Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Johnston for his question. Last month, we heard the outcomes from the latest Close the gap report, and this week National Close the Gap Day will provide the opportunity for communities around Australia to hold events and recognise the importance of this national commitment.

Recently, I was very pleased to announce, along with the Minister for Health, Sussan Ley, a commitment of $1.4 billion in primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. This funding will support 112 Aboriginal community controlled health organisations from 1 July 2015 to continue delivery of primary health care to Indigenous communities around the nation. Ensuring continuity of care for clients and services is important and a key investment in closing the gap. The funding is provided over three years from 2015-16 to 2017-18 to over 100 Aboriginal community controlled health organisations. This demonstrates this government's confidence in ACCHOs and recognition of the key role they play in the delivery of essential primary healthcare services for Indigenous Australians.

While there have been some improvements in health outcomes, we all know there is much work to be done with Indigenous health outcomes. This funding reaffirms this government's commitment to closing the gap and to meeting the government's priorities of getting Indigenous Australians into work, ensuring children go to school and making communities safer. Overall, this government is investing $3.1 billion over the next four financial years in Indigenous health, an increase of over $500 million when compared with the previous four years. The challenges include tackling the high health needs of individuals and communities that often live in challenging circumstances with chronic and complex conditions. ACCHOs play a unique and vital role in our efforts to close the gap in health outcomes through working with communities to improve access for Indigenous families to primary or preventive health care.