- Acting on social determinants of health part of CPHC
- NACCHO Chair responses to Federal Budget
- SNAICC comments on 2021 budget
- Lowitja calls for health and justice investment
- Groups await extra CtG funding
- Budget fails to close the gap
- National suicide prevention trial extension
- Save the Date – ACOSS Virtual Post Budget Event 2021 – 18 May
Acting on social determinants of health part of CPHC
NACCHO Chair responses to Federal Budget
As part of the 2021–22 Federal Budget Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples will receive dedicated funding to support and expand health initiatives across aged care, chronic illness treatment, mental health support and more, with a focus on engaging culturally sensitive approaches across the board.
During an interview on The Wire Independent Current Affairs Community & Indigenous Radio Chair of NACCHO, Donnella Mills said this investment is welcomed by NACCHO, who are advocating for the government to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to define how programs are delivered to ensure the best outcomes.
To listen to the interview in full click here.
Image source: The Wire.
SNAICC comments on 2021 budget
SNAICC – the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, has welcomed investment to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families in the Australian Government’s recent Budget announcement, but looks forward to further commitments for children and families through the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
“The Budget includes important new measures for children and families, including increased investment in early childhood education and care, keeping women and children safe, mental health and suicide prevention, and increased support for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. However, more work is needed to achieve the ambitious targets for our children in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap,” said SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle. “Our children thrive when they have the opportunities to be proud in their identities and cultures and grow up safe and supported within their families and communities.”
To view SNAICC’s media release in full click here. This follows a SNAICC media release, available here, last week on early child care.
Lowitja calls for health & justice investment
The Lowitja Institute has welcomed several important spending measures in the 2021–22 Federal Budget but has called for more work and commitment to support comprehensive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-driven solutions across much-needed areas. Lowitja Institute CEO Dr Janine Mohamed said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations had wanted to see significant investment in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, although it is hoped that spending will be announced in the Implementation Plans due to be released mid-year.
“The Budget could have been a significant and important opportunity to comprehensively invest in historical truth-telling as called for through the Uluru Statement from the Heart,” Dr Mohamed said. Lowitja Institute welcomed several important measures, particularly a focus on building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care workforce, supporting COVID-19 responses by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations, and important funding for suicide prevention.
To view the Lowitja Institute’s media release in full click here.
Groups await extra CtG funding
Indigenous organisations are hoping for federal government funding later in the year to help close the gap. The Closing the Gap agreement aims to end the divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in social, economic and health areas, and now includes 16 targets after the original seven were overhauled because they were not on track to be met.
The Coalition of Peaks, which represents more than 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, did not expect funding for Closing the Gap in the budget. The group’s lead convener Pat Turner is encouraged by significant spending in aged care, Indigenous skills and jobs, mental health and women’s safety. “But this is very much a wait and see budget as the majority of funding directed towards Closing the Gap won’t be announced until later in the year,” she said. “I’m pleased to see the funding laid out in this budget contains promising investments in crucial areas that affect our people. Our main concern with every commonwealth budget is how the funding will trickle down and benefit our people on the ground.”
To view The West Australian article click here.
Pat Turner. Photo: Gary Ramage. Image source: The Australian.
Budget fails to close the gap
First Nations advocates have condemned the 2021 budget as failing to live up to the government’s talk of “closing the gap”. While the budget included investments in a number of health initiatives, there was a lack of investment in First Nations-focused services including family violence prevention services; investment to address the crisis of Aboriginal deaths in custody; and investment to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families have access to the support and services they need.
Australia’s only First Nations-led justice coalition, Change the Record, said the budget just entrenched more of the same. On the issue of justice, Change the Record co-chair Cheryl Axleby said it was “shameful” that after seven deaths in less than two months there has been no plan from the government to address the crisis of Black deaths in custody. “There is no funding in the budget to address the mass-incarceration of First Nations peoples by establishing a National Justice Reinvestment Body (despite this being a key recommendation) and no funding to support states and territories to Raise the Age to keep primary school aged children out of police and prison cells,” Axleby said.
To view the Pro Bono Australia article in full click here.
Photo: Jack Fisher. Image source: ABC News website.
National suicide prevention trial extension
The Kimberley’s peak Indigenous health body has welcomed measures in the Federal Budget that will help remote communities cement strategies for suicide prevention. As part of a $2.3 billion spend on mental health, $12 million has been promised to extend the national suicide prevention trial by one year.
The initiative has been running in 12 locations around the country, including the Kimberley, and is focused on devising local programs to prevent suicides. The trial was due to wrap up in June this year but participants now have more time to secure their strategies. The funding has come in addition to $79 million for initiatives under the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Strategy.
To view the full article click here.
KAMS Chief Operating Officer Rob McPhee. Image source: ABC News.
ACOSS Virtual Post Budget Event 2021
Hosted by MC Stela Todorovic (Political Reporter, Channel 10) The ACOSS Post Budget Event is the key annual event for civil society and the community services sector, providing a space for attendees to receive briefings on key budget measures and their likely impacts on people experiencing poverty and inequality.
The event will provide the opportunity for the Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Treasurer to address the community sector directly and for the community sector to engage in conversation following the release of the Federal Budget.
Speakers will include:
- Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing, the Hon Michael Sukkar MP
- Dr Jim Chalmers MP, Shadow Treasurer
- Lindon Coombes, Industry Professor (Indigenous Policy), Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research (UTS)
- Merle Mitchell, Aged Care advocate
- Feyi Akindoyeni, Partner & Office Head, Newgate Communications
- Kristin O’Connell, The Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union (AUWU)
- Verity Firth, Executive Director, Social Justice at the UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion
- Cassandra Goldie, CEO, ACOSS
You can register for free here.
