The Healing Hands campaign is ANTaR's pre-Close The Gap campaign on Indigenous health rights. It has been developed in response to Indigenous calls for urgent action to address the crisis in Indigenous health.

We're working on the basis that:

1. it is a health emergency
   The Indigenous health crisis is literally a life and death issue affecting every aspect of Indigenous lives and communities. What is more, the situation for Indigenous Australians is getting worse, not better.

2. the crisis can be solved
   This emergency can be met. Governments need to show political will and put into action the strategies and solutions they have had in front of them for over 10 years. A genuine partnership approach that allows Indigenous people and communities to take responsibility for solutions will solve the crisis.

3. misconceptions must be addressed
   There remains widespread misunderstanding in the broader community about the Indigenous health crisis, its causes and solutions. It is essential to address these misunderstandings to improve attitudes and respect for Indigenous peoples and to motivate governments to act on these issues.

4. health is linked to other rights
   It is more than simply a health issue. Health is a human right that is directly linked to other fundamental human rights: housing and employment, relationships to land, rights to self-determination and to the enjoyment and protection of cultures.

5. health requires new government thinking
   Fixing Indigenous health involves more than tweaking service delivery. A changed policy approach is needed - one that allocates resources on the basis of need, and delivers Indigenous control of solutions.

6. we spend too little, not too much, on Indigenous health
   People think far more health dollars are spent on Indigenous people than everyone else. Yet Commonwealth health expenditure on Indigenous Australians is less than for other Australians despite Indigenous illness levels three times higher than the rest of the population.

What you can do

Your actions will make a difference ... take a look at the section below (What we've achieved already) for proof of that. Please continue to be active in this area:

• speak up against racism: it has been recognised as a threat to public health in Australia;
• be positive: ANTaR's Success Stories in Indigenous health show that Indigenous-led health care initiatives often get the best results;

What we're doing

The Healing Hands campaign aims to achieve improved outcomes in Indigenous health through:

• community education and public awareness initiatives to inform Australians about the Indigenous health crisis;
• building support networks of organizations and individuals working cooperatively on, or in support of, Indigenous health issues;
• projects in partnership with key Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations to develop targeted education initiatives;
• advocacy initiatives developed in consultation with other stakeholders to secure commitment from all governments and political parties to act on the Indigenous health crisis as a matter of urgency.

What we've already achieved together

ANTaR, along with more than 40 other organisations, helped persuade Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to commit to closing the Indigenous life expectancy gap as one of his government's top priorities.

We will continue to monitor and report on the government's progress in achieving this goal.