Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory

04/11/2025

ICYMI: Last week AMSANT released Facing the Health Gap — a new report showing the urgent need for upgraded clinics, equipment and staff housing across the NT.

Every Australian deserves safe, quality healthcare. We wouldn’t accept leaking roofs, cramped consult rooms or unsafe staff housing anywhere else — and we shouldn’t accept it in the Territory.

You can’t close the gap without strong foundations. Modern clinics and a supported workforce are essential to deliver the culturally safe care communities deserve.

We’re calling for:
✅ A one-off health infrastructure fund to get clinics and accommodation up to scratch
✅ A long-term and sustainable plan led by community to build a pathway to transition

Watch the ABC News story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMOGuCdA9mY

Read the full report: https://bit.ly/4oh4UaN

Imagine visiting a health clinic where you may be exposed to asbestos or lead in the water pipes. This is the reality for more than 900 residents serviced by...

03/11/2025

Building awareness and accountability to prevent tech-based abuse of First Nations women is the focus of a community-led project, awarded $394,000 in federal funding.

To be delivered by Katherine West Health Board in partnership with Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation and Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Health Service, the project will engage with Aboriginal men in the Big Rivers region to co-design a program to promote positive, respectful behaviours and increasing accountability and leadership skills of men.

It will use local men’s ideas to help develop tailored, culturally appropriate resources to address the underlying drivers of tech-based abuse.

“Our communities are already feeling the very real impacts of technology-facilitated abuse,” Katherine West Health Board chief executive Sinon Cooney said. “This work is about more than prevention – it is about empowerment, giving women, children and families the tools they need to feel safe, connected and supported.”

Minister for Indigenous Australians Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said technology-based abuse was unacceptable. “I thank these organisations, including the Katherine West Health Board Aboriginal Corporation, Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation and Wurli-Wurlinjang Health Service, for their vital work designing programs that support respectful relationships in our communities, including First Nations communities.”

Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells said: “Online and digital technologies are part of most Australians’ everyday lives, which is what makes tech-facilitated abuse so insidious.”

Technology-facilitated abuse of women can include image-based abuse, online harassment, doxing or trolling in the workplace, and family violence situations where spyware or tracking devices are used. Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour said working with local groups was key to tackling technology-based abuse.

Katherine West Health Board was one of 10 organisations awarded funding by the eSafety Commissioner under the latest round of the federal government’s $10m Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program.

03/11/2025

Member spotlight 👇

At Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation's Yirrkala clinic, demand for care has outgrown the space available — meaning patients are sometimes treated in corridors due to lack of space.

Still, frontline staff keep delivering care grounded in culture, language and connection. It's the kind of care that keeps people strong on Country.

Every upgrade to ACCHS facilities, from consult rooms to staff housing, means specialist care, shorter waits and better outcomes. And every person deserves that. Because stronger healthcare builds stronger communities.

🎥 Watch why investing in modern, purpose-built clinics matters

Visit the website to learn more about delivering healthcare in remote NT: https://www.amsant.org.au/

02/11/2025

Update from Danila Dilba Health Service Malak clinic

Hey you mob, we're trailing new appointment types at our Malak Clinic!

Danila Dilba is strengthening the cultural safety we provide at our clinics by moving back to an Aboriginal Health Practitioner (AHP) and Nurse-led service model.

👩🏾‍⚕️ What does this mean for me?
The high level of care you receive at clinic won't change. But from this week, the clinician who provides it might. Your AHP or Nurse is able to complete most parts of your appointment - including an initial yarn, most of your health check, immunisations and blood checks. This gives your doctor more time to focus on other parts of your appointment.

👩🏾‍⚕️Different types of appointments to suit your needs
Our reception team will ask you a few questions when you make your appointment so we can make sure we have booked the right appointment for you.

These changes are just happening at our Malak Clinic for now and will then happen at our other clinics next year.

👩🏾‍⚕️Need more information?
Have a yarn with our Malak Clinic Manager and keep an eye out for the posters that are up around the clinic.

02/11/2025

"Our services are doing extraordinary work under enormous pressure in some of our most remote areas, where demand and cost premiums are prohibitively high. It is clear that our communities and health workers are carrying too much of the burden. Governments must step in with urgent and long-term support to make real progress in health outcomes."

Rob McPhee.Danila Dilba Health Service

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) are delivering vital care across the Northern Territory, but chronic neglect - including outdated infrastructure, staff shortages, and 'burdens...

02/11/2025

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory Editorial

The failures of CDP are well documented and well-known.

What remote communities want is opportunity, meaningful training and support, and real jobs, delivering benefits for families and communities.

In remote Australia, work is more than a wage.

