• Martu women lead family violence discussions on Country
• Albanese Government to fund 100 additional university places for future Australian doctors
• 2026 Young Australian of the Year Awards
• Mernda Community Hospital opens
• Protecting Our Health Workforce from Scams
• Sector Jobs

The NACCHO Sector News is a platform we use to showcase the important work being done in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, focusing on the work of NACCHO, NACCHO members and NACCHO affiliates.

We also share a curated selection of news stories that are of likely interest to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, broadly.

Martu women lead family violence discussions on Country

Martu women in WA’s Western Desert in the Pilbara have gathered on Country to speak about the impact of domestic violence in their communities, as organisations across the nation mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

The meetings were held through Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa’s (KJ) Martu Leadership Social Program, which supports cultural authority and community-led initiatives across Martu lands east of Newman.

KJ said holding the discussions on ngurra — traditional Country — created a culturally safe environment for Martu wanti (women) to speak openly about violence, its effects, and the solutions they want to see implemented.

“Gathering on ngurra gives Martu women the space to have honest conversations about complex issues,” a KJ spokesperson said.

Read the full article

Albanese Government to fund 100 additional university places for future Australian doctors

The Albanese Government is providing 100 additional Commonwealth supported places (CSPs) a year for students studying medicine to help train the next generation of doctors.

The places are spread across 10 universities that demonstrated, through a competitive process, they would focus the places on primary care training with more rotations in general practice to help address GP shortages in underserved rural and suburban areas.

Each of the following universities will receive an additional ten places:

• Charles Sturt University
• Flinders University
• Griffith University
• Monash University
• The University of Melbourne
• The University of New England
• The University of New South Wales
• The University of Notre Dame Australia
• The University of Sydney
• The University of Wollongong

This is part of the Government’s commitment to strengthening Medicare and builds on our previous investments to grow the pipeline of future GPs, particularly in regional areas.

Read the full media release.

2026 Young Australian of the Year awards

Jarib Branfield-Bradshaw

Youth worker and mentor – 2026 QLD Young Australian of the Year

Jarib Branfield-Bradshaw, a proud Kooma man and youth worker, has made a huge difference to the town of Cunnamulla by opening a youth neighbourhood centre. As a local himself, Jarib knows what it’s like to live in a quiet town where there’s not a lot for young people to do outside the home.

Jaiden Dickenson

Indigenous community leader – 2026 NT Young Australian of the Year

Proud Warumungu man Jaiden Dickenson is a beacon of hope and resilience for young people in the Tennant Creek, Ali Curung and Elliott communities. In his role as a Tennant Creek Mob Youth Diversion Officer, Jaiden helps young people address the trauma at the root of crime and social disorder by taking responsibility for their behaviour, overcoming their personal challenges and moving towards rehabilitation.

Frank Mitchell

Indigenous construction leader – 2026 WA Local Hero

Frank Mitchell is a proud Whadjuk-Yued Noongar man, co-director of Wilco Electrical and co-founder/director, of Kardan, Baldja and Bilyaa in the trades and construction industry. Frank’s commitment to change was shaped by early lived experiences of suicide and the loss of best friends. As a young single father, being offered an electrical apprenticeship felt like a profound opportunity. When he became a business owner in 2015, he pledged to create the same opportunities for Mob. 

See the full list of recipients.

Mernda Community Hospital opens

Mernda Community Hospital welcomed its first patients on the morning of Monday 24 November.
The hospital was officially opened on Saturday 22 November by Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, who said the hospital is a warm and welcoming environment.

“This is a new model of care, to meet the everyday healthcare needs of the community, without needing to go to a big, busy, major hospital,” Ms Thomas said.

The hospital will be open from 8am-5pm Monday to Friday, at 35 Flourmill Drive, Mernda.

Northern Health operates the hospital which will offer dental, pathology, allied health, respiratory, allergy and paediatric services.

“I am particularly excited about… the commitment to deliver paediatric services … and assessments for ADHD and autism,” Ms Thomas said.

The hospital does not have an emergency department, the nearest hospital for life-threatening injuries is the Northern Hospital in Epping, 10km away from Mernda.

Read the full article.

Protecting Our Health Workforce from Scams

The Australian Government is urging health professionals to remain vigilant against a rise in targeted scam attempts, especially those aimed at compromising Provider Digital Access (PRODA) accounts. Scammers are impersonating trusted organisations and using sophisticated tactics to trick users into revealing sensitive information. This notice outlines key red flags to watch for, including fake login pages, suspicious calls or messages, and unauthorised access requests, as well as how to report suspicious activity. Let’s keep our workforce safe and our systems secure.

Get more information.

Sector Jobs – you can see sector job listings on the NACCHO website here.

Advertising Jobs – to advertise a job vacancy click here to go to the NACCHO website current job listings webpage. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find a Post A Job form. You can complete this form with your job vacancy details – it will then be approved for posting and go live on the NACCHO website.