The Close the Gap report released today has called for an urgent investment in community-led health services to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NACCHO strongly supports the messages, the actions taken and the recommendations that need to be addressed to drive health transformation.
NACCHO CEO and Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, Pat Turner states, "We already know that policy and programs that are led by our people work better for our people and that comprehensive structural reform is needed to ensure equitable outcomes for our people. These are things we've been telling the government for decades, and it's about time they took note of the evidence that this report demonstrates – that Aboriginal-led initiatives and locally-led solutions work.
"Key data show that the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's health is profound. It is hardly surprising that we live 8-9 years less than other Australians.
"The big questions for all governments and all jurisdictions are in closing the funding gap in health and in fixing the deplorable state of Aboriginal housing."
"Fully implementing the National Agreement on Closing the Gap will be critical to ensuring structural reform that embeds Aboriginal self-determination and leadership. That means increased investment in models and approaches that are self-determined and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led. It also means ensuring the health system more broadly is equipped to provide flexible, culturally safe and place-based care across the whole life course."
"We are already seeing some movement from governments to implement the four Priority Reforms, which is encouraging. But there is still a significant way to go before Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have decision-making power over the policies and programs that affect us.
The 2022 Close the Gap campaign report will be available for the public to read and is accessible here.
