Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton has welcomed the latest round of Commonwealth Government funding for the Bourke Aboriginal Health Service Limited (BAHS).
Mr Coulton has confirmed that BAHS will receive a total of $2.2 million over 3 years under the Australian Government’s Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS).
“This funding will assist BAHS with continuing to provide its Regional Social and Emotional Wellbeing Programme, as well as its Alcohol and Other Drugs Programme, to members of the Indigenous community across Bourke,” Mr Coulton said.
“The services provided by BAHS through both of these programmes are essential for the Indigenous men and women in the remote town of Bourke.
“It is very difficult to find services such as these in far Western New South Wales and I am pleased that this IAS funding goes some way to making these programmes possible out west.”
Chief Executive Officer of BAHS, Phil Naden, said that this funding will assist BAHS to not only continue providing these programmes, but it will also help them to address a gap in their service delivery.
“Under previous funding we engaged a female, Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Counsellor here at BAHS to roll out these programmes,” Mr Naden said.
“With this round of IAS funding, we can now look to recruit a male Aboriginal Mental Health Worker who can be trained in AOD and also assist with implementing these essential programmes in Bourke.”
The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion, said that this is another example of the Government’s increased investment in ensuring Indigenous Australians have access to essential health services.
“The increased investment through this IAS round is the result of the Government honouring its commitment to provide longer funding agreements for important frontline services and ensure that any gaps in service delivery are being filled as quickly as possible,” Minister Scullion said.
“This increased investment will help deliver on the Government’s key priorities of making our communities safer.”
Further information about the services offered by BAHS can be found at
Media Contacts
Mr Coulton: Amy Welham 0448 477 830
Minister Scullion: Jan Le Maitre 0477 721 360
