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Western Australia will go it alone to close Indigenous health gap Western Australia will go it alone to close Indigenous health gap
(3 months later)
Western Australia has refused to give in-principle support to re-signing the Closing the Gap Indigenous health agreement, instead announcing it will fund initiatives itself over the next year.Western Australia has refused to give in-principle support to re-signing the Closing the Gap Indigenous health agreement, instead announcing it will fund initiatives itself over the next year.
In another blow to negotiations with the commonwealth, Western Australia has announced it is going it alone with $31 million of funding over the next year to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people, without re-signing the agreement.In another blow to negotiations with the commonwealth, Western Australia has announced it is going it alone with $31 million of funding over the next year to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people, without re-signing the agreement.
The National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes, originally signed in 2008 between the commonwealth and all states and territories, invested $1.57 billion over four years, focussing on treating chronic disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as well as getting more Indigenous people working in the health sector.The National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes, originally signed in 2008 between the commonwealth and all states and territories, invested $1.57 billion over four years, focussing on treating chronic disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as well as getting more Indigenous people working in the health sector.
The NPA expires on 30 June and negotiations to re-sign started in earnest last month.The NPA expires on 30 June and negotiations to re-sign started in earnest last month.
It is understood that all of the state and territories, bar WA, have agreed in principle to re-sign the NPA, with the federal government offering $777 million worth of funding over the next four years.It is understood that all of the state and territories, bar WA, have agreed in principle to re-sign the NPA, with the federal government offering $777 million worth of funding over the next four years.
WA has pulled back from any in-principle agreement and after signalling it would wait for the budget to be handed down in August – two months after the June 30 deadline – it decided to dole out $31 million over the next financial year on Indigenous health initiatives without re-signing the agreement.WA has pulled back from any in-principle agreement and after signalling it would wait for the budget to be handed down in August – two months after the June 30 deadline – it decided to dole out $31 million over the next financial year on Indigenous health initiatives without re-signing the agreement.
The state has not guaranteed any more money beyond the year whereas the Closing the Gap agreement locks in four years' worth of funding.The state has not guaranteed any more money beyond the year whereas the Closing the Gap agreement locks in four years' worth of funding.
The original Closing the Gap funding created 98 new programs and 317 jobs across government, non-government and the Aboriginal community in WA.The original Closing the Gap funding created 98 new programs and 317 jobs across government, non-government and the Aboriginal community in WA.
"Closing the Gap aims to improve the life expectancy of Aboriginal West Australians and, while much has been achieved so far, there is still much more work to be done," WA health minister Kim Hames said in a statement."Closing the Gap aims to improve the life expectancy of Aboriginal West Australians and, while much has been achieved so far, there is still much more work to be done," WA health minister Kim Hames said in a statement.
"The $31 million the WA government has committed to today is for 2013-14 and will enable us to continue to deliver these critical services over the next year, which gives job security to those workers engaged in the delivery of these services.""The $31 million the WA government has committed to today is for 2013-14 and will enable us to continue to deliver these critical services over the next year, which gives job security to those workers engaged in the delivery of these services."
WA has also established the State Government Aboriginal Affairs Cabinet Subcommittee, comprising of the ministers for Aboriginal Affairs, Health, Mental Health and Regional Development, to improve co-ordination of the Closing the Gap services and funding.WA has also established the State Government Aboriginal Affairs Cabinet Subcommittee, comprising of the ministers for Aboriginal Affairs, Health, Mental Health and Regional Development, to improve co-ordination of the Closing the Gap services and funding.
The announcements have had an icy reception in Canberra where minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon said WA should re-sign the agreement and commit to funding beyond a year.The announcements have had an icy reception in Canberra where minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon said WA should re-sign the agreement and commit to funding beyond a year.
"It is expected the final NPA will be ready next week. Western Australia has participated in the negotiation process, but it has made no commitment towards the NPA, nor has it provided any detail of its forward funding commitments," a spokesman for the minister said."It is expected the final NPA will be ready next week. Western Australia has participated in the negotiation process, but it has made no commitment towards the NPA, nor has it provided any detail of its forward funding commitments," a spokesman for the minister said.
"The WA government should demonstrate its intent to work with the commonwealth towards Closing The Gap, by agreeing to sign the NPA and outlining its multi-year funding commitment.""The WA government should demonstrate its intent to work with the commonwealth towards Closing The Gap, by agreeing to sign the NPA and outlining its multi-year funding commitment."
When pressed for a definite answer on whether WA would re-sign the agreement, a spokesman for Hames said there was no agreement on the table for the state to sign.When pressed for a definite answer on whether WA would re-sign the agreement, a spokesman for Hames said there was no agreement on the table for the state to sign.
Snowdon's office countered by saying negotiations had to be finalised before the agreement could be written.Snowdon's office countered by saying negotiations had to be finalised before the agreement could be written.
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