For example the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT (AMSANT) comments:

“Published health research from around the Northern Territory confirms the views of homelands residents and Aboriginal service organisations on the beneficial health impacts of homelands living. Specifically, homelands living has been shown to be associated with:
 improved mental health;
 higher activity levels and a better diet leading to lower rates of overweight and obesity;
 reduced risk of chronic disease, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease;
 lower hospitalisation rates;
 lowered rates of alcohol related injury;
 reduced levels of petrol sniffing; and
 increased sense of life control and consequent improved resilience against poor health.”

They add “Supporting and encouraging homelands living can therefore make a significant contribution to the goal of closing the gap in health between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.”

Marvellous! … or so it seems. Real supportive evidence for the homelands. But it is only evidence after all. And it seems that for the Rudd government and the NT government ideology trumps evidence.

There are those in public health who are up in arms at this but there needs to be a major concerted effort across the whole Australian public health community to shift the governments’ thinking on the homelands.