Dear Prime Minister
NACCHO recommendations for Aboriginal health in the 2013 election /2013-14 Budget
Now that you have called an election for September 14,NACCHO welcomes the opportunity to make this pre-budget/ pre election submission in order to support the government in implementing evidence-based and Aboriginal-community supported funding initiatives in the upcoming fiscal year.
As the peak national body for Aboriginal health in Australia, NACCHO looks forward to ongoing close collaboration with the Australian government as the budget is developed and implemented and calls on the Australian government to recognise the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) movement as the most appropriate vehicle for health service delivery to our community of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In this submission, NACCHO makes recommendations on areas of key expenditure that are priorities for the ACCHS movement in the 2013-14 Australian budget
1.Closing the Gap: Continuation of funding $1.6
2. Continued Support for the Aboriginal Community Controllled Health movement:
3. Reintroduction of the Primary Health Care Access Program (PHCAP) or similar MBS redistributive program: $620m
4.Enhanced ACCHS access to the National Rural and Remote Health Infrastructure Program (NRRHIP) and other like initiatives: $17.25m
Full details are here our 14 page submission
These recommendations are designed to ensure the continuing viability, resilience and dynamism of the Aboriginal community-controlled model and philosophy; to formulate and propose ‘new ways of doing’ in the ACCHS movement; to promote a model of alignment between mainstream health services and those of the ACCHS movement; and, to ensure continuation of the “Closing the Gap” range of initiatives that are beginning to show signs of positive progress and outcome.
The overarching purpose of this submission is to promote Aboriginal community development and resilience through informed participation in person and Aboriginal community-centred health services, to posit financial models that advance and reinforce the human rights of Aboriginal people and address the disadvantage experienced by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
It is recommended that, wherever practicable and reasonable to do so, the Australian government adopt multi-year funding commitments that will provide certainty and continuity of service provision for affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and the communities they serve.
We thank you for your consideration of the attached submission
Justin Mohamed Chair of NACCHO