Justin Mohamed, Chair of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) has welcomed the Victorian Government’s challenge to the Federal Government to match its increased investment improving Aboriginal health through a new National Partnership Agreement.

Mr Mohamed was commenting on the urgent need for all COAG state and territory premiers to match Federal Government’s $777 million under a new 3 year agreement similar to Victorian Government 4 year of commitment of $61.7 million, the largest ever investment in Aboriginal Health

Justin Mohamed said “NACCHO’s affiliates in each state and territories are the only structured systems who have worked with each State and Territory health minister and premiers as part of the COAG push for the sign up to the NPA.

Victorian Minister David Davis has acknowledge the partnership with the NACCHO affiliate VACCHO (Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation) in ensuring their government continued their commitment to Closing the Gap and calling on other COAG states and Territories to do the same”

“All NACCHO state and territory affiliates have a significant role at a jurisdictional level to ensuring that Closing the Gap commitment are kept ” Mr Mohamed said

“As I said earlier this week the pressure is now squarely on the states and territories as signatories of the 2008 Close the Gap Statement of Intent in which they committed to work together to close the disgraceful seventeen year gap in life expectancy between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians by 2030.

The states and territories need to uphold their commitment to this important goal and sign up to continue the National Partnership Agreement which is due to expire in less than two months.”

Improving Aboriginal health is not a quick fix – it requires a long-term commitment by all levels of government.’