Forwarded from Christine Howes: Media Release: Apunipima Cape York Health Council March 6 2000 State Government Fails Cape York on Grog The Apunipima Cape York Health Council today urged Commonwealth intervention to provide urgently needed alcohol abuse facilities in the Cape York region. "Despite the fact that alcohol abuse is almost epidemic in Cape York there are presently no facilities whatsoever available for people trying to overcome their drinking problems", said Apunipima Director, Ms Kerry Arabena. "There are no detox centres, drying out centres or rehabilitation centres even after the fact that every recent study has found alcohol to be one of the major causes of injury and chronic disease in the Cape. "This situation almost beggars belief, particularly when it was previous Queensland Governments that insisted Aboriginal Community Councils establish beer canteens in the first place," she continued. "Whilst we acknowledge that overcoming the grog problem will need hard work, responsibility and commitment from our own people the Queensland Government must accept its responsibility to provide basic services for those who want to get off the grog. We can only do so much on our own. "Even information about the dangers of grog and other drugs are hard to find in our communities and that is just not good enough". Apunipimas call follows comments by the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia that Indigenous health is an impediment to reconciliation and that an injection of funds for Aboriginal alcohol and drugs programs is urgently needed. "We welcome the comments from the Alcohol & Other Drugs Council and ask that, in light of Queenslands failure to properly address this situation, the Commonwealth directly intervene to fund alcohol treatment and education programs in our region", concluded Ms Arabena, "Dr Wooldridges department couldnt do as badly as the present mob". ENDS -- ********************************* Make the Hunger Site your homepage! http://www.thehungersite.com/index.html ********************************* ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
