Federal election 2022: Labor’s Indigenous health boost to focus on training and water

Labor has promised millions of dollars to train up First Nations health workers and improve the water supply of remote Aboriginal communities.

Hundreds of First Nations health workers would be trained-up, millions of dollars spent on improving the water supply of remote Aboriginal communities and new kidney dialysis centres opened under Labor’s Indigenous-focused health policy.

The Anthony Albanese-less Labor campaign was expected to make the policy announcement in the Northern Territory electorate of Lingiari, with candidate Marion Scrymgour potentially flanked by two or three frontbenchers.

Under the First Nations Health policy, Labor has committed to training 500 additional health workers at a cost of $52.9m — though how it will be done has not been outlined.

Bulking up the workforce will help meet the growing needs of communities according to the Opposition.

Labor has also committed to building 30 four-chair dialysis units in urban and remote locations across the country where the lifesaving service often does not exist, promising to spend $30m on this component.

Labor acknowledged remote communities — particularly in the Northern Territory — don’t have the proper water supply to support dialysis centres.

To fix this the party has committed $15m to improve water security in those areas.

A further $12m will be spent to double federal funding for rheumatic heart disease eradication. The money for preventing, screening, and treatment will include $1.5m for portable echo-cardio machines and training to support vital screening efforts.

It’s understood the commitments “will be implemented through the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), communities and health experts”.

“Labor recognises that the profound gap in First Nations health outcomes will never be closed without extra effort and close engagement with Aboriginal community-controlled health services,” Mr Albanese said.

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