- Royal Australian Air Force Exercise Kummundoo delivers healthcare services in the Kimberley
- Good News Story: Ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in NSW are school ready
- New model empowers Kimberley Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to lead health research
- Open letter: Putting the health, wellbeing and safety of Territorians first
- VACCHO Launches the Victorian ACCO Model at Parliament House
- “Making a positive difference”: support for community-led safety patrols in Central Australia
- Sector Jobs
- Events and training
The NACCHO Sector News is a platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.
We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.
Royal Australian Air Force Exercise Kummundoo delivers healthcare services in the Kimberley
The Royal Australian Air Force’s Exercise Kummundoo is marking its 10th year of success, partnering NACCHO and the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS) to bring essential healthcare services to the Kununurra community.
Throughout October, RAAF personnel have been working alongside OVAHS, delivering medical, dental, and allied health services, while also promoting healthy living and providing educational programs. These efforts ensure community members, especially children, can access the care they need in a culturally safe and supportive environment.
Medical technician Leading Aircraftwoman Alexa Stokes highlighted the importance of this partnership: “We’ve been providing health checks and helping clients get the full care they need at OVAHS. It’s been rewarding to promote healthy lifestyle choices and engage with the community.”
Dental officer Flight Lieutenant Yuen “Alexis” Dieu emphasised the holistic approach to care, saying, “Our goal is to help restore oral health and build confidence. Dental care is about more than just teeth—it’s about helping people smile and feel proud of themselves.”
This collaboration, led by NACCHO and OVAHS, continues to provide important healthcare services, fostering trust and improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Kununurra and beyond.
To read more, go here.
Ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in NSW are school ready
The Australian Government is expanding the Connected Beginnings program, a community-led initiative that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged zero to five by connecting them to culturally-centred early education, health, and family services.
With a new $1.8 million site at Dalaigur Pre-School and Children’s Services Aboriginal Corporation in Kempsey, the program will serve 700 local children, joining 47 other sites nationwide that collectively support over 23,700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
This expansion plays a key role in the National Priority Reforms by advancing the Closing the Gap targets, specifically in early childhood education, school readiness, and health outcomes. The program, delivered in partnership with SNAICC and the NACCHO, empowers local communities to shape services according to their unique needs, driving increased preschool enrolment and better developmental outcomes.
To read more, go here.
New model empowers Kimberley Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to lead health research
The Kimberley Aboriginal Health Research Alliance (KAHRA) has launched a new research model that prioritises the voices of Kimberley Aboriginal communities by supporting local people to lead health research initiatives.
Developed in response to concerns about past research not benefiting the community, the model ensures that projects are driven by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and aligned with local priorities. This initiative promotes respectful, community-led partnerships aimed at improving health outcomes, marking a significant shift from being subjects of research to leading it. KAHRA unites health services, communities, and researchers to tackle health challenges with culturally appropriate methods.
To read more, go here.
Open letter: Putting the health, wellbeing and safety of Territorians first
Over 200 research, public health, community and Aboriginal organisations like AMSANT Danila Dilba Health Service and Central Australian Aboriginal Congress call on the NT’s Chief Minister not to scrap effective alcohol measures:
Dear Chief Minister the Hon Lia Finocchiaro,
We are writing to urge you to put the health, wellbeing and safety of Territorians first, by keeping in place measures that work to reduce harms from alcohol.
Alcohol causes a great deal of harm to far too many Territorians. Measures that control the availability and accessibility of alcohol, like the Minimum Unit Price and reduced trading hours for alcohol outlets have proven to reduce harm, which has been proven to save lives.
As leaders of health, community, Aboriginal and research organisations, we see the impact of effective alcohol policies in keeping our communities safe, and we strongly oppose any moves to remove these policies.
If these policies are removed or relaxed, we know we will see increases in violence against women and children, more people hospitalised because of chronic diseases and more deaths.
Please engage with us, listen to us and consult with communities who experience firsthand the impact of alcohol on our families.
See the full open letter and all signatures here.
VACCHO Launches the Victorian ACCO Model at Parliament House
The launch of VACCHO’s new holistic model for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO) marks significant progress in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing sector. Celebrated on October 16, 2024, with key government figures present, the event underscored the groundbreaking work of Victorian ACCOs over the past 50 years.
VACCHO CEO Dr Jill Gallagher emphasised the importance of ACCOs in providing essential services and advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights while highlighting their role in addressing gaps in government understanding of the Community-Controlled sector. This new model represents a positive step forward in ensuring government support and investment in ACCOs, which champion Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being, and doing.
You can learn more about the Victorian ACCO Model here.
To read more, go here.
“Making a positive difference”: support for community-led safety patrols in Central Australia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Mparntwe/Alice Springs and surrounding remote areas are continuing to lead critical safety patrols, thanks to a $2.5 million investment from the federal government. This funding further supports community-led services such as Lhere Artepe and Tangentyere, which focus on keeping families safe, assisting residents, and reducing alcohol-related harm.
The initiative, part of the broader $250 million A Better, Safer Future for Central Australia plan, highlights the leadership and capacity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to drive effective solutions tailored to their communities. By employing local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patrollers, the program strengthens community ownership and provides culturally responsive safety measures. Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, recently joined a patrol to experience first-hand the impact of this critical work, underscoring its positive contribution to community well-being and safety.
This continued investment reinforces the importance of supporting locally-led initiatives that align with the needs and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
To read more, go here.
Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.
Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.
ACCHO Governance Workshops
Free, specialised governance workshops for ACCHOs will be delivered in multiple locations across the country during 2024 and 2025.
Registrations are now open for:
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Broome: 24-25 October
The program is delivered by legal experts and covers:
- Delegation of powers
- Finance for Boards
- Governance documents
- Managing conflicts of interest
- Managing risk
- Principles of good governance
- Structure and role of boards and sub-committees
To register, go here.
For more information, please contact NACCHO using this email link.
