From Cultural Brokers to Shared Care: The changing position of literacy for Aboriginal health workers in Central Australia

Central or Aboriginal health workers have worked alongside remote area nurses in central Australia since the mid 1970s. The rationale for the employment of Aboriginal health workers has varied over this twenty-five-year period according to the politics of four interest groups: the State; Aboriginal groups; the medical lobby; and Aboriginal health workers themselves. These interest groups have variously positioned Aboriginal health workers as cultural brokers, primary medical workers, community developers and, more recently, professionals in shared care. This paper explores these four interest groups focusing firstly on the approach taken to the provision of English literacy by each group, and secondly, the impact of this on working relationships between Aboriginal health workers and remote area nurses.