[On-screen text: Aboriginal health, in Aboriginal hands…]
Auntie Coral: It has been a big struggle. You know, the sicknesses and illnesses that's taken a lot of our mob.
We lost too many. And there's only a few of us elders really standing.
But now we we can walk in and feel so happy to see our new building and doctors coming in.
And we don't have to worry about the suffering and the loss of life as much anymore, because we know we've got this.
[On-screen text: Introducing two Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) in East Gippsland:
Moogji Aboriginal Council and Lake Tyers Health and Children’s Services]
Auntie Charmaine: With the health centre here, we're getting help we need.
We're getting the support we need.
I'm so wrapped with the help for what they're doing for the community.
[On-screen text: These clinics are supported through the Strengthening life-long Aboriginal health and wellbeing through access to early intervention and holistic care initiative]
Mikila Sharkie, Lake Tyers Health and Children’s Services: The appointment book is full every day. We’ve gone from having a half-day GP session per week to having two and a half full days per week, so that’s five times what we had just two years ago, which is amazing.
For this community, being relatively remote, we’re an hour to the nearest hospital, we’re half an hour to the local supermarket and the banks. And there’s no public transport here at Lake Tyers.
If community had to rely on other services, if this clinic wasn’t here, life would be very different.
Tim, Nurse, Lake Tyers Health and Children’s Services: We did have somebody come through a week or two ago who was quite sick, and they did turn very quick so it was kind of all hands on deck.
We got them to the hospital, I think this community was very grateful with that.
If we weren’t here in the structure that we currently are, I don’t think we would’ve been able to do what we did. It could’ve been a different outcome.
Tammy Bundle, Manager, Gippsland Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Alliance: So this has been over 30 years in the making.
It's our elders who started this journey many years ago, and it was our elders that paved the way.
We're standing here today with two Aboriginal medical clinics, Aboriginal health in Aboriginal hands.
Auntie Coral: I've just got one big word and it's proud.
I am so proud of the work that the younger ones have done and where they have got us.
Tammy: Even though this journey has been really tough because we started with scratch, we started with nothing.
And it's a really true testament to what Aboriginal self-determination looks like when you keep on going.
And it's a real testament to our elders who have in-built and instilled in us that need to keep advocating for community.
[End of transcript]
Updated