Keynote address to Australian pre-World Congress on RHD meeting
Adelaide Convention Centre
Monday 7 August 2023
Good morning, everyone. I am Dawn Casey, a Tagalaka Traditional Owner from North Queensland. Like many of you, I am a visitor in Kaurna country. I acknowledge Kaurna people and their land, their wisdom and resilience. I pay my respects to Kaurna Elders past, present and emerging; and thank them for their continuing efforts in protecting and nurturing their land and culture. I also acknowledge other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are here with us today and the leadership that you all provide to your communities, especially during this time leading up to the Voice. Finally, I would like to acknowledge my colleague Ben Mudaliar at the Department of Health and all of the speakers who are presenting today.
My thanks also to the National Heart Foundation of Australia, the Snow Foundation and Telethon Kids Institute for inviting me to speak today.
If Pat were here, she would no doubt take the opportunity to recall her own public comments way back in 2019. At that time, Pat acknowledged that RHD was the greatest cause of cardiovascular inequality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country.
She spoke straight from her own heart when she said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people acquire RHD through because of crowded houses and a lack of access to hot water,
to showers that work, to washing machines.
She continued that our clinics are overwhelmed with demand and sometimes skin sores and sore throats go untreated, rheumatic fever is missed and sometimes it is too late for treatment.
