WUNRN
July 9, 2009
AUSTRALIA - ABORIGINAL WOMEN OF
FITZROY CROSSING SAVE
COMMUNITY FROM SCOURGE
OF ALCOHOL ABUSE, VIOLENCE
Neena
Bhandari, Womens Feature Service
Indigenous Aboriginal women from the
remote Western Australian town of Fitzroy Crossing have saved their community
from the scourge of alcohol abuse, domestic violence and foetal alcohol
syndrome by successfully fighting for alcohol restrictions in the region. The
town has a total population of 928 persons, with 67.3 per cent Indigenous
persons.
In 2007, a
group of courageous Aboriginal women in the outback town of
Fitzroy
Crossing decided enough was enough. Their community had experienced 13 suicides
in 13 months and many premature deaths. Family violence and child abuse were
rife and alcohol consumption was rising at an alarming rate.
"Growing
alcohol consumption was decimating our community, which was numb with grief. So
a group of us women, who feel strongly about social issues and want to improve
the health and happiness of our community, supported by some men, made the hard
decisions and collectively fought for alcohol restriction," informs Emily
Carter, Chairperson, Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre's (MWRC). The
MWRC led this movement against alcohol from the front.
Indigenous
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to drink alcohol
at harmful levels, smoke, have high blood pressure, be obese, have diabetes and
suffer from end-stage kidney disease. They are 2.6 times as likely to die from
heart, stroke and vascular diseases, and the injury death rate for Indigenous
young Australians is five times that of their non-Indigenous counterpart,
according to The George Institute for International Health website. The
Institute has been developing pragmatic, evidence-informed and community-based
solutions to improving Indigenous health.
"We
could no longer pretend that there was no problem and had to take urgent
action," says June Oscar, CEO of the MWRC, which was established in 1991
and runs a women's refuge, where women and children can seek safe accommodation
in crisis. "The number of women seeking a safe shelter had been steadily
growing. So we decided to seek the intervention of the regulating authorities
and took our fight all the way to Western Australia's Director of Liquor Licensing,
demanding ban on sale of full-strength liquor for take-away," she reveals.
Today, the
sale of packaged liquor, exceeding a concentration of ethanol in liquor of 2.7
per cent is prohibited to any person in Fitzroy Crossing.
But the road
to bringing about the ban was fraught with danger. "There was much
opposition and surprisingly, it came from people whom we thought would never
oppose. We received physical threats, threat of tribal punishment, verbal
abuse. It was very scary and it affected my children, especially my daughter at
school. Conversation would stop when my children walked into a public
place," recalls Carter, who had earlier managed a Sobering-Up Centre in
Fitzroy Crossing. Sobering-Up Centres were an initiative that sprung from
Aboriginal deaths in custody over the years. Instead of sending intoxicated
people to prison, they would be sent to these centres.
Supported by
the wider family network, these women carried on even when the going was tough.
There was success at last. The initial restrictions were announced in October
2007 and then extended for six months and since October 2008 the restrictions
have been imposed indefinitely.
The
restriction has resulted in major benefits for the community, with statistics
clearly demonstrating significant improvements in health and social outcomes.
"By curbing take-away alcohol, you can get people to responsibly serve
alcohol in pubs. People are not walking away drunk," says Carter, who
feels change can't be imposed from the top, and that indigenous communities
have to be equal partners in policies that impact them.
Today the
picturesque landscape of Fitzroy Crossing is no longer littered with empty beer
cans, the noise levels have reduced considerably and public intoxication is at
a minimum. There has been a 27 per cent reduction in alcohol-related reported
domestic violence and a 48 per cent decrease in the number of people coming to
the hospital emergency department with alcohol-related problems. It has also
had its impact in the increasing number of children sleeping better and
attending school instead of wandering the streets at night. "The results
of alcohol restriction have set the community on a path of healing. Alcohol use
has been affecting the future survival of Aboriginal people and women, who are
the providers of care and at the same time need care," says Oscar, one of
the few in her community with a Bachelor's degree in Business from the
University of Notre Dame in Broome, Western Australia.
According to
the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2006 Census, 25.6 per cent of Indigenous
persons aged 15 years and over, who were usually residing in Fitzroy Crossing
had completed Year 10 or equivalent of schooling, and 14.1 per cent had
completed Year 12 or equivalent. Around 3.3 per cent persons aged 15-19 years
were in full-time education and 20.2 per cent Indigenous persons aged 15 years
and above had a qualification. The school in Fitzroy Crossing has recently been
extended up to Year 12.
This
powerful story of positive change brought about by the courage and resilience
of Aboriginal women has been made into a documentary, 'Yajillara', which in the
Bunuba Indigenous language means 'to dream', by producer and director, Melanie
Hogan, and co-producer Jane Latimer.
While big
corporations declined to fund the project, a generous Australian family came
forward to fund it entirely, with no strings attached. Recently, 'Yajillara'
received a standing ovation at a side event during the 53rd Session of the
United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York. It was a historic
event as, for the first time, Aboriginal women, who were especially flown in
for the event, related their story of leadership and change to an international
audience.
At the
film's Sydney premier, Tanya Plibersek, Australia's Minister for Housing and
Minister for the Status of Women, said, "There is such a real hunger to
hear a story about Indigenous people taking action to improve their lives. This
is a story of success against odds."
So, where
will these women go from this historic feat? Says Oscar, "There are so
many challenges and so many opportunities too. We have to find strategic
partnerships with the government, the industry and the people to sustain our
campaign, where indigenous and non-indigenous people drink responsibly. It is
time Australia as a nation confronts this culture of alcohol."
Womens
Feature Service covers developmental, political, social and economic issues in
India and around the globe. www.wfsnews.org
_________________________________________________________________________
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/internet/jennymacklin.nsf/content/alcohol_ban_fitzroy_09apr08.htm
AUSTRALIA - EXTENDING THE ALCOHOL
BAN AT FITZROY CROSSING
09/04/2008
The
Australian Government supports continuing the alcohol ban at Fitzroy Crossing
beyond its due expiry date of 23 May 2008.
There have been marked improvements in health, education and safety since the
ban was imposed by the Western Australian director of liquor licensing in
October at the request of local women.
Women from the Marninwarntikura Fitzroy Women's Centre lobbied strongly for the
ban and the results vindicate their concerns and their determination to do
something about alcohol abuse in their community.
I commend these women for acknowledging the problems in the community and
having the courage to speak out.
This sort of action at the community level is vital if we are serious about
making a difference in Indigenous communities.
A study by the Notre Dame University has found that the alcohol ban has led to
a 50 per cent fall in the number of people seeking treatment at the Fitzroy
Crossing Emergency Department.
As well there has been a 27 per cent reduction in alcohol related domestic
violence, and a 14 per cent increase in high school attendance.
These early results are encouraging and the Australian Government supports the
extension of the alcohol ban.
We are determined to take every measure we can to turn around the shocking
levels of neglect and abuse in many remote Indigenous communities.
We are also funding family violence prevention legal services, an Indigenous
women's program, a childcare support program and emergency relief in the
Fitzroy Valley.
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