PM Rudd pushes to stop early Aboriginal deaths

Six weeks after making an historic apology to Aborigines for years of mistreatment, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday promised to stop Aborigines from dying younger than white Australians.

Aborigines die an average 17 years younger than other Australians, while the rate of aboriginal infants dying before their first birthday was double that of non-indigenous children.

Rudd said the statistics were unacceptable, and he signed a pledge to improve health services for remote indigenous communities and close the life-expectancy gap within 30 years.