Page 3968 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 15 Sept 2009

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Intergovernmental agreement

Paper and statement by minister

MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Minister for Transport, Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Minister for the Arts and Heritage): For the information of members, I present the following paper:

Intergovernmental agreement—National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes.

I seek leave to make a statement in relation to the paper.

Leave granted.

MR STANHOPE: I am pleased to table in the Assembly today the national partnership agreement on closing the gap in Indigenous health outcomes. On 2 October 2008 COAG agreed to several ambitious targets for closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians across urban, rural and remote areas.

Indigenous Australians experience the worst health of any one identifiable cultural group in Australia, including low birth weight, mortality rates, diseases from alcohol and smoking, and lower access rates to acute care investigations and procedures. As a component to addressing these issues, this agreement is centred on five priority areas: tackling smoking; providing a healthy transition to adulthood; making Indigenous health everyone’s business; delivering effective primary healthcare services; and better coordinating patient journey through the health system.

The agreement’s effectiveness will be influenced and supported by the successful implementation of other Indigenous initiatives, including early childhood reforms, broader health system changes and measures to address the underlying social determinants of poor health.

The ACT government acknowledges that through the signing of this agreement all governments need to make a concerted effort to work together, acknowledging the contribution that effective health care can make towards closing the gap.

General practice and sustainable primary health care

Paper and statement by minister

MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Treasurer, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Services and Minister for Women): For the information of members, I present the following paper:

General Practice and Sustainable Primary Health Care: The Way Forward—Final report—September 2009, prepared by the ACT GP Taskforce, dated September 2009.

I seek leave to make a statement in relation to the paper.


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