The Town of Bassendean; a northeastern suburb of Perth, was initially known as West Guildford. Back in 1829, its foundation was laid down as a small settlement, however, over the course of time the population increased; especially during the Gold Rush. The Town was renamed in 1922 when West Guildford cut partitioned from Guildford. Historically, this place was inhabited by the Aboriginal people; the tribe of Nyungar. Archaeological studies prove that the Aboriginals lived in the region for 300,000 years before the arrival of James Stirling and his exploratory expedition of 1827. The Town has some historical landmarks that date back to the time when the Aboriginal people lived here. The artifacts found show the importance of Nyungar culture. These objects, along with other details gathered, show that Nyungar people were hunters and gatherers, and lived a primitive life.
The ancient people; the Aboriginals, had customs that prove that they lived in peace with nature and showed the land great respect. They believed that the Earth is a living creature; with a spirit, just like humans. Hence, they were living in their area; as neighbors, not above it. Their views and beliefs were quite contrary to the white settlers who occupied Australia; the white settlers talked about property as an asset; in a materialistic sense, not a living creature.
The Town of Bassendean partitioned from Guildford and became an independent local authority town in 1901. Since then many people from continental Europe, Asia, and Britain have migrated, adding to the growing population of the Town. Currently, it is a well-planned town with residential areas, industrial areas and commercial areas, parks, and recreational areas. On the riverside; River Swan, has an open space, the Nyungar people used this space for their religious festivities.
The health profiles of the town’s residents show an excellent risk for various disorders; like stroke, coronary heart disease, hepatitis, etc. Infections originating from insect bites are also interfering with the community’s health. The germs-borne viruses cause diseases that have become a danger to society. The addition of health centers is a relief as they provide Bassendean with much-needed medical facilities. The medical services manage and assess health risks and create awareness among the entire community. To ensure better health, the local government has partnered with various firms to research cures for diseases, to improve public health. Programs for immunization have shown good results in removing diseases like hepatitis and chicken pox. Likewise, infectious sicknesses; like dengue and Hepatitis are cured efficiently, as the city government works for people’s health.
Recent public health legislation is a law passed by the government, which mentions that city governments should have an active healthcare facility for the benefit of the people. Often, healthcare facilities are aimed at reforming a system for good health in Western Australia. Hence, the public health staff that performs below the required target can lose his/her job (Delmege, 2009). To enforce this rule, the Bassendean government aims to chalk out a plan for activities that may assist in curing patients with heart diseases. The government has already launched steps to minimize environmental pollution; to prevent more people falling sick, by replacing personal conveyances with public transport.
Bassendean town government aims at following the latest Public Health Act 2016, which gives a design for monitoring public health in Western Australia (Department of Health, WA, 20I6). The Act is a modern piece of legislation aimed at the Bassendean government, which promotes a healthy and energetic community (Grant, Dollery, & Gow, 2011).
The local government has taken necessary steps to protect the health of the local population. It has been done through programs launched by the various health services, that are working to create know-how among the people regarding public health, and motivating them to live a healthy life (Grant, n.d.).
It is essential to plan, to ensure that development achieves the goal of public health. Planning provides that the local government of Bassendean collaborates with businesses, charity organizations and volunteers to address specific issues affecting public health.
This report is structured into four sections. The first section details a brief health profile of the Town of Bassendean, the second details the Town’s demographics, the third gives an overview of the Town’s current health activities, and their impacts on the local population, and the last section provide recommendations for the Town’s health plan.
REFERENCES
Delmege, S. (2009). Aboriginal housing in Perth: From camp life to suburbia. In Delmege, S. <http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/view/author/Delmege, Sharon.html> (2009) Aboriginal housing in Perth: From camp life to suburbia. In: Perspectives on urban life: Connections and reconnections. AIATSIS Conference 2009, 29 September – 1 October 2009, Manning Clark Centre, Australian National University, Canberra. Manning Clark Centre, Australian National University, Canberra. Retrieved from http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/9579/
Grant, B. (n.d.). Australian Local Government and Community Engagement: Are All Our Community Engagement Plans the Same? Does it Matter?
Grant, B., Dollery, B., & Gow, J. (2011). Local Democracy and Local Government Efficiency: The Case of Elected Executives in Australian Local Government (Vol. 46). https://doi.org/10.1080/10361146.2010.544284
