NACCHO welcomes Maari Ma (NSW) and Indigenous Wellbeing Centre (Qld), growing the ACCHO network to 148
The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has welcomed two new members, Maari Ma (New South Wales) and the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre (Queensland), bringing the national network to 148 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs).
ACCHOs are locally governed, community-owned services that deliver comprehensive, culturally informed primary health care. They are built on a model of trust and accountability to community. This approach has consistently delivered better access, better engagement, and better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for over 50 years.
NACCHO Chair, Donnella Mills, said the milestone is more than an increase in numbers; it is a story of community strength and determination.
“Every ACCHO begins with communities coming together and saying: we deserve better health, and we will take charge of it ourselves. To welcome Maari Ma and the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre into our fold is to welcome the voice and leadership of two more communities.
When communities run their own health services, they bring lived experience, culture, and deep knowledge of local needs to the centre of care. That is why ACCHOs have stood the test of time, because they are built by community, for community.
Reaching 148 members shows the resilience and growth of our sector. It’s proof that the community-controlled model not only works, it thrives. That is something to be proud of, and something Australia should celebrate.”
NACCHO CEO, Pat Turner AM, said the growth of the sector underscores the need for sustained investment in community-controlled health if Australia is to meet Closing the Gap targets.
“Community control is not just an idea; it is a proven model that delivers results. For over five decades, ACCHOs have shown that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples design, deliver, and govern their own health services, health outcomes improve. That is why the growth to 148 ACCHOs is so important.
More ACCHOs mean more access to culturally safe, comprehensive primary health care. This is Priority Reform Two in action: building the community-controlled sector to deliver services where they are needed most.
If governments are serious about Closing the Gap, they must continue to invest in what works. Our communities have spoken; they want community-controlled health care, and our sector is ready to deliver. We have the solutions, and we are growing stronger every day.”
NACCHO now represents 148 ACCHOs, operating more than 550 clinics nationwide and delivering over 3.6 million episodes of care annually. With Maari Ma and the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre joining the network, NACCHO’s reach is deeper than ever, and its message clearer: community control saves lives, strengthens communities, and is the path to health equity.
