Statement 120 - Australian Permanent Mission and Consulate-General

Australian Permanent Mission and Consulate-General

Geneva, Switzerland

Address: Chemin des Fins 2, Case Postale 102, 1211 Geneva 19 - Telephone: 022 799 9100 - Fax: 022 799 9178

Human Rights Council – 14th Regular Session

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Health

Australia’s response to the Special Rapporteur’s report on Australia

The Australian Government thanks the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health for his report, and takes this opportunity to note with appreciation the Special Rapporteur’s recent country visit to Australia. We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s interest in Australia’s implementation of the right to health. The Australian Government looks forward to continuing our productive dialogue and reiterates its commitment to supporting and facilitating the important work of United Nations Special Procedures mandate holders.

Australia aims to deliver high quality health care across a population that is geographically and culturally diverse. We will give careful consideration to the recommendations made in the report concerning the health needs of particular groups. The Australian Government recognises that despite their strengths there are areas where our systems can be improved, and we are committed to a health reform process which will deliver better health outcomes for all Australians and better meet the needs of a growing and ageing population.

As the Special Rapporteur notes, the health of Australia’s Indigenous peoples has been adversely affected by a history of dispossession. Reversing the effects of this and removing the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians has been, and continues to be a significant commitment of the Government.

Tackling the range of factors that impact on the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including those living in remote communities, is challenging. That is why the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed in 2008 to substantial investment of more than $4.6 billion to address Indigenous disadvantage across the areas of health, early childhood, housing, employment and remote service delivery.

The Government welcomes the Special Rapporteur’s acknowledgement of the framework developed to ensure effective delivery of care to persons in immigration detention.

We also welcome the Special Rapporteur’s interest in the extensive human rights consultation recently undertaken by Australia. In response to this consultation, the Government has developed a Human Rights Framework that reaffirms the Government’s commitment to human rights and community engagement.

We note the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation to give priority to education in human rights. I am pleased to note that human rights education is one of the key priority areas identified in the Framework.

In closing, we again thank the Special Rapporteur for his interest in Australia.