Quotes attributable to AMSANT Acting CEO Erin Lew-Fatt:
The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) congratulates Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party on their re-election.
As the peak Aboriginal community-controlled health body for the NT, we look forward to continuing to work with the returned Government to strengthen First Nations health outcomes as a matter of priority.
AMSANT welcomed the Government's previous investments in aged care, urgent care clinics, and initiatives to address food insecurity. We know that health doesn't exist in a vacuum and acknowledge the significant challenges we face — as a sector and as a Territory — in addressing the deep inequities in housing, education, poverty, and other social determinants of health that our Aboriginal people continue to bear.
Recent Productivity Commission data shows many key Closing the Gap targets in the NT are off track, including declines in female life expectancy, birth weight, early childhood education, child development, youth engagement, employment, and both youth and adult incarceration rates.
This election result presents an opportunity to accelerate action on those challenges.
The returning Federal Government has demonstrated a genuine willingness to act and an understanding that the more care we can provide within local communities, and in true partnership with First Nations people, the better the outcomes.
We are committed to working with the Albanese Government – and governments at all levels – to support NT Aboriginal primary health care and improve outcomes for our people and communities, in line with the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
AMSANT reaffirms its call for the Government to act on the recommendations of the Productivity Commission's 2024 review of the Closing the Gap Agreement and uphold targets on First Nations-led service delivery and improving health outcomes.
Stronger healthcare builds stronger communities. Now is the time to get back on track and put these ambitions to action.
