Victoria’s 32 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) have called for meaningful, formalised partnerships with Government, a clearly defined role in legislation, and a long-term investment strategy to transform Aboriginal health outcomes.
Last week the Minister for Health, The Honorable Martin Foley, met with more than 50 Aboriginal health delegates and mainstream health organisations across Victoria as part of the inaugural Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Forum held at the MCG.
Co-chaired by the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and the Minister for Health, the forum was the first state-led initiative to see mainstream health services, government, and Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations (ACCOs) meet under the same roof.
Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, VACCHO CEO Jill Gallagher said the treatment of Aboriginal people in the state’s institutions – including health services – remained high on the agenda.
“To this day, Aboriginal people are facing systemic racism, discrimination, and inadequate care when they are accessing health services,” she said.
“Our mobs have much higher morbidity rates from preventable diseases, and many go through life with a much lower quality of life because they are often viewed as being in the too-hard basket.”
Ms Gallagher said its 32 Members statewide had a proud history of serving Aboriginal communities in Victoria for more than 50 years.
“Our organisations are the heart of Aboriginal Communities offering vital health services, social supports, and a sense of belonging and connection,” she said.
“They are sites of healing and now, more than ever, they need strong, stable and sustainable foundations.”
Ms Gallagher said VACCHO’s 32 Members were calling for minimum five-year funding contracts and adequate funding to support Aboriginal organisations to collect data, upgrade technology, and have access to relevant government data so they can be truly self-determining in the future.
They are also calling for a greater proportion of funding to go towards prevention and early intervention, maintain strong communities, and keep Aboriginal people out of hospital and the welfare system.
“There is irrefutable evidence, in Australia and across the world, that self-determination is the only way to improve Aboriginal health outcomes but without adequate investment and access to data we are behind the eight ball,” Ms Gallagher said.
Ms Gallagher said the new forum would run three times a year, bringing Aboriginal organisations, government, and mainstream partnerships together to set priorities, track progress, and hold each other to account.
“Aboriginal health is everyone’s responsibility,” she said.
“I am confident if we all work together, we can transform Aboriginal health outcomes within a generation.”
