The Coalition of nearly forty Peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations will meet face-to-face in Adelaide today to discuss possible new targets and a new approach on Closing the Gap. This is the first time that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives have come together in this way to talk about Closing the Gap tar...

NACCHO celebrates National Men’s Health Week (15 to 19 June 2020) The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has long recognised the importance of addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male health as part of the Close the Gap initiatives. On the occasion of National Men’s Healt...

The avoidable mortality rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is over 3 times that of other Australians.While mortality rates have been declining for other Australians for the last two decades there has been an uptrend for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Pat Turner, NACCHO CEO says, “This disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians is unacceptable and NACCHO has been collecting data and evidenc...

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has welcomed the signing of an historic Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap between the Commonwealth Government, State and Territory Governments and the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Bodies. The announcement was made at the first Joint Council Meeting between the new partners in Brisbane. The Coalition of Peaks is made up of around forty Aboriginal and Torres Stra...

University of Canberra Voice to Parliament Lecture with Pat Turner Thursday 10 August, 5.30pm – 6.30pmShine Dome, 15 Gordon Street, Acton ACTI will commence by acknowledging the Ngambri and Ngunawal peoples, the Traditional Owners of Canberra. I honour their Elders and the long history they have on this land, a heritage going well beyond the 25,000-year-old site of Birrigai Rock Shelter near Tidbinbilla.I thank the University for such a warm welcome and the oppor...

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) which has a membership of 143 community-controlled health services in every jurisdiction of Australia has strongly welcomed the launch of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.  The Agreement has now been signed by the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled peak organisations, all Australian Governments, and the Australian Local Government Association.  The National Agreeme...

The release of the 2020 Closing the Gap report today confirms the need for a fundamentally new approach, according to the Coalition of Peaks. The report reveals that progress against the majority of Closing the Gap targets is still not on track. The gap in mortality rates between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians incre...

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled Coalition of Peaks can reveal that more than 1500 people and organisations have responded to its online survey on Closing the Gap. Today is the final opportunity to engage with the survey. The deadline for responses has already been extended once given the high level of engagement and to allow for more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations to respond.

The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has already welcomed the previously announced four-year rolling funding agreement for the sector, but this is just a necessary adjustment to support the current arrangements. ‘Business as usual’ is not going to close the health gap. NACCHO is tiring of singular announcements in Aboriginal health while the health gap fails to close. Structural reform is required and substantial funding investment. The last three big-...

In light of the election being called on 18 May, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) urges all candidates, regardless of party or political leanings, to prioritise the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. “The health of Indigenous people is not a partisan political issue and it cannot be sidelined any longer,” NACCHO Acting Chair, Donnella Mills said. “We have developed a set of policy...