It's about dignity, purpose and pride.

It's also about connection to community, culture, and Country. And when employment services reflect that, the results speak for themselves.

I've sat and listened to people in remote communities across the country, share their hopes about their future. I've also heard from employment service providers who've been doing the hard work for years.

What they told me is clear, the Community Development Program, or CDP, wasn't working.

Our new Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES), which begins today, November 1, will deliver that. It also delivers on the Albanese Labor Government's promise to abolish the CDP.

RAES is designed to help job seekers get job-ready through skills development and training, move into a job when available and stay employed, with greater access to mentoring and tailored support.

RAES providers will also work collaboratively with remote communities, co-designing projects that help build skills and reflect local priorities and aspirations.

The shift, from compliance to empowerment is already making a difference, as seen in the community project trials which informed the design of RAES.

In Galiwin'ku in East Arnhem Land, the Miyalk Kitchen is more than a workplace, it's a place of pride.

With support from the Arnhem Land Progress Association, 28 local Yolngu people prepare meals for the local community and contractors

Read full story

https://nit.com.au/01-11-2025/21047/opinion-delivering-a-new-employment-service-for-remote-australia

Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem

31/10/2025

A new report compiled on behalf of the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT (AMSANT) shows staff are overworked and under-resourced.

Many remote NT health clinics are decaying, with AMSANT calling on the Commonwealth to offer additional funding to ensure facilities can meet demand.

Federal Assistant Minister for Health and Indigenous Health Rebecca White says pre-existing funding commitments are already in place.

Imagine visiting a health clinic where you may be exposed to asbestos or lead in the water pipes.

This is the reality for more than 900 residents serviced by Miwatj Health's Yirrkala clinic in East Arnhem Land.

The building is small and workers combat high demand by treating patients in corridors, leading to cultural and privacy concerns.

The facility is in need of serious repairs, but its decaying walls and ceilings have caused three asbestos exposure risks in the last two years after contractor drilled through the roof.

Clinic staff said the taps inside the Yirrkala centre were unusable due to lead in the pipes.

Steve Rosingh, CEO of Miwatj Health said four clinics managed by the corporation, including Yirrkala, needed serious infrastructure improvements.

"They're just not fit for purpose... and some of them are quite hazardous."

"We've got the sickest people in the country not receiving even the most basic level of care and comprehensive care they need and deserve."

And Yirrkala isn't the only remote health clinic falling apart.

More than a dozen health facilities in remote communities in the NT are failing to meet demand because of poor, outdated infrastructure.

A new report into the NT's Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) offers a rare and grim insight into the state of First Nations healthcare.

The study, compiled on behalf of the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), explored the state of ACCHS facilities — which often serve remote communities as the only medical support for hundreds of kilometres.

Of 14 health services surveyed, 11 were forced to reduce services in the past year due to capacity challenges.

Read full article

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-31/nt-remote-aboriginal-community-controlled-health-service-funding/105953720?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web

Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Danila Dilba Health Service
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
Northern Territory PHN
Red Lily Health
Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation
Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Health Service
Katherine West Health Board
Urapuntja Health Service
Ampilatwatja Health Centre Aboriginal Corporation
Mala'la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation
Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation

31/10/2025

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) are delivering vital care across the Northern Territory, but chronic neglect - including outdated infrastructure, staff shortages, and "burdensome funding systems" - is undermining Indigenous health outcomes.

A new report commissioned by peak body, the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), found 93 per cent of ACCHSs surveyed lack sufficient funding to maintain healthcare facilities and staff accommodation to safe and acceptable standards, while 79 per cent cannot meet client demand due to inadequate infrastructure.

Download the report here

https://www.amsant.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/TIC-Amsant-Facing-The-Gap-V8-FINAL.pdf

AMSANT chair Rob McPhee said the findings from Facing the Health Gap highlight the urgent need for investment in health infrastructure.

"You can't close the gap without strong foundations," he said, emphasising modern clinics and a supported workforce are essential.

"Our services are doing extraordinary work under enormous pressure in some of our most remote areas, where demand and cost premiums are prohibitively high.

Read full story here

https://nit.com.au/31-10-2025/21038/report-finds-remote-nt-aboriginal-health-services-struggling-due-to-chronic-neglect

Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Danila Dilba Health Service
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
fans
Red Lily Health
Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation
Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Health Service
Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Katherine West Health Board
Urapuntja Health Service
Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation
Ampilatwatja Health Centre Aboriginal Corporation
Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation
Mala'la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation
Northern Territory PHN

31/10/2025

Today AMSANT is sharing the landmark Facing the Health Gap report, which highlights the urgent need to improve clinics, staff housing and equipment in remote NT.

