Shocking state of Indigenous health centres

Aboriginal health and wellbeing facilities are in an appalling state according to the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation.

A report has found as many as 200 buildings used by Aboriginal community groups across the state need to be partially or fully replaced in the next 15 years.

Some of the buildings are more than 100 years old.

52 per cent of the buildings were said to be at the end of their economic life.

Infrastructure Victoria chief executive Jonathan Spear said some sites posed a major risk.

“There are also clinicians who have to work in a storeroom and staff who need to wear coats and hats inside because their buildings are unsuitable,” he said.

The Dandenong and District Aborigines Co-operative has been described as the worst and was closed last August because of asbestos exposure. Since then staff have been working from home.

The report has called for the Victorian government to fund $150m of new buildings and also find $30 million a year for repairs.