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| National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan |
| Country | Australia |
| Adopted | 2013 |
| Jurisdiction | Australia |
| Ministries | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care |
| Related | Close the Gap |
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan is a strategic framework designed to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders across Australia. The Plan aligns with national policy initiatives such as Closing the Gap and interacts with institutions including the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Department of Health and Aged Care and state and territory health services such as Queensland Health, New South Wales Ministry of Health, Victorian Department of Health and Northern Territory Department of Health. It situates Indigenous health within broader legal and cultural contexts involving treaties and rights frameworks like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.
The Plan was developed through consultations with representative bodies including National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, South Australian Aboriginal Health Research Unit and community stakeholders from regions such as Torres Strait Islands, Arnhem Land, Kimberley (Western Australia), Darwin, Northern Territory and Sydney. Historical drivers include disparities documented by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and health reviews such as reports by the Productivity Commission and the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Influences include international models from Canada and institutions like the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and partnerships with universities such as University of Melbourne, Australian National University and James Cook University.
The stated objectives emphasize closing health gaps reported by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and align with commitments under Closing the Gap. Principles draw on Indigenous governance and self-determination advocated by organizations such as the Lowitja Institute, AIATSIS, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services and community-controlled health services including Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO). The Plan references culturally safe care consistent with standards from bodies like the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and ethical frameworks influenced by the World Health Organization and United Nations declarations.
Core components include primary health care expansion via Aboriginal Medical Service networks, chronic disease management informed by research from the Menzies School of Health Research, maternal and child health programs connected to Child and Family Health Services (New South Wales), and mental health initiatives linked to services such as Headspace and Aboriginal community mental health providers. Strategies incorporate workforce development through partnerships with educational institutions like Curtin University, University of Sydney and Flinders University, telehealth deployment leveraging National Broadband Network infrastructure, and culturally secure facilities modeled after initiatives in Alice Springs, Broome and Townsville. Prevention programs address communicable diseases monitored by the Communicable Diseases Network Australia and chronic conditions tracked by the Heart Foundation (Australia), Diabetes Australia and allied peak bodies.
Implementation is coordinated across federal, state and territory institutions including Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission-era predecessors, and local Aboriginal community-controlled organisations. Governance mechanisms involve partnership agreements with entities such as Health Workforce Australia predecessors, regional health networks like South Western Sydney Local Health District, and advisory contributions from elders linked to land councils such as the Aboriginal Land Council (New South Wales). Intergovernmental frameworks feature in forums like the Council of Australian Governments and reporting interfaces with agencies such as the Productivity Commission and the Australian National Audit Office.
Funding arrangements draw on federal appropriations administered by the Department of Health and Aged Care (Australia), Medicare arrangements administered by Medicare (Australia), and targeted grants through programs similar to those run by the Indigenous Advancement Strategy. Resources are allocated to community-controlled services including Apunipima Cape York Health Council, regional hospitals such as Royal Darwin Hospital and primary health networks like Western Sydney Primary Health Network. Financial oversight interacts with audits by the Australian National Audit Office and evaluations by the Productivity Commission; philanthropic contributions from organisations such as the Lowitja Institute and partnerships with corporate entities also supplement funding.
Monitoring relies on data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, surveys like the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey, and indicators linked to Closing the Gap targets. Evaluations have been commissioned to universities and research institutes including the Menzies School of Health Research, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and Lowitja Institute. Reported outcomes focus on trends in life expectancy, maternal and child health metrics, chronic disease prevalence tracked by Australian Bureau of Statistics releases, and access metrics monitored by Primary Health Networks. Independent reviews are conducted in line with standards used by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
Critiques have come from advocacy organisations such as Amnesty International (Australia branch), community-controlled health advocates including National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, and academics at institutions like University of New South Wales and Macquarie University. Common controversies involve perceived underfunding highlighted by the Productivity Commission, debates over the effectiveness of centralized targets from Closing the Gap, disputes about data sovereignty raised by AIATSIS, and tensions over implementation between federal departments and regional Aboriginal councils such as the Northern Land Council. Legal and political debates have engaged actors including the High Court of Australia in broader Indigenous rights contexts and parliamentary scrutiny via the Senate of Australia.