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) are doing extraordinary work and delivering vital care in some of the toughest conditions in Australia — but decades of underinvestment in clinics, staff housing and workforce support are making it harder for them to meet community need.

In response to the report, AMSANT is calling for:
✅ A one-off health infrastructure fund in the 2026 Budget to get our remote clinics up to scratch
✅ A roundtable with Federal and NT Governments to design long-term, sustainable solutions

Every Australian deserves access to safe, quality healthcare. And in remote NT, infrastructure is healthcare. We wouldn’t accept these conditions anywhere else, and we shouldn’t accept them in the Territory.

Read the full report: https://bit.ly/4oh4UaN
Read the coverage in today's The Australian: http://bit.ly/4osoqB6

Thank you to our member services for their contribution to the research: Danila Dilba Health Service Red Lily Health Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation Urapuntja Health Service, Pintupi Homelands Health Service Wurli-Wurlinjang Aboriginal Health Service Mala'la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation Ampilatwatja Health Centre Aboriginal Corporation Katherine West Health Board Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation Marthakal Homelands Health Service

29/10/2025

Yesterday, 30 Danila Dilba Health Service Palmerston, Aged Care, and Child and Family Services staff attended our Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory’s Culturally Responsive Trauma-informed Practice (CRTIP) training.

CRTIP draws on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and ways of being to examine how we build trust and create safe spaces where people feel comfortable in voicing their experiences. It supports individuals in having agency over their stories.

Trauma-informed practice is widely recognised as vital in effectively delivering health and other services to Aboriginal people. Thank you to the team at AMSANT for taking us through the training yesterday, and to so many of our staff for engaging with it too.

To find out more about AMSANT’s CRTIP training visit: https://www.amsant.org.au/crtip/

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory

Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Northern Territory PHN

Yesterday, 30 DDHS Palmerston, Aged Care, and Child and Family Services staff attended Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory’s Culturally Responsive Trauma-informed Practice (CRTIP) training.

CRTIP draws on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and ways of being to examine how we build trust and create safe spaces where people feel comfortable in voicing their experiences. It supports individuals in having agency over their stories.

Trauma-informed practice is widely recognised as vital in effectively delivering health and other services to Aboriginal people. Thank you to the team at AMSANT for taking us through the training yesterday, and to so many of our staff for engaging with it too.

To find out more about AMSANT’s CRTIP training visit: https://www.amsant.org.au/crtip/

29/10/2025

Thank you 🙏 Renee from the Gurriny Yealamucka’s Public Health Team for showcasing impactful sexual health education ✨🌿in your workshop

Gurriny Yealamucka’s Public Health Team Leader, Renee Grosso, was recently invited by the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) to present and facilitate several interactive workshops at the 2025 NT ACCHS Sexual Health Workshop, proudly NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australiaalth Australia

The two-day event, held on October 23–24, brought together health professionals from across the Northern Territory to share ideas, innovation and best practice in sexual health education.

Renee presented her original program, “Teaching comprehensive sexuality education through the creation of art and creative expression” — a unique model she has designed, implemented and sustained with great success at Yarrabah Primary and High Schools over the past three years. 🎨💡

Her workshops included:

👐 Shape Your Journey – clay sculpting to explore self-esteem.
💬 Consent Salon – creative expression of the elements of consent.
🗣️ Yes and No Voice Wall – exploring how our “Yes” and “No” voices feel and sound.
🎨 Periods on Canvas – artistic exploration of the menstrual experience.
🧠 Anatomy Tour & Modelling Stations – breaking shame and celebrating body knowledge.

This collaboration marks another proud milestone for Gurriny Yealamucka — sharing innovation, education and cultural strength beyond Yarrabah, and inspiring others to do the same. 💚

29/10/2025

Earlier this October, AMSANT’s workforce and leadership support team (WALS) joined Urapuntja Health Servicefor a careers roadshow across the Utopia homelands.

Over two days, they engaged around eighty community members in fun health promotion activities and spoke with them about careers in health.

Eight community members expressed interest in becoming Aboriginal health workers or practitioners, a fantastic outcome for our first health careers roadshow!

Photo 1 : Clayton & Ethan from Urapuntja Health Service talk environmental health careers with Lachi

Photo 2 : Amy & Tyson explore providing foot care using virtual reality

The full report can be accessed HERE

https://drive.google.com/file/u/0/d/1f8flOkp6N0jm-anB5QGtfi6YpNOLlhQt/view?usp=drive_link&pli=1

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory
Marion Scrymgour MP
Steve Edgington MLA
Lia Finocchiaro MLA
NACCHO Aboriginal Health Australia
Selena Uibo: Member for Arnhem