To the Editor: While the article by Henry and colleagues provides food for thought and possible action,1 do they exhibit the fairness they exhort to solve the problem they perceive?

There appears to be a distinct lack of logic in some of their deductions in the Box on page 517. “Body part funding” is not confined to Aboriginal health. For the 43 years I was associated with NSW Health, it was an integral part of the system and, together with its variations, increased as the years passed.

The authors claim that as only $80 per head being spent on medical and pharmaceutical benefits in a remote Aboriginal community compared with the $900 spent in Double Bay is an example of racism. Surely, it is only a reflection of the lack of both a pharmacy and doctor in the remote community compared with the easy access to both in the inner-Sydney suburb. Comparison between the remote Aboriginal community and an all-white community of similar characteristics would have more validity.

To the Editor: In their challenging article, Henry and coauthors assert that the poor health of Australian Aboriginals is the result of the “divided, divisive, racist, socially unjust society” of “this Australia”.1

I cannot agree. The health standards enjoyed by “white Australia” are not an isolated phenomenon, but rather a part of the fabric of an advanced technological society. Efforts to bring Australian Aboriginal health to the same standard without the Indigenous Australians being fully part of this 21st-century society will never be successful, even with limitless resources and endless goodwill.

It is possible to maintain cultural identity and remain cognizant of past hurts while playing a full, if not leading, role in this technological society.

If the Aboriginal elders were to lead their people into mainstream society they would find, I’m sure, an inclusive, tolerant, exciting and advancing society where they could play a full role, enjoy the same health as the rest of Australia, while still maintaining their unique identity.