Month: October 2022

This week, Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered the 2022-23 Federal Budget.

The AH&MRC particularly welcomes the $314 million allocated towards Aboriginal Health, which fulfils the ALP’s election commitments. Notably, only $30 million will be spent in this financial year.  The package includes:

• $164.3 million over 4 years to invest in modern health clinics in areas of large and growing Aboriginal communities;
• $14.2 million over 3 years to tackle Rheumatic Heart Disease in high-risk Aboriginal communities;
• $22.5 million over 3 years for a dedicated Birthing on Country Centre of Excellence at Waminda (an AH&MRC Member); and
• $54.3 million over 4 years to deliver up to 500 First Nations traineeships, the lion share of which the AH&MRC would like to see diverted to New South Wales, which accounts for 34 per cent of the national Aboriginal population.

The Government also announced a $143.3 million investment (over 4 years) in rural and regional health. The package includes measures to support primary care services, training, workforce incentives and trials for innovative models of care. The AH&MRC hopes that this funding will have real, on-the ground impacts, for our members in regional New South Wales who have faced persistent workforce shortages, on top of the many challenges of delivering healthcare in remote communities.

An additional $13.0 million (over 4 years) was allocated towards mental health supports for communities impacted by major flooding in New South Wales. This includes $8.5 million for youth mental health services in Ballina and Hawkesbury and $4.4 million for urgent mental health supports for impacted communities. This funding is much needed for the AH&MRC’s members in the Northern Rivers, who have been calling for mental health and infrastructure funding to support their communities to address the ongoing trauma and rebuild.

These are just a few in a large suite of Aboriginal health initiatives. The AH&MRC commends the Federal government for its commitment, however, acknowledges that there is still a long way to go in closing the health gap for our communities.

Media Release

The National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 (National Plan) has launched on Monday, 17 October 2022.  

The National Plan is the policy framework that will guide all parts of society, including governments, businesses and workplaces, media, schools and educational institutions, the family, domestic and sexual violence sector, communities and all individuals and the actions towards ending violence against women and children over the next 10 years. 

Robert Skeen, AH&MRC Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on family, domestic and sexual violence states “This is amongst some of the initiatives that are being implemented as we start to prioritise key issues throughout the community by implementing steps starting from prevention to healing”. 

The National Plan sets out actions across four domains: 

1. Prevention – working to change the underlying social drivers of violence by addressing the attitudes and systems that drive violence against women and children to stop it before it starts. 

1. Early intervention – identifying and supporting individuals who are at high risk of experiencing or perpetrating violence and prevent it from reoccurring. 

1. Response – providing services and supports to address existing violence and support victim-survivors experiencing violence, such as crisis support and police intervention, and a trauma-informed justice system that will hold people who use violence to account. 

1. Recovery and healing – helping to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation, and supporting victim-survivors to be safe and healthy to be able to recover from trauma and the physical, mental, emotional, and economic impacts of violence. 

The full plan can be found here: National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022–2032. 

Media Release

This week, Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) CEO Robert Skeen was appointed Co-Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council on family, domestic and sexual violence.  

This honour was recognised by the Honourable Amanda Rishworth Minster of Social Services, where she congratulated and thanked Mr. Skeen for his work to date as a member of Advisory Council for past year of involvement.  

Mr. Skeen is already part of 18 committees including co-chair of the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations (CAPO) and is also the NSW representative on the Joint Council of National CAPO.  

Mr. Skeen is a strong leader and advocate for the Aboriginal community who has a proven track record of high-level leadership through showing his passion for Innovation and Change Management. He has worked in the Government and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) sector for almost 25 years, including in organisational leadership roles in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.    

Mr. Skeen states “I am honoured to have been appointed Co-Deputy Chair as I want to see as many initiatives delivered for our Aboriginal communities where we’re strategically making an impact for future generations:”. 

Media Release