Monday, August 11, 2008

As for the kids?

Aborigines 'healthier living in country' - Yahoo!7 News

According to the report:

Keeping Aboriginal people actively involved in homeland settlements also offers significant benefits to the environment, said senior economist David Campbell.

"We're finding clear evidence that working `on country' has benefits for the health of Aboriginal people and for the nation," said Dr Campbell from the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre.

He has presented the initial findings of the Livelihoods inLandTM project deep in the heart of Arnhem Land.

Speaking to a gathering of politicians, journalists, tourists and Aborigines at the Garma Festival, Dr Campbell said: "It's a win-win-win proposition."

"The health benefits in terms of reducing levels of high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease are quite striking when people are actively engaged in looking after their country," he said.

Hundreds of tiny settlements, with populations of less than 50 people, dot the territory outback.

What about kids who are in these settlements? Surely they can't expect a good education that way, without heading off to a boarding school? If their parents live an extra 10 or 20 years, that's a good thing, but it would have to be balanced against any reduction in opportunity that it involves for the children.

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