Closing the Gap health measures

The first Commonwealth Closing the Gap Implementation Plan includes several health measures. Learn more about these measures and how we are implementing them.

Funding the Healthy Mums, Healthy Bubs Package

The Australian Government is providing an extra $45 million over 4 years to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and babies through the Healthy Mums, Healthy Bubs package.

This includes support to:

  • grow the maternal health workforce

  • redesign maternity services to reach more pregnant women and support them for longer

  • support an expansion of the health workforce by creating jobs for registered midwives

  • training for local Aboriginal health workers and community members to provide culturally safe childbirth support.

The package also includes expanding the Australian Nurse-Family Partnership Program to 15 sites. This will help to support more women pregnant with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander baby.

Expanding the Connected Beginnings Program

The Australian Government is also providing an extra $82 million over 4 years to expand the Connected Beginnings Program. This expansion means there will be 50 Connected Beginnings sites by 2025.

The funding will support the school readiness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by improving access to integrated early childhood health, education and family services.

Working out where and how to expand the program will be a collaborative process involving:

  • Department of Health

  • Department of Education, Skills and Employment

  • the Aboriginal community-controlled sector

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

  • other key stakeholders.

Addressing health infrastructure issues

The Australian Government is investing $254 million over 4 years to address infrastructure issues faced by the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) sector.

This will deliver:

  • new and renovated health clinics

  • associated housing for health professionals

  • improved connectivity to support remote consultations by telehealth.

We will co-design the new infrastructure program in partnership with the ACCHS sector. A transparent process will identify where funding is most needed. Organisations will have the opportunity to seek funding.

The program will:

  • be informed by appropriate technical advice

  • be designed in line with all relevant building standards

  • account for diverse needs, including those of people with disability.

This work is in the early planning stages. 

Date last updated:

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