New Chair Elected to Peak Aboriginal Health Body

NACCHO Media Release - 11/11/2009

Mr Justin Mohamed is the new Chair of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the national peak body for over 145 Aboriginal community controlled medical services.

Mr Mohamed, elected the new NACCHO Chair at its Annual General Meeting in Darwin on Tuesday, is a Gooreng Gooreng man from Bundaberg Queensland but he has lived and worked with Victorian Aboriginal communities for the last 20 years.

Over this time he has been part of the community controlled Aboriginal health sector and is the Chairperson, and former CEO, of Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative and is Director of the Academy of Sport, Health and Education in Shepparton.

He has chaired the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, NACCHO’s affiliated peak body for the last six years and he served as NACCHO’s Deputy Chair over the last two years.

Mr Mohamed said “I have been inspired over the years by the members and many great leaders in the community controlled Aboriginal health sector and their vision of the future.

“The members of NACCHO are proud of their community controlled health services. We share a passion for strengthening our role in Aboriginal health as well as strengthening NACCHO as our national representative building strong partnerships with the government and non-government sectors.

“We will be working closely with our members and their state and territory peak bodies to draw on their expertise, and their efficiency and effectiveness.

“We want to ensure our health services have the resources and confidence to address our community’s health needs.

“We have seen over the years much needed funds diverted away from our sector so that in many parts of Australia our people have less rather than more control over their health.

“Our members want to complete the national framework agreement with the federal government and to again make NACCHO the undisputed national leader in Aboriginal health.

“I’d like to build on the previous Chair Dr Mick Adams’ work establishing the relationship with the Rudd government and hold it to the commitments they have made in the Close the Gap statement to properly resource Aboriginal community controlled health organisations” Mr Mohamed said.

Mr Mohamed will be supported by the new Deputy Chair Ms Glenda Humes from Bunbury West Australia.

NACCHO Media Contacts: Chris Hallett 04 0770 4788