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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Care Choices and Access Barriers in Mount Isa

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Care Choices and Access Barriers in Mount Isa ResearchOnline@JCU This file is part of the following reference: McBain-Rigg, Kristin Emma (2011) Who cares? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health care choices and access barriers in Mount Isa. PhD thesis, James Cook University. Access to this file is available from: http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/31287/ The author has certified to JCU that they have made a reasonable effort to gain permission and acknowledge the owner of any third party copyright material included in this document. If you believe that this is not the case, please contact [email protected] and quote http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/31287/ Who cares? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Care Choices and Access Barriers in Mount Isa. i Thesis submitted by Kristin Emma MCBAIN-RIGG BSocSc(Hons) JCU in August 2011 for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Schools of Arts and Social Sciences and Medicine James Cook University. Statement on the contribution of others. Nature of assistance Contribution Names, Titles and Affiliations of Co-contributors Intellectual support Cultural Mentorship: Dr Louis Peachey, formerly of MICRRH, now of Atherton Hospital, Guidance on research Queensland Health conduct with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Mr Shaun Solomon, Indigenous Islander peoples Studies Co-ordinator, MICRRH Mrs Catrina Felton-Busch formerly of MICRRH, now Indigenous Health Unit, James Cook University Cartography: Map 1: Adella Edwards, Cartographer, James Cook Creation of Map 1 University Creation of Map 2 Map 2: Geraldine Hollyman (GIS Cadet), Mr Bhan Pratap (CEO), Source copy of Map 3 Mount Isa City Council Map 3: Shireen Lazaro, Office of Health and Medical Research, Queensland Health Photography: Aerial photo: Mount Isa City Council Aerial Photograph Dr Dennis Pashen, former Director Other photographs not of MICRRH, now of Queensland taken by the author Health Editorial Assistance: General editing for Mrs Kerry McBain, James Cook readability University Financial support Australian Postgraduate Award Awarded by James Cook University All research procedures reported in the thesis received the approval of the relevant Ethics Committees as specified in the declaration to follow. There has been one publication to come from this research to date, co-authored by Professor Craig Veitch. His contribution was in general i editing and assistance refining the article to fit with the guidelines of the journal. Professor Veitch had published in this journal previously and thus provided his expertise as an established author. I also received two competitive grants during my candidature that assisted me to further my research, and attend an international conference to present my work. I received a JCU Graduate Research School Grant in 2008 to the value of $3000 for a trip to Canberra to work in the AIATSIS and National libraries, and a travel grant ($1500) in 2008 to attend the ASA/AAS/ANZASA Conference in Auckland, New Zealand. Every reasonable attempt has been made to gain permission and acknowledge the owners of copyright material. I would be pleased to hear from any copyright owner who has been omitted or incorrectly acknowledged. ii ii iii Acknowledgements. This thesis is dedicated to Talia-Joy and Shahla-Rae Peachey and Jacob Rigg. Talia and Shahla became my nieces when their father, Dr Louis Peachey, adopted me (and my husband Liam) into their family. As an aunt to these beautiful girls and a mother to my wonderful son I am obligated to create a world that is better than the one they were born into. I hope that this work goes someway to creating that world. To everyone that has shared this journey with me, I have been trying to think of something to say, and “thank you” doesn’t even come close to expressing my gratitude to you all. I must begin by thanking my entire supervisory team: Associate Professor Rosita Henry, Professor Craig Veitch, Dr Stephanie De La Rue, and cultural mentors Dr Louis Peachey, Mr Shaun Solomon and Mrs Catrina Felton-Busch. I appreciate the commitment that you have all shown, in different ways, to enhancing my intellectual and professional journey. Rosita and Craig, you have both been amazing supervisors, all that I could ever hope for, and often, much more. The way that you have worked together to supervise this work is a real credit to your professionalism. And to have two supervisors that truly understand the challenges of completing a thesis with infants in toe has been a salvation for me. Thank you for