This chapter discusses some of the complex issues surrounding the notion of cultural competence—and the critical need for practitioners to develop knowledge, skills, understandings and attributes to be responsive in diverse cultural settings. The argument for culturally competent mental health practitioners and services is situated within a human rights framework which underpins the principles, standards...

The performance of mainstream services provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians is a particular focus of the annual Report on Government Services. This Indigenous Compendium contains all the Indigenous data to be found in the most recent Report, published in January 2014. This Compendium, like the Report, was compiled by the Steering Committee...

Factors influencing obesity are not confined to the health portfolio, argues this paper. Instead the factors occur across portfolios including housing, education, employment, social welfare and community development. Executive summary What is the problem? Obesity rates are higher among Indigenous, compared to non-Indigenous, Australians, and this problem begins in early childhood. If this trend of...

Despite significant advancements in the legal framework for Native Title and stated commitments to corporate social responsibility towards local Indigenous populations, this study suggests that Indigenous communities leveraged minimal benefits from the mining boom in terms of employment opportunity.

The Indigenous population is projected to continue to grow at a much faster rate than the non-Indigenous population over at least the next 20 years. One explanation for this rapid growth is a high rate of mixed marriage partnerships with the children of these partnerships tending to be identified as Indigenous. In 2011, 56.5 per...