Members of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) have voted in favour of adopting a new constitution at a meeting held yesterday in Adelaide on Kaurna Country.
The members overwhelmingly endorsed the new model with a vote of 80.3%.
NACCHO Chair Donnella Mills highlighted the significance of this outcome, saying:
“Yesterday’s vote reflects the strength and unity of our membership and our commitment to community control. We appreciate everyone who contributed to the consultations and voting process. A constitution should be dynamic, but most importantly, I am pleased that we now have a modern constitution that will equip us to meet current challenges more effectively.”
The gathering commenced with a respectful Welcome to Kaurna Country by Uncle ‘Moogy’ Sumner AM and a warm introduction by Wilhelmine Lieberwirth, the Chair of the Aboriginal Health Council of SA (AHCSA).
CEO of NACCHO, Pat Turner AM, welcomed the results as a significant step forward, adding:
“The strong endorsement of the new constitution by our members is a testament to our sector’s commitment to self-determination. It is difficult to think of a more consultative and ground-up process. Since 2016, when the process began, we have spoken to over 1,000 people, held almost 60 sessions and meetings, run workshops all over the country, surveys, and webinars. It demonstrates the resilience of our sector and co-design.”
NACCHO members will remain in Adelaide today to help the Board develop a new strategic directions plan to set out the sector’s priorities to serve it during the upcoming term of the 48th Australian Parliament.
Donnella Mills said, “We are now positioned better than ever as a sector to meet the challenges ahead and become an even more powerful voice for our peoples.”
