Today, NACCHO CEO Pat Turner has delivered a powerful address to the Select Committee on Measuring Outcomes for First Nations Communities, calling for immediate and meaningful government action to reverse the worsening Closing the Gap targets.
She emphasised that the increasing regression of key socioeconomic outcome targets, including early childhood development, incarceration rates, out-of-home care, and suicide, is unacceptable and requires an urgent, coordinated response.
“The fact that these targets are going backwards is deeply concerning. Poor progress in one area compounds poor outcomes in another. We cannot continue to allow our children and young people to be failed by systems that refuse to change,” Ms. Turner said.
NACCHO represents 146 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), operating over 550 clinics nationwide. ACCHOs provide culturally safe, trauma-informed, and holistic healthcare services that improve the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“The solution to progressing these targets lies with our ACCHOs and other community-controlled organisations. The evidence is clear – community-led solutions work. Our model of care delivers better health outcomes, higher treatment adherence rates, and greater cost-effectiveness than mainstream services. Yet, ACCHOs continue to be underfunded while facing a greater burden of disease.”
The Need for Government Commitment and Action
Ms. Turner highlighted that the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, signed by all levels of government, is not being implemented in good faith by state and territory governments.
“Frankly, state and territory governments need to start pulling their weight. The time for tinkering at the edges is over. We need urgent implementation of the Priority Reforms and the establishment of independent mechanisms to ensure government accountability,” she stated.
She pointed to the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care as a leading example of how government can work effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“The First Nations Health Division has demonstrated what is possible when governments genuinely partner with us. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 was a testament to this – when Aboriginal leadership is recognised and supported, we save lives.”
Key Data Highlights the Need for Change
- Hearing loss crisis: The World Health Organisation considers a 4% prevalence of otitis media a public health emergency. In some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, prevalence is 10 times higher, impacting early childhood development and education (Targets 3, 4, and 5) and increasing the likelihood of incarceration and out-of-home care (Targets 10 and 12).
- Juvenile justice regression: The rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in detention in the Northern Territory has doubled since 2019, worsening the justice system’s already disproportionate impact on First Nations youth (Target 11).
- Suicide crisis: Suicide rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to rise, with rates in Western Australia reaching 38.1 per 100,000 population – the highest in the country (Target 14).
- Funding gap: ACCHOs receive $920,000 less in annual funding than comparable mainstream GP clinics, despite having 2.3 times the burden of disease.
- Workforce challenges: GPs working in ACCHOs report the highest levels of job satisfaction (88%) across all healthcare settings, yet recruitment and retention remain critical challenges due to funding constraints.
ACCHOs Leading the Way
Programs such as Culture Care Connect (CCC) are proving the success of community-controlled solutions in suicide prevention. Since its inception, CCC has:
- Employed 110 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people nationwide,
- Established 30 Community Controlled Suicide Prevention Networks, 37 Aftercare services, and 8 state/territory affiliates, improving mental health support and training.
Despite these successes, more investment is needed to expand these initiatives and ensure long-term sustainability.
NACCHO’s Call to Action
NACCHO urges all levels of government to:
- Implement the Priority Reforms under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to drive real change.
- Ensure greater accountability through independent mechanisms and Closing the Gap reporting in government agency annual reports.
- Fully fund ACCHOs to deliver the necessary health services that have been proven to work.
- Strengthen partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to improve outcomes across health, education, justice, and wellbeing.
“We know what works, and we have proven it time and time again. If governments are serious about Closing the Gap, they need to fund and empower community-controlled solutions. Our people’s lives depend on it,” Ms. Turner concluded.
