National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre funding future revealed

Solomon MP Luke Gosling is adamant funding is locked in for the Top End’s most vital disaster response centre, but cannot rule out some changes.

A federal representative for the Northern Territory is “confident” funding will be secured for the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre for the long-term.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling said he had been involved in conversations about the centre at a national level.

“I am confident the future of the centre will be confirmed — ahead of the budget I can’t say there’s going to absolutely be no changes to the funding,” he said.

“It’s subject to discussions going on at the moment.”

Mr Gosling said he believed support for the centre would continue, although it could look different to how it does now.

“The NCCTRC will continue to be funded by the federal government to provide the important health emergency capabilities it delivers,” he said.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling said he has been having discussions about the future of the NCCTRC in Canberra.

“There may be some changes in the way that is funded in terms of what aspect is funded from the federal health budget and what is funded from the foreign affairs budget.”

The review into setting up an Australian Centre for Disease Control could have something to do with the uncertainty around funding, with Mr Gosling saying the government was still ironing out the concept and role of the centre.

But he said he had been spruiking the importance of the NCCTRC’s work and them being based in Darwin.

“The centre was based in Darwin after the Bali bombings for a very good reason,” he said.

“It’s still the intent is that it continues to operate out of Darwin — they’ve got great facilities and got a lot of fans within the federal government.”

Mr Gosling will head back to Canberra ahead of the budget being finalised in May to continue to advocate for disaster preparedness facilities based in Darwin.

“I am returning to Canberra and having follow up conversations,” he said.

“We are perfectly placed here in the north and we look forward to seeing some funding certainty confirmed.”

It comes after both federal and Northern Territory governments confirmed they were in discussions over the future funding of a key component of Australia and the Asia-Pacific’s disaster response.

It is understood the centre will receive funding for an additional 12 months until June 30 2024, which is a departure from the usual four-year funding cycle.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the NT government was negotiating funding with federal government departments responsible for financing the $17m a year program.

National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre was responsible for setting up the Centre for National Resilience.

“The NCCTRC is important to Australia’s responsiveness to natural disasters and public health emergencies, and we saw how vital the staff at NCCTRC were during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and their action in helping our neighbouring countries with reducing the impact of the pandemic in the region,” Ms Fyles said.

A federal government spokeswoman confirmed “discussions” were occurring in relation to the future of funding.

“The federal government is in discussions with the Northern Territory government on any future funding of the NCCTRC,” she said.

“The current NPA provides $75.493m in funding over four years from 2019-2023.”

The NCCTRC has been running Australia’s emergency medical response capability since 2004.

National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre executive director Dr Notaras standing in a temporary hospital that can be established in any crisis scene in 24 hours. Picture: Floss Adams.

Headed up by Professor Len Notaras AO, the centre has overseen not only the national defence against Covid, including the operation of the “gold standard” quarantine centre in Howard Springs, but was also deployed to a slew of international disasters.

Australian Medical Assistance Teams were co-ordinated to assist in the Ashmore Reef explosion in 2009, the deadly Christchurch earthquake in 2011, the 2013 dengue fever outbreak on the Solomon Islands, the Thailand cave rescue in 2018, the White Island volcano eruption in New Zealand and the 2020 bushfire disasters across Australia.

The 12-month extension comes as the Albanese government is considering establishing an Australian Centre for Disease Control, but it is not yet known what that would mean for the NCCTRC.

“The Australian government is committed to establishing an Australian CDC within the current parliamentary term,” a federal government spokeswoman said.

“At this stage, no firm decisions have been made about the scope, powers, scale or location of an Australian CDC.”