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The meaning behind the design

Artist: Toby Dodd, Dreamtime Public Relations, of Ngarrindjeri/Narungga/Kaurna descent.

Meaning: Health Direction.
The smaller outer dots represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The larger dots represent NATSIHEC’s goals and targets. The direction of the arrow-like shape represents NATSIHEC advising the government on goals and targets to reduce the life-expectancy gap. The research and developments that NATSIHEC are doing is increasing the health and life expectancy rate, which appears as the smaller dots becoming larger.

The colours represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; the red/yellow of the Aboriginal flag, and the blue/green of the Torres Strait Islander flag.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equality Council (NATSIHEC) formerly NIHEC was established to help give effect to the Indigenous Health Equality Summit Statement of Intent signed in March 2008. Minister Roxon, announced membership of the first Council on 10 July 2008, members were selected for their extensive knowledge on Indigenous health issues and were eminent individuals and experts from Government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health sector, and the broader health sector.

NATSIHEC is an important component of the Government’s commitment to Closing the Gap and tackling the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians as it provides a forum through which the Government can work in partnership with the community and the Indigenous health sector.

NATSIHEC advises the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for Health and the Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Minister for Indigenous Health on working towards the provision of equitable and sustainable health outcomes for Indigenous Australians. NATSIHEC also provides national leadership in responding to the Australian Government’s commitment to closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage. NATSIHEC meets quarterly and the outcomes of meetings are reported through the Communiques.

The inaugural NIHEC played a key role in the development of monitoring of progress towards a set of health-related goals and targets to support the Australian Government’s commitments on life expectancy and child mortality through its National Target Setting Instruments which can be accessed electronically through Publications.

Latest news

NATSIHEC's primary focus in 2013 is on the development of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan (the Plan). NATSIHEC hosted two Roundtables in 2012 (one in March and one in May) as an opportunity to bring together experts from around Australia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. The purpose of the meetings was to provide an opportunity to build the vision and identify the opportunities and risks that need to be considered in drafting the Plan. NATSIHEC's contribution to the development of the Plan and its relationship with other advisory bodies can be seen in this Leadership Statement

Page currency, Latest update: 08 May, 2013