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Aboriginal health services in South Australia to benefit from government assistance

Vital health care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Point Pearce in South Australia will benefit from Commonwealth funding for the Goreta Aboriginal Corporation, Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson has announced.

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20 June 2003

Aboriginal health services in South Australia to benefit from government assistance

Vital health care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Point Pearce in South Australia will benefit from Commonwealth funding for the Goreta Aboriginal Corporation, Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator Kay Patterson announced today.

The Goreta Aboriginal Corporation will receive $330,000 under the Primary Health Care Access Program (PHCAP) to expand and upgrade their health clinic at Point Pearce.

The Goreta Aboriginal Organisation provides important social, emotional, and reproductive health services to the Aboriginal community at Point Pearce and to people living throughout the Wakefield region of South Australia.

"Originally built as a residential aged care facility, the upgrade will ensure the building has the appropriate facilities for an expansion of the current services in line with the PHCAP planning process. The new design will ensure the building's appropriateness as a health clinic for Aboriginal clients and will take into account their cultural needs," Senator Patterson said.

"Strengthening and increasing the number of high demand primary health care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is a high priority of this Government. We are achieving this through such initiatives as PHCAP by working in partnership with the State and Territory Governments, the community controlled health sector, ATSIC and the local community.

"It is particularly encouraging that the PHCAP initiative enables the partners to come together with a single vision of creating an expanded, high quality, primary health care system for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in South Australia," Senator Patterson said.

Media inquiries: Randal Markey, Media Adviser, Senator Patterson's office, 0417 694 520