The Cook Labor Government’s announcement this fortnight of a landmark Western Australian Preventative Health Strategy has neglected any acknowledgement of the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector, Aboriginal people, and Close the Gap initiatives.

The Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia and our 23 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations welcome this long‑awaited focus on prevention. However, we express extreme disappointment and deep concern at the absence of recognition or respect for our Sector’s five decades of leadership in preventative health.

“Our disappointment is not about seeking recognition for its own sake. It is about genuine partnership and truth-telling,” AHCWA Chair Vicki O’Donnell OAM said. “To be referenced only as ‘non-government agencies’ overlooks the critical, longstanding role of ACCHOs in delivering exactly the initiatives highlighted in the announcement: strong vaccination uptake for vaccine-preventable illness, healthier lifestyle promotion, and improved access to early screening.”

“Aboriginal people in WA continue to experience the highest burden of chronic disease, including rheumatic heart disease, and face significant gaps in environmental health programs, one of the most fundamental determinants of health. Despite these challenges, ACCHOs remain the largest providers of Aboriginal primary healthcare in WA, delivering culturally safe, community-led services not only to our own people but also to approximately 25 per cent of the non-Aboriginal population,” Ms O’Donnell said.

While AHCWA, as the state’s peak body for Aboriginal health, has been included in the roundtables, the short notice of invitations received to these discussions and their quick succession raises questions about the integrity of the roundtable process and how meaningful and diverse Aboriginal representation is in these consultations. Aboriginal health should be a key focus of the roundtable discussions, and our Sector’s broad expertise pivotal to guiding the development of this strategy.

“Apologies after the fact are not an acceptable substitute for meaningful inclusion from the outset,” Ms O’Donnell said. “If WA is serious about prevention, equity, and meeting their commitments to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, then Aboriginal leadership must be acknowledged and embedded in every strategy, every initiative, and every public communication. Preventative health cannot succeed without our Sector, and it should never be spoken about as though we are an afterthought.”