Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across Australia will benefit from newfound stability with the introduction of four-year rolling funding agreements, set to commence on July 1, 2024. This landmark decision, announced by the Albanese Labor Government, includes a significant $300 million funding injection aimed at bolstering operational capacity and ensuring continuity of care within First Nations communities.
ACCHOs are pivotal components of Australia’s healthcare system, dedicated to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Last year alone, these organizations provided essential healthcare services to over 410,000 individuals across the nation.
Historically, ACCHOs faced uncertainty with grant funding agreements typically lasting between one to three years, often leaving future funding precarious until mere months before expiry. The shift to four-year funding guarantees marks a critical departure from this unpredictability, empowering ACCHOs to strategically plan and deliver culturally appropriate healthcare aligned with community health priorities.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Mark Butler MP, emphasized the government’s commitment to enhancing First Nations health outcomes through sustainable investments in ACCHOs. “The Albanese Government is dedicated to securing culturally appropriate healthcare for First Nations Australians,” Minister Butler affirmed. “This extended funding certainty ensures ACCHOs can continue their vital work effectively both now and in the years ahead.”
Echoing Minister Butler’s sentiment, Minister Burney highlighted the importance of community-led solutions in addressing Indigenous health challenges. “This funding agreement underscores our commitment to empowering Aboriginal community controlled health organisations,” Minister Burney stated. “It enables them to plan ambitiously for the future and implement lasting solutions that benefit Indigenous Australians in health, education, jobs, housing, and justice.”
Assistant Minister Senator McCarthy underscored the critical role of ACCHOs in Australia’s primary healthcare landscape, emphasizing the transformative potential of sustained funding. “The stability provided by four-year funding will enable ACCHOs to implement long-term health programs aimed at improving health outcomes across our communities,” Senator McCarthy affirmed.
Dr. Dawn Casey, Acting CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), welcomed the new funding arrangements as a pivotal moment for the sector. “These rolling funding agreements, coupled with expanded support under the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme, offer essential financial stability for ACCHOs,” Dr. Casey acknowledged. “They reflect the government’s ongoing commitment to narrowing the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, recognizing the sector’s longstanding dedication across diverse community settings.”
As Australia moves forward with these enhanced funding mechanisms, ACCHOs stand poised to strengthen their pivotal role in delivering comprehensive primary healthcare and advancing health equity for First Nations peoples.
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