At the recent WA Collaborative Commissioning Partnership Forum, Klaudia Shenton, Strategy and Policy Manager at the Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA), highlighted the critical steps needed to meet the state’s Closing the Gap targets, particularly in life expectancy.
Drawing on her extensive background in policy and research related to human rights, asylum seekers and iInternational dDevelopment, Ms Shenton addressed an audience of health sector stakeholders and community leaders, focusing on the urgency of reform and the importance of culturally appropriate care.
“Life expectancy is influenced by a complex mix of social, cultural and health factors,” Ms Shenton said. “To make meaningful progress, we need a coordinated response across these areas.”
She underscored the role of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) in delivering improved health outcomes for Aboriginal peoples.
“The first priority is to strengthen comprehensive primary health care delivery by ACCHSs.
“These services consistently achieve better results because they are culturally led, continuous and responsive to local community needs and priorities,” she said.
The Closing the Gap initiative sets ambitious targets, including narrowing the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2031.
Ms Shenton called for reform priorities that centre local voices, stating, “When care is driven by local priorities, it’s more likely to be effective and sustainable. Building trust and supporting communities to lead their own solutions is essential.”
Forum attendees discussed strategies for fostering collaboration between government, health providers and Aboriginal organisations. Consensus emerged around the need for long-term investment in community-led programs and culturally safe services.
As Western Australia moves forward with its Closing the Gap commitments, leaders like Klaudia Shenton continue to advocate for policy change and resource allocation that empower Aboriginal communities to shape their own health futures.
The message was clear: achieving equitable life expectancy requires more than clinical interventions – it demands a holistic, community-driven approach.
The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and WA Primary Health Alliance, as the operator of WA’s three Primary Health Networks, are committed to working with AHCWA and the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector to transition funding and programs such as the Integrated Team Care program to support the delivery of culturally appropriate services for the community.