Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I'm incredibly proud of the budget we've announced, in particular for First Nations Australians, with the portfolio areas that I have as Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians and Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health. We have invested in a range of measures to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, including a landmark $238.5 million to improve First Nations cancer outcomes through building capability and growing the healthcare workforce. We've invested $28.2 million to support the delivery of 30 dialysis units for First Nations peoples in regional and remote Australia with end-stage kidney disease. Ti Tree, Harts Range and Borroloola in the Northern Territory, two places in South Australia and a place in Western Australia have already been announced in terms of those 30 dialysis units. We've allocated $16.7 million to promote increased uptake of health assessments by First Nations peoples, which have reduced since the start of COVID-19. This will assist more First Nations people to receive essential support for the management of chronic and mental health conditions. We've provided $1.4 million to expand the delivery of the Strong Born program to provide information about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. We're also addressing the social determinants of health through better housing, education, jobs, food security and community safety in the cities, regions and the bush. This includes $150 million over four years to support First Nations water infrastructure and provide safe and reliable water for remote and regional communities. And $111.7 million will be provided under a new one-year partnership with the Northern Territory government to accelerate the building of new remote housing.