THE HON WARREN SNOWDON MP
Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health
and Regional Services Delivery
MEDIA RELEASE
2 November 2009
Minister Welcomes Launch of New Urban Indigenous Health Institute
The Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery,
Warren Snowdon, today welcomed the establishment of the new Institute for Urban Indigenous
Health in Brisbane.
The Australian Government has provided funding totalling $312,618 toward the establishment
and implementation of the initial phase of the Institute.
The Minister said the Institute would integrate health planning and servicing within Brisbane
and the surrounding regions to meet the health needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
population.
“The majority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reside in urban centres and
addressing access to services for these people is crucial to closing the gap in health status
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians,” Mr Snowdon said.
“This Institute will go along way to a coordinated/integrated approach to the planning,
development and delivery of primary health care services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander populations within the region, involving Indigenous-specific and key mainstream
providers.”
The Institute’s key focus will include:
strengthening and maintaining key service relationships such as those with the local
Indigenous health services, local Divisions of General Practice, private practitioners,
allied health service providers and hospitals
development, testing and evaluation of ‘new’ models of primary health care delivery to
urban Indigenous populations
the establishment of a teaching centre in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health
through collaboration with the Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of
Queensland (UQ).
The Institute will also increase capacity to support the effective implementation of the Council
of Australian Governments (COAG) Closing the Gap funding initiatives.
Media contact: Greg Doolan, 0433 345 323
NEWS 
