The peak Aboriginal medical body in the Northern Territory has congratulated the CLP on winning Saturday's election, saying they look forward to working with the new government to improve the health of Aboriginal Territorians.
The landslide election on the weekend ended eight years of Labor rule and will see Lia Finocchiaro this week sworn in as the NT's new Chief Minister.
On Monday the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) said they looked forward to working with the CLP, with chief executive Dr John Paterson reiterating the substantial gap in outcomes for many First Nations Territorians.
"As the peak Aboriginal community-controlled health body, we recognise the substantive structural change that is required to address the ongoing burden of poverty, discrimination and ill-health that our people continue to bear," Dr Paterson said.
"We are committed to working with the new CLP Government – and governments at all levels – to support NT Aboriginal primary health care and improve outcomes for our people and communities, in line with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap."
The latest Closing the Gap data revealed eight out of the 17 targets in the NT were getting worse. These include an increase in suicide since the baseline year in 2019, as well as the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people not being on track to close by the target year of 2031.
"The unacceptably high rate of suicide among Aboriginal people, and particularly our young people – who are more likely to go to jail and more likely than in previous years to die by suicide – should be urgently prioritised by all governments," Dr Paterson said earlier this month.
In the NT, Indigenous adults are incarcerated at a rate of 3,029.2 per 100,000 people — the second highest rate in the country behind WA and more than 17 times the rate of incarceration for non-Indigenous Territorians.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 14-17 are incarcerated at a higher rate in the NT than anywhere else in the country,
The CLP has pledged to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 10 and crack down on youth crime.
Prior to the election, AMSANT delivered a six-point plan to all parties and said they would prioritise the baseline actions raised by the organisation — including addressing housing and poor health for First Nations people.
"AMSANT supports prevention, intervention and diversion that is evidence-based and community-led and welcomes government efforts towards this agenda," Dr Paterson said.
"The CLP government is focussed on addressing liveability in the Territory and it is our hope to ensure that includes better liveability for Aboriginal people – and for those working in Aboriginal primary health care.
"We need to keep working together to make sure that all government action – whether in health, education, housing or other areas – reflects the values of sharing power and giving Aboriginal people a voice, as demanded by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap."
