian community.”
Ms Iliffe said the apology was the first step towards improving the health of Indigenous Australian’s and closing the 17-year life expectancy gap.
“For too long the health of Indigenous Australian’s has been neglected and the apology signals the Rudd Government is serious about improving health outcomes for Indigenous people. The ANF was also pleased to hear Kevin Rudd pledge to tackle “obscenely” high Indigenous child mortality rates,” Ms Iliffe said.
Nurses play a key role in delivering health services to Indigenous people throughout Australia and overwhelmingly support all efforts to improving health outcomes for Indigenous people.
“It is crucial that the government take the spirit of the apology forward into concrete gains in the health and social status of Indigenous Australians. Essential primary health services must be provided to all communities and improved and extended to ensure Indigenous people have access to the same quality of health care as non-Indigenous people,” Ms Iliffe said
Media inquiries:
Jill Iliffe, Federal Secretary, 0419 576 590
Ged Kearney, Assistant Federal Secretary, 0417 053 322
The ANF, representing 150,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses and midwives in