Indigenous Tobacco Control Initiative

• Reach:

  National

• Focus area:

  Indigenous

• Status:

  Completed

Overview

The Australian Government's Indigenous Tobacco Control Initiative aimed to halve smoking rates among Indigenous 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 funded 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.

Abstract adapted from Department of Health and Ageing

Contacts

Department of Health
Central Office
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601
Ph: (02) 6289 1555 (switchboard)
Ph: 1800 020 103 (freecall)

Related publications

Calma T (2011)

Tackling Indigenous smoking.

Of Substance; 9(2): 28-29

• Links
• View abstract: Tackling Indigenous smoking
• View article: Tackling Indigenous smoking
• View website: Of Substance

Report broken link

Links

• View information: Tobacco - Recommended Key Action Area (PDF - 30.9 KB)
• View media release: Government launches first indigenous-targeted anti-smoking campaign
• View contact details: Department of Health
• View website: Department of Health

---

---

© Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet 2015
This product, excluding the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet logo, artwork, and any material owned by a third party or protected by a trademark, has been released under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) licence. Excluded material owned by third parties may include, for example, design and layout, images obtained under licence from third parties and signatures.