Indigenous tobacco control initiative

• Reach:

  National

• Focus area:

  Indigenous

• Status:

  Current

• Evaluated:

  No

Overview

The Australian Government's Indigenous tobacco control initiative aims to halve smoking rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in urban, regional and remote areas by 2018. The initiative was launched in March 2008 with a commitment of $14.5 million over three years. Funding of $3.8 million was provided for six projects in 2008-09, and from 2010 a further $10.7 million was provided. The projects launched under this initiative are based on innovative and culturally-appropriate, community-based approaches. The initiative is funding 18 projects located in various regions of Australia:

• Gippsland and Latrobe Valley regions of Victoria
• Rural and urban areas of mid North Coast, Central and Western New South Wales
• Toowoomba and remote areas in Queensland
• Katherine region and Elcho Island in the Northern Territory
• Rockingham/Kwinana areas of Western Australia.

Programs under the initiative which have already had success include:

• Miwatj tackling smoking project in East Arnhem Land, which has involved local communities and schools in developing anti-smoking videos
• the use of smokerlyzers and 'smoky suzie' dolls in the Strong mothers' strong bubs program, growing community support for smokefree areas and counselling for smokers
  
• Maari Ma smoking cessation project in the far west of New South Wales, which is supporting the Maari Ma Health service to become a smokefree workplace, providing specialist cessation advice for GPs, primary healthcare workers and child and family health practitioners, and expanding the existing 12-week smoking cessation program in the region.

Contacts

Department of Health and Ageing
Central Office
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601
Ph: (02) 6289 1555 (switchboard)
Email: enquiries@health.gov.au

Media contacts for Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon:
Alice Plate
Mobile: 0400 045 999
Nick Cox
Ph: (02) 6277 7380

Dr Tom Calma
National co-ordinator for Tackling Indigenous smoking
Australian Human Rights Commission
Level 8
Piccadilly Tower
133 Castlereagh Street
Sydney NSW 2000
GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001
Ph: (02) 9284 9600
Ph: 1300 656 419 (Complaints Infoline)
Ph: 1300 369 711 (General enquiries and publications)
TTY: 1800 620 241
Fax: (02) 9284 9611
Mobile: 0488 744 487 (SMS for info pack or complaint form)

Related publications

Calma T (2011)

Tackling Indigenous smoking.

Of Substance; 9(2): 28-29

• Links
• View article: Tackling Indigenous smoking (PDF - 2.3 MB)
• View website: Of Substance

National tobacco campaign - break the chain (2011)

Department of Health and Ageing

The Break the chain campaign aims to contribute to halving the smoking rate for Indigenous Australians. This resource package has been produced by the Department of Health and is aimed at Indigenous smokers in order to increase awareness of the health impacts of smoking. The campaign will support quit attempts amongst smokers and promote strategies to avoid relapse among quitters. The package contains:

• a TV commercial
• two radio advertisements
• a print advertisement.

Abstact adapted from Department of Health & Ageing

• Links
• View resource: Break the chain print advertisement (PDF - 754.6 KB)
• View resource: Break the chain radio advertisement 1 [MP3 audio]
• View resource: Break the chain radio advertisement 2 [MP3 audio]
• View resource: Break the chain TV commercial [Mpeg video]
• View information: Break the chain print advertisement
• View information: Break the chain radio advertisement 1
• View information: Break the chain radio advertisement 2
• View information: Break the chain TV commercial
• View information: National tobacco campaign - break the chain
• View website: Department of Health and Ageing

Links

• View information: Break the chain campaign
• View information: National action to reduce Indigenous smoking rate
• View information: Tobacco - Recommended Key Action Area
• View media release: Government launches first indigenous-targeted anti-smoking campaign
• View media release: Indigenous anti-smoking campaign to focus on family impact
• View media release: $10.7 Million to Combat Indigenous Smoking (PDF - 33.5 KB)
• View media release: Break the chain: Indigenous anti-tobacco campaign kicks off (PDF - 16.6 KB)
• View website: Department of Health and Ageing