What Victorian election hopefuls must do to improve Indigenous health and wellbeing

Aaron Bloch Published October 18, 2022 at 3.30pm (AWST)

The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation has laid out its platform for the upcoming Victorian election.

The health body wants to see improved infrastructure and funding arrangements for First Nations medical services, and measures to improve self-determination.

VACCHO Social and Emotional Wellbeing Centre of Excellence executive director Sheree Lowe said the State Government should also be funding Indigenous services to provide healthcare for incarcerated people.

"Both the Liberal and Labor parties have had strong health agendas heading into November's election which is encouraging," she said.

"VACCHO looks forward to learning more detail about how the proposed spending will benefit the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Victoria.

"VACCHO have had some productive conversations behind the scenes with the major parties."

The platform further calls for the establishment of an infrastructure fund using 1.5 per cent of land tax revenue, an independent commission to monitor Indigenous health and wellbeing delivery, and a suicide prevention taskforce.

Acting Treaty and First Peoples Minister Colin Brooks said Aboriginal health services were best-placed to support their communities.

"That's why we're investing to support them to set their own priorities to sustain healthy communities," he said.

"The Andrews Labor Government has invested more than $1 million to support scholarships and training for Aboriginal health students and workers, so more Aboriginal Victorians can get the care they need from nurses and doctors who understand their community, history and culture."

"We've also invested $40 million in a self-determined Aboriginal Workforce Fund to boost frontline Aboriginal organisations' staffing, workforce development and their capacity to serve their communities."

Shadow Aboriginal Affairs minister Peter Walsh said a Liberal-National Government would work with ACCHOs to improve closing the gap indicators.

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National Indigenous Times

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.