sharing your stories of parenthood with me. Rosita, we have known each other for a long time, and I have always admired your beauty and grace, even under pressure. You have been an amazing teacher, and have imparted so much wisdom to me, beyond what could ever be captured in a university course. Thanks to you (and Douglas Miles and Rohan Bastin) I was inspired to see the world through an anthropological lens. Anthropology is not simply what I do, it is how I live. It orients me in the world, always. To Craig: You have shown me the beauty in pragmatism. A confessed methodologist who is ‘undisciplined’ (tongue firmly in cheek), you have been a constant inspiration to me. You brought health services research to life for me and have given me the room to be flexible in my research, to consider different ways of approaching the questions that I have. I cannot thank you enough for the support, encouragement, energy and mentorship you have given me. I aspire to be the leader that you are. I hope that this work makes you proud. And to my Associate Supervisor, Dr Stephanie De La Rue, you had perhaps the most difficult of the supervisory roles – making sure I was still alive and on track each day! Thank you for the support and care that you have given me, alongside all of the laughs and shenanigans at MICRRH. You have been a good boss and a good friend. I have learned a lot about the practical world of research and the ups and downs that can occur in the process of researching something you care about. Being able to work at MICRRH while doing this research has kept me grounded in the research process and has enriched my research experience beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you for helping me to grow as a professional and as a person. Beyond supervisors, a PhD candidate never stands alone. To my husband, companion and best critical friend, Liam: I know this has been a long journey for you, too. I am forever grateful for your love, patience, kindness and pragmatism throughout the past years. I know that you too have been committed to this cause, and I have enjoyed watching you grow as we shared knowledge and experiences. You are an amazing man, a sharp and pragmatic intellect, and my best friend. Thank you and I love you. To my mother and father, Kerry and Pat: thank you for being great parents, who have always encouraged me to ‘be the change I want to see in the world’, and to follow the intellectual paths iv that have been meaningful to me. I could not have done this without your generous support (especially over the past four years), love, kindness and intellectual engagement. To my Grandmother, Margaret and Grandfather Des, my Aunty Robyn and Uncle Alan, and Grandma Val, I hope this work makes it a bit clearer what an anthropologist does, and gives you a reason to be proud of me. Thank you for the love and support you have always given to me. And my step- sisters, Bec and Lisa...I hope you enjoy your academic journey too. You have bright careers ahead, and I am so proud. I hope my work comes in handy for you one day, and thanks for being wonderful aunties to Jacob. To my skin brother, Louis and sister, Tess: Thank you for the love you have shown to Liam and I over the years. We have shared so many laughs and tears with you and the girls. You were our Mount Isa family, we never felt alone with you around. Louis, you have been the greatest inspiration and mentor to me in my journey through the world of Indigenous Health. Your gentle soul has shined a light over this work, and created the basis for my passion and sustained commitment to this project. It has been my honour and a great privilege to call you my brother, and I hope that this work does you proud. To Tess, you provided me with a sanctuary in times of stormy weather, a place that I could go to relax and create beautiful things. I miss the quilt shop, and our quilting friends, every Saturday. But I have so many memories, all tied up in my beautiful quilts, that contain the hours of consideration and conversations that we shared with Anne, Sue, v Kylie and so many others. To all of my friends, old and new, I have been constantly inspired to keep going by you. Your facebook messages, phone calls and visits have made the process more like a life than a degree. In particular, Lisa Crossland for being my best PhD sister (there’s a bathroom on the right), Emily Molloy, my playgroup Mums, including Helen, Lauren, Bernie, Bec and Theona (you have no idea how much I owe to you all), Ellana Daniels and Gary Robertson, Jenni Darr, Kaye Smith, Leanne Shaw, Aunty Dolly, Aunty Nancy, my colleagues from the RHRU at JCU, and especially Shaun...you were the best cubicle brother a girl could ever have...moving in with you and Juan was the best move I ever made.
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