Aboriginal Health Workers (AHWs) have been short changed. They have not only been provided with charlatan training but also sold a charlatan role. The amount of training they receive does not match the level of responsibility expected of them, and there are few opportunities for promotion within the profession. Overall, AHWs receive the lowest pay among community service and health occupations but are assumed to be able to deal with some of the country’s most intractable health problems.
Sara Hudson is a Research Fellow in the Indigenous Affairs Research Program at The Centre for Independent Studies. Her research focuses on issues affecting Indigenous Australians, including the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program, Indigenous homeownership, lack of accountability in Indigenous health, remote Indigenous stores, and alcohol restrictions. Before joining CIS, Sara worked as a policy adviser for the NZ Department of Labour, and in the Evaluation Unit of NZ Police. She has a Bachelor of Arts with first-class honours in criminology and anthropology from Victoria University, Wellington.
