Indigenous Health
The health status of Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander people is considerably poorer than any other social group in Australia.
The Australian Nursing Federation recognises the nursing and midwifery professions play a significant role in improving the health of Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander people and that addressing health inequality is a priority.
Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses
The ANF supports and works with our colleagues who form the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN). CATSIN exists to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses, midwives, and students undertaking nursing and midwifery courses leading to registration and enrolment.
For further information on CATSIN, visit their website.
Closing the Gap
Close the Gap is a campaign for Indigenous Health Equality. The campaign's goal is to close the health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians within a generation.
The ANF supports Australia’s commitment to closing the appalling 17 year life expectancy gap through implementation of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC*) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner’s recommendations to achieve health equality for Indigenous people within a generation.
Nurses and midwives provide frontline health services in many Indigenous communities and are committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal Health Workers, GPs and allied health professionals to deliver high quality, culturally appropriate health care services.
*HREOC - now known as the Australian Human Rights Commission.
For further information on the Close the Gap campaign go to: