Call for answers as $20m promised for Gunbalanya health clinic quietly reallocated

A remote Aboriginal community's two-decade wait for a new health facility continues after the Northern Territory government quietly reallocated $20 million in promised funding.

The existing Gunbalanya Health Centre in West Arnhem was originally designed for leprosy and tuberculosis patients. Picture: Hames Sharley

The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) and Red Lily Health Board have condemned the Northern Territory government’s move to quietly reallocate $20 million promised for a crucial health facility in Gunbalanya.

Originally promised by the then Labor Government at the 2020 election, money for the construction of a new health centre in the remote Arnhem Land community was budgeted in 2023-2024, and confirmed in 2024-2025 – however the building tender was deferred in this year’s CLP Government NT Budget.

Advocates said the current facility — first built as a hospital for patients with leprosy and tuberculosis — is culturally inappropriate and so run down many community members avoid seeking healthcare.

Red Lily, an Aboriginal controlled organisation taking over the clinic, said it was blindsided by the project being shelved.

Red Lily chief executive Brad Palmer. Picture: Supplied.

“The Gunbalanya clinic is not fit for purpose and has been on the priority replacement list for over 20 years,” Red Lily chief executive Brad Palmer said.

“The project was approved, supported, and budgeted for. After two years of promises, the funding has now been redirected without consultation or explanation.

“It is incredibly disappointing, and the community deserves to know why it’s no longer being delivered and why their health infrastructure has been sidelined.”

A CLP spokeswoman said it had not ruled out delivering a new health clinic in Gunbalanya and would keep it on the infrastructure program.

“Our government is focused on returning services to Aboriginal people in remote areas and we are looking forward to seeing Red Lily Health Board manage the Gunbalanya Health Centre,” she said.

“When we came to government, we inherited an infrastructure program in chaos - stalled projects, unrealistic timelines, and escalating costs.

“Labor had announced a record number of projects but failed to allocate sufficient funding to deliver them.

“The CLP Government has had to responsibly manage and reprioritise projects.”

Gunbalanya is home to about 1500 people — most of them Aboriginal — and is cut off from road access each wet season.

Last year the local health service delivered almost 20,000 episodes of care; including 17 births, 83 anaemia checks for children, 351 heart disease risk assessments, 214 adults on chronic disease management plans, and 64 people registered with rheumatic heart disease.

The clinic has only one internal toilet for patients, consult rooms that require patients to walk through others, and one waiting area for men and women, compromising confidentiality and cultural need for gender separation.

The ambulance bay is also far from the emergency room, and there is insufficient space for staff and visiting specialists.

A render of the promised new $20m Gunbalanya Health Centre and morgue, for which a development application had been lodged after the project was first promised at the 2020 Territory election. Picture: Hames Sharley

Gunbalanya resident Andy Garnarradj said the community had waited too long for action.

“It’s very disappointing after all the promises from government. Our elders worked for years to secure this new clinic — many have now passed away, believing it was coming,” he said.

“It feels like we’ve been forgotten, left in the dark.”

Peak body AMSANT and Red Lily called for answers about where the $20m had been reallocated, and urgent action to reinstate the building tender.

“This should not be about politics. Health services must be based on the needs of the community — and Gunbalanya has waited long enough,” AMSANT chief executive John Paterson said.

“You can’t close the gap without strong foundations — modern clinics and a supported workforce are essential to deliver the care communities deserve.”

Originally published as Call for answers as $20m promised for Gunbalanya health clinic quietly reallocated