The AH&MRC congratulates the Premier and Labor government on their election victory.
During its campaign, the ALP made several commitments to a fresh plan for healthcare, including:
- Labor’s Fresh Start Plan will boost access for mental health services for young people by investing $17 million to the Kids Helpline over four years to increase their capacity to respond to a rising number of calls.
- Labor will deliver long-term structural reform to the healthcare system by introducing minimum and enforceable Safe Staffing Levels to public hospitals, starting with emergency departments and then progressing out into other areas.
- Labor will hire an additional 1,200 nurses.
- Labor will hire 500 new paramedics in rural and regional areas. The new paramedics will be spread across areas in the State with the most need which will be determined following consultations with healthcare professionals.
- Labor will boost workforce incentives for rural and regional GPs to support the engagement of nurses, allied health and other health professionals and provide multi-disciplinary team-based care.
The ALP also committed to pursuing a formal treaty process with First Nations People, including:
- Committing $5 million to a 12-month consultation process with First Nations communities on a treaty process for New South Wales, ensuring a commitment to the principle of Treaty.
- Labor announced that this process will begin after the referendum on The Voice in the second half of 2023.
The AH&MRC welcomes these commitments and the many others made by the ALP which will be critical in closing the gap in Aboriginal health outcomes.
ACCHOs across the country have continued to deliver high-quality integrated primary health care to Aboriginal communities, despite the ongoing challenges they are facing. It will therefore be crucial that the incoming government account for the Aboriginal Health workforce, Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health services and communities in their rollout.
The AH&MRC is committed to working with the new government to develop and deliver policies and programs for our people and we look forward to working in genuine partnership to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal communities.
MEDIA RELEASE_AH&MRC Congratulates the Incoming Labor Government
