latrobe.edu.au

Coverage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nutrition in the Mail

CARMEN VARGAS, Jennifer Browne, Tracy Hardy, Edward Moore, Hassan Vally, and Deborah Gleeson

19 September 2019

La Trobe University CRICOS Provider Code Number 00115M latrobe.edu.au Nutrition and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

 Food has a significant connection to culture, land, and family  Food and nutrition can prevent disease and improve quality of life – Chronic conditions are responsible for 70% of the gap in disease burden between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non- (AIHW,2016) – After tobacco, diet and excess of weight are the leading risk factors contributing to burden of disease (AIHW,2016) latrobe.edu.au Representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues in mainstream media

 Common mainstream media reporting practice: – Racist – Promotes negative stereotypes – Narrow and sensationalistic – Promotes a deficits discourse – Limited or intermittent First Nations voices

(McCallum & Waller, 2017; McCallum et al., 2012) latrobe.edu.au Alternative media

 Can be distinguished if: – Deals with small minorities’ opinions – Challenges widely-held beliefs – Adopts views of issues that do not receive regular coverage by the mainstream media

(Atton, 2002) latrobe.edu.au What we intended to find out

 To examine the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nutrition was covered in an Aboriginal community publication – Representation of nutrition in the Koori Mail – Extent and nature of coverage of nutrition-related issues – Inclusion of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander voices – Change over time latrobe.edu.au How we approached the issue

Aboriginal Community Media: The Koori Mail Period of time: 2013-2017 Inclusion criteria: – focused on , or Torres Strait Islanders – dealt substantially with food or nutrition-related health issues Data analysis: content and framing analysis Two Aboriginal co-investigators involved in analysis 6 latrobe.edu.au

Nutrition issues covered by the Koori Mail

Distribution of articles according to the nutrition issues covered (n=102) 2% Overweight/Obesity/chronic disease 9% Healthy habits 10% 28% Food supply/food security

Cultural aspects of health 23% 28% Maternal/child nutrition

Other latrobe.edu.au Nutrition issues covered by the Koori Mail

(The Koori Mail, 24/04/2013) (The Koori Mail, 18/06/2018)

perpective (The Koori Mail, 11/03/2015)

based based

-

Positive language Positive Solutions Strengths (The Koori Mail, 18/11/2015) (The Koori Mail, 1/07/2015) (The Koori Mail, 27/04/2013) latrobe.edu.au

Portrayal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Distribution of articles according to the portrayal of First Peoples and 80% communities (n=102)

60%

40%

20%

0% 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 positive neutral negative latrobe.edu.au Portrayal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Positive Neutral Negative

(The Koori Mail, 13/02/2013) (The Koori Mail, 10/09/2014) (The Koori Mail, 29/11/2017) latrobe.edu.au

Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and non- Indigenous voices

Inclusion of First Peoples and non-Indigenous voices from 2013-2017 (n=102)

100% First Peoples’ voices empower 80% and promote self- 60% determination among 40% Aboriginal and Torres Strait 20% Islander Peoples and 0% communities. 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 yes no Unsure latrobe.edu.au Summary

 The Koori Mail managed to cover a wide range of important nutrition issues within a holistic view of health and wellbeing  Journalism can reflect the diversity and strengths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples  Perspective which could potentially improve health equity both directly through reducing racist stereotypes and indirectly through improved health policy latrobe.edu.au Three actions to implement

 Media reporting that better supports the efforts of First Peoples to improve nutrition and well-being demonstrates: 1. Culturally appropriate understanding 2. More Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander voices 3. Stories framed as “success stories” instead of stories of “disadvantage” latrobe.edu.au Reference List

AIHW. (2016). Australian burden of disease study: impact and causes of illness and death in Australia 2011. (BOD 4). , ACT Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Atton, C. (2002). Alternative media. London: Thousand Oaks [Calif.]: SAGE. Browne, J., Gleeson, D., Adams, K., Atkinson, P., & Hayes, R. (2018). Coverage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nutrition in major Australian newspapers, 1996–2015. ANZJPH, 42(3), 277-283. doi:10.1111/1753-6405.12790 McCallum, K., & Waller, L. (2017). The dimensions of mediatized policy-making in Australian Indigenous affairs. Communications, 42(2), 173-193. doi:10.1515/commun-2017- 0013 McCallum, K., Waller, L., & Meadows, M. (2012). Raising the Volume: Indigenous Voices in News Media and Policy. Media International Australia, 142(1), 101-111. doi:10.1177/1329878X1214200112 NHMRC. (2000). Nutrition in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples : an information paper. Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council. Thank you

Carmen Vargas [email protected]