FEDERAL Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Rebecca White has thrown strong support behind Ipswich’s leading First Nations health provider Kambu Health as it marks 50 years of community-controlled care, declaring services like Kambu central to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Joined by Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann, Ms White visited Kambu on Monday, meeting with board members, health workers and local Elders during a staff planning and professional development day.
The visit included an inspection of Kambu’s upgraded Roderick Street clinic, now operating as a fully bulk-billed GP practice open to the broader community. The service has treated more than 55,000 patients over the past year.
Kambu Health has received $5.23 million in Federal funding for 2025–26 through the Indigenous Australians’ Health Programme, supporting the delivery of comprehensive primary healthcare services across the Ipswich and West Moreton region.
Ms White said the investment reflects the Government’s commitment to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through culturally appropriate care.
“As a First Nations health organisation, I want to thank Kambu for their hard work, expertise and commitment to community,” she said.
“We are investing not only in better health care, but in stronger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations—ensuring services are culturally safe, community-led and responsive to local needs.”
Mr Neumann said the visit gave the Assistant Minister valuable insight into the work being delivered on the ground.
“Kambu is a fantastic community-controlled health organisation supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients across Ipswich and surrounding areas,” he said.
He also pointed to a $2.5 million Federal election commitment secured in 2022 to relocate the Children and Family Centre to Silkstone, allowing for expanded, holistic care for young people and families.
The funding boost comes as Ipswich continues to grow, with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population expected to exceed 130,000 by 2031.
Mr Neumann said strengthening Medicare locally remained a priority, noting Kambu’s Roderick Street clinic is now a 100 per cent bulk-billed service benefiting both First Nations patients and the wider community.
The milestone year marks five decades of Kambu Health delivering culturally-led healthcare, supporting generations of First Nations families across the region since its establishment in 1976.
