The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) has released its 2026-27 Federal Budget Submission, prioritising six areas that will help improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Victoria.

VACCHO CEO Dr Jill Gallagher AO said resourcing these projects would support the Federal Government to deliver on its commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability and the National Aboriginal Health Plan 2021-2031.    

“Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) deliver culturally safe healthcare combined with wrap-around social services to address the many disparities in health and wellbeing experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  

“This Budget Submission calls on the Federal Government to further its commitment to self-determination and champion 65,000-plus years of Aboriginal ways of knowing, being, and doing – which will support ACCOs to expand their services to meet the health and wellbeing requirements of a growing Aboriginal population,” Dr Gallagher said 

The six priority areas outlined in VACCHO’s 2026-27 Federal Budget Submission include: 

Equity in Aged Care – provide funding to develop and implement a specific Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care pathway as recommended by the Royal Commission and the interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner’s report. 

Extend and expand infrastructure opportunities for ACCOs – provide funding based on need to extend the Indigenous Australians Health Programme’s (IAHP) Closing the Gap – Major Capital Works Program, and ensure its guidelines enable it to provide funding for major projects and those that address wellbeing infrastructure needs that are complimentary to health services. 

ACCO-led model of custodial healthcare – commit to funding in line with recommendations in the National Review of First Nations Health Care in Prisons Final Report to ensure an ACCO-led model of custodial healthcare can be developed in Victoria with VACCHO. 

Strengthen the ACCO sector with appropriate funding – implement a needs-based funding model for ACCOs. Transition the Indigenous Australians Health Program (IAHP) funding to ACCOs with priority given to the handover to Oonah Aboriginal Health and Community Services in Melbourne’s east. 

Raise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander NDIS participation in Victoria – include a Victorian pilot site as an alternative commissioning model site for disability funding and increase resources to Victorian ACCOs for NDIS navigation to address NDIS underutilisation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Victoria. 

A self-determined RTO classification – establish a new classification of Aboriginal Community Controlled Registered Training Organisation (ACC-RTO), acknowledging these RTOs as part of the public system and ensuring they can access public funding. 

Read the full version of the VACCHO ‘s 2026-27 Federal Budget Submission.