❓ The Minister for Health confirms continued funding of $31 million for the Closing the Gap program for one year, ensuring job security for 317 staff. Aims for better coordination of Indigenous health initiatives across government departments.
AnsweredQoN 278Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
INDIGENOUS HEALTH — CLOSING THE GAP
AGREEMENT
278. Mr P. ABETZ to the Minister for Health:
Does the government plan to continue its funding for the
Closing the Gap program for Aboriginal health services, given the success of
the program and the positive health outcomes that have been achieved for
Aboriginal people in Western Australia by this program?
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
The fact is that the shadow minister put a motion on notice on this subject
yesterday.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, I call you to order for the first time. If anybody wants
the standing orders changed by which anybody can answer any questions, write a
letter to me! When a question is asked of a minister, I expect the minister to
answer the question.
AGREEMENT
278. Mr P. ABETZ to the Minister for Health:
Does the government plan to continue its funding for the
Closing the Gap program for Aboriginal health services, given the success of
the program and the positive health outcomes that have been achieved for
Aboriginal people in Western Australia by this program?
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
The fact is that the shadow minister put a motion on notice on this subject
yesterday.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, I call you to order for the first time. If anybody wants
the standing orders changed by which anybody can answer any questions, write a
letter to me! When a question is asked of a minister, I expect the minister to
answer the question.
AnswerView source ↗
I am quite happy to answer the excellent question without
preamble—just by rearranging the wording!
This is a very important issue and, contrary to the views of
the member for Midland, this question was not initiated by the notice of motion
by the shadow minister. No criticism of the shadow minister for doing that,
because until I was able to make any statement by getting finance approved, I
was not in a position to give comfort to those people involved in providing the
Closing the Gap service. There are over 300 full-time equivalents involved—317
jobs altogether—that provide services through Closing the Gap. Until
that funding had been confirmed, I was not in a position to make any statement
on it.
Now I am pleased to say that the
funding for one year of that program has been confirmed. It is $31 million,
which is what we asked for for that first year to be able to continue the
existing program. We are strongly committed to the concept of Closing the Gap.
Members may be aware that this program was initiated as part of a Council of
Australian Governments agreement between the commonwealth and the states in
which we independently provided additional funds to try to close the
significant gap in life expectancy for Aboriginal people across Australia and,
of course, in this state. It has been a highly successful program, with the
government being able to put considerable extra services into those
communities. However, at this stage we cannot say how well the program has done
to actually close the gap because that is a much longer process of assessing
how the program should go and how it should proceed. There has been some work
done. The commonwealth government has commissioned the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare to do a national evaluation of the national partnership
agreement on Closing the Gap.
There have been further
conversations between the state government and the commonwealth about
committing to a further agreement. That has not been developed yet. We have had
correspondence from Hon Warren Snowdon about that and we are currently in
discussions, but there is nothing on the table as yet about that agreement.
However, we will put forward this funding, and during this year we will do an
assessment of the key performance indicators and the outcomes—and not
just on this project. I fund a large number of other projects that fund health
initiatives to assist Indigenous communities, and so do a lot of other
government departments. There is a fair lack of coordination and understanding
of what all these different departments, and the commonwealth, do. During that
year, we will do a much better assessment. In my view it will perhaps in the
future allow some of those funds that have come through other sources to be
able to be focused more through this source, because it has been such a
successful program and one of the best with which we have been involved. I am
very happy to say that the funding is there.
I have committed to employing those
staff for a further three months until we get through the budget process. Those
people involved in this work deserve certainty and by committing today to that
funding, it provides certainty for all of those 317 staff, a large percentage
of whom are Indigenous, for the future of this program.
preamble—just by rearranging the wording!
This is a very important issue and, contrary to the views of
the member for Midland, this question was not initiated by the notice of motion
by the shadow minister. No criticism of the shadow minister for doing that,
because until I was able to make any statement by getting finance approved, I
was not in a position to give comfort to those people involved in providing the
Closing the Gap service. There are over 300 full-time equivalents involved—317
jobs altogether—that provide services through Closing the Gap. Until
that funding had been confirmed, I was not in a position to make any statement
on it.
Now I am pleased to say that the
funding for one year of that program has been confirmed. It is $31 million,
which is what we asked for for that first year to be able to continue the
existing program. We are strongly committed to the concept of Closing the Gap.
Members may be aware that this program was initiated as part of a Council of
Australian Governments agreement between the commonwealth and the states in
which we independently provided additional funds to try to close the
significant gap in life expectancy for Aboriginal people across Australia and,
of course, in this state. It has been a highly successful program, with the
government being able to put considerable extra services into those
communities. However, at this stage we cannot say how well the program has done
to actually close the gap because that is a much longer process of assessing
how the program should go and how it should proceed. There has been some work
done. The commonwealth government has commissioned the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare to do a national evaluation of the national partnership
agreement on Closing the Gap.
There have been further
conversations between the state government and the commonwealth about
committing to a further agreement. That has not been developed yet. We have had
correspondence from Hon Warren Snowdon about that and we are currently in
discussions, but there is nothing on the table as yet about that agreement.
However, we will put forward this funding, and during this year we will do an
assessment of the key performance indicators and the outcomes—and not
just on this project. I fund a large number of other projects that fund health
initiatives to assist Indigenous communities, and so do a lot of other
government departments. There is a fair lack of coordination and understanding
of what all these different departments, and the commonwealth, do. During that
year, we will do a much better assessment. In my view it will perhaps in the
future allow some of those funds that have come through other sources to be
able to be focused more through this source, because it has been such a
successful program and one of the best with which we have been involved. I am
very happy to say that the funding is there.
I have committed to employing those
staff for a further three months until we get through the budget process. Those
people involved in this work deserve certainty and by committing today to that
funding, it provides certainty for all of those 317 staff, a large percentage
of whom are Indigenous, for the future of this program.
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