CATHERINE KING MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND MEDICARE
MEMBER FOR BALLARAT
WARREN SNOWDON MP
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR NORTHERN AUSTRALIA
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS HEALTH
MEMBER FOR LINGIARI
ELIDA FAITH
CANDIDATE FOR LEICHHARDT
NITA GREEN
QUEENSLAND SENATE CANDIDATE
LABOR WILL HELP IMPROVE INDIGENOUS SEXUAL HEALTH IN QUEENSLAND
A Shorten Labor Government will help improve Indigenous sexual health in Cairns and across Queensland by restoring $1.8 million cut by the LNP.
This election will be a choice between a united Shorten Labor Government which will restore the Liberals’ cuts to health and give our community the health services it deserves, or more of the Liberals’ cuts and chaos. We need real change, because more of the same isn’t good enough.
The Queensland Aids Council ran the ‘2Spirits’ Indigenous sexual health program for 21 years. As well as statewide services, it provided Aboriginal sexual health workers in Cairns and Brisbane.
But federal funding was cut by the LNP in 2017, with no consultation with stakeholders and despite growing rates of sexually transmitted disease amongst Indigenous communities.
The $1.8 million of funding would be delivered over four years to fund four full-time sexual health and community liaison officers based in Cairns and Brisbane.
The program will be delivered by QuAC by adopting a whole-of-community approach, in consultation with local indigenous health services.
This program has had well known successes in community engagement and education, most notably the introduction of Condoman and Lubelicious, the safe-sex superheroes.
We know that community-centred care works best, not only in helping to close the gap but also in strengthening communities and creating positive social outcomes.
We cannot close the gap if we do not deliver effective, accessible and culturally appropriate health services to First Australians.
LBTIQ First Australians also face a range of difficulties, and programs like 2Spirits work with communities and individuals to break down barriers and deliver services that save lives.
This funding is in addition to Labor’s $39 million commitment to Make HIV History, which includes:
- $10 million a year to renew Australia’s HIV response by restoring the funding and capacity that the Liberals have cut from HIV peak organisations.
- $3 million a year to target ‘hidden populations’.
This investment comes on top of Labor’s $115 million First Nations health package – including $20 million for sexual health promotion.
This election is a choice between Labor’s plan for better health care for all Australians or bigger tax loopholes for the top end of town under the LNP.
We can afford to spend more on important initiatives like the 2Spirits Program because we’ve made the tough decisions to make multinationals pay their fair share and close unfair tax loopholes
A Shorten Labor Government will always invest more on health and community services than the LNP.
As Treasurer, Scott Morrison cut from health and hospitals in every Budget he delivered, including $7.2 million cut from the Cairns Hospital and over $1 million cut from hospitals across the Cape and Torres Strait.
This program was delivering important benefits for marginalised Australians, but the LNP cut its funding. Only Labor is promising a better deal.
Labor knows that community and social engagement play a key role in health and prevention. That’s why we will always fight for better care and investment in the services that matter to Australians.
It is time to end the cuts and chaos. Vote for change. Vote for Labor.
MONDAY, 6 MAY 2019