Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] Thanks, Senator McDonald, for the opportunity to outline these important measures. I know that Senator McDonald takes a strong interest in Closing the Gap, particularly working with local communities in Far North Queensland.

In support of the first Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, the Morrison government is investing more than $300 million in health infrastructure and programs to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access health services when and where they need them. The government is also investing $45 million to ensure the best start in life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children through the Healthy Mums and Healthy Bubs program.

This funding is an additional $82 million for the Connected Beginnings program, which includes funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services. These programs are focused on promoting healthy outcomes and healthy lifestyle choices for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their babies. This will provide mothers with improved access to health care, including access to antenatal care, from their health providers and will provide support until their baby is one year old. These programs complement and build on the government's investment of more than $781.1 million in the 2021-22 budget to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and ageing outcomes. The Closing the Gap implementation plan sets a foundation for the Commonwealth's efforts over the next decade in achieving the targets in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, signed by all Australian governments in July 2020.