Aboriginal - controlled health organisation works to close the gap in Central Australia
From early childhood programs to aged care, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Aboriginal Corporation provides holistic health services to people of all ages in need. Here’s how Congress is working to close the health gap in remote communities.
Australia ranks as the second-wealthiest nation in the world, according to UBS’s annual Global Wealth Report. Yet, for most Indigenous Australians living in Central Australia, our national wealth does not necessarily translate into better health.
In the Northern Territory, chronic disease accounts for around 80% of the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, a 2025 CSIRO report states.
“The health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians is widest in remote regions, where preventable diseases like rheumatic heart disease are still common,” says David Busuttil, General Manager of Corporate Services at Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Aboriginal Corporation (Congress).
“For a wealthy nation like ours, that’s an embarrassment. But strong Aboriginal organisations, supported by philanthropy, can deliver community-led health solutions that actually work.”
Congress is the largest Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation in the Northern Territory. Its services cover an area larger than Victoria, spanning Alice Springs and nine remote communities, including Mutitjulu near Uluru,
Earlier this year, Congress received a donation of more than $20,000 from a philanthropist giving via the Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation. David explains the funds helped increase doctor coverage in remote communities, where attracting medical staff is notoriously difficult.
“To receive that support was amazing,” David reflects. “Even a small increase in medical officer coverage makes a huge difference when you’re servicing communities hundreds of kilometres from Alice Springs. Out here, every extra set of hands counts.”
Community-led care makes the difference
For over 50 years, Congress has been a pillar of support and advocacy for local Aboriginal people in their pursuit of justice and equity.
Its strength lies in its structure: as an Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation, it is governed by an Aboriginal board elected by its members. That means the community has a say in how services are delivered and how the organisation is run. The high level of accountability keeps it grounded.
“That level of accountability also makes us think carefully about the impact of every choice we make. It ensures that our services reflect what people really need, not what someone in Canberra thinks they need. That’s not a criticism, it's just the reality. The problems out here are unique and they need local solutions.”
Currently, more than 14,000 Aboriginal people access its holistic programs across Central Australia every year. Services available span everything health-related from speech therapy and dental care to diabetes education and childhood health.
“Healthcare spans the lifetime of our patients. It impacts every part of a person’s life, no matter their age.
“Everyone deserves to have good health, from babies in the womb right through to the elders.”
Congress is now expanding its focus to early childhood and childcare services. Two new centres are being built in Alice Springs to provide 75 additional childcare places.
“Expanding childcare isn’t just about education,” David says. “It’s about health, equity, and giving kids the best start in life.”
This holistic, community-driven approach is what makes Congress such a valuable partner for philanthropy.
“We want to close the gap. To do that, we don’t just want to treat illness when it occurs. We are an Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation that provides a comprehensive, holistic and culturally-appropriate primary health care service to people in Central Australia. We create the conditions that Aboriginal people living in Central Australia need to thrive,” concluded David.
Congress Australian Aboriginal Congress is supported by a sub-account of the Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation, a public ancillary fund.
For more information, contact Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
Photo credit: Central Australian Aboriginal Congress Aboriginal Corporation.
"But strong Aboriginal organisations, supported by philanthropy, can deliver community-led health solutions that actually work.”