INDIGENOUS health organisations in western NSW would benefit from a $58 million funding boost as part of the federal government's closing the gap strategy, according to Parkes MP Mark Coulton.
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Mr Coulton said Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) at Bourke, Condobolin, Coonamble, Moree, Walgett and Wellington would have their funding extended for another three years.
"Although there has been improvement, we all know there is much work to be done with Indigenous health outcomes," Mr Coulton said.
"This funding reaffirms the Abbott government's commitment to closing the gap and to meeting the government's priorities of getting Indigenous Australians into work, ensuring children go to school and making communities safer."
Mr Coulton said the target to halve the gap in mortality rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children looked achievable by 2018.
"However the target to close the gap in life expectancy within a generation is not on track to be met," he said.
Mr Coulton said ACCHOs played a unique and vital role in efforts to close the gap in health outcomes by improving access to primary care and enabling the delivery of culturally-appropriate services.
The local organisations were among 112 nationwide that would share in $1.4 billion.
They included Bourke Aboriginal Health Service, Condobolin Aboriginal Health Service Inc, Pius X Aboriginal Corporation, Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service Co-operative and Wellington Aboriginal Corporation Health Service.
