The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia, on behalf of the Western Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Sector, acknowledges the retirement and extraordinary contribution of Pat Turner AM as she steps down from her roles as Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks; and CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. Her departure marks the end of an era characterised by strong advocacy, steadfast leadership, and a deep commitment to the rights and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Pat’s leadership has nurtured the national ACCHS network and elevated the profile of community control across the nation. Her work crafting and driving the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (National Agreement) has been influential in pushing governments across Australia to be accountable for their commitments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

In 2024, Pat joined AHCWA Chair Vicki O’Donnell OAM in addressing the Western Australian Cabinet. Together, they delivered a clear and uncompromising message: the WA Government must honour its obligations under the National Agreement and demonstrate genuine partnership with the ACCHS sector.

“Pat has been a leader of immense stature nationally over many years, and throughout that time she has remained clear eyed about why our sector needs to lead and do things our way—because our community and their need for advocacy, support and services has always been central to her work,” Ms O’Donnell OAM said.

Across her tenure, Pat has championed the strength, capacity, and authority of our ACCHS. Her influence has shaped policy, pushed national conversations, and ensured community voices remained central to decision‑making. The WA ACCHS sector has benefited immensely from her guidance, her strategic clarity, and her refusal to accept anything less than meaningful change.

We extend our deepest respect and gratitude to Pat for her decades of service, and celebrate her enduring legacy. While she steps back from her formal roles, the impact of her leadership will continue to guide our work for years to come.

AHCWA and the WA ACCHS Sector wish Pat all the very best in her retirement, and congratulate new Coalition of Peaks Lead Convenor Donnella Mills as and new NACCHO CEO Dr Dawn Casey.