The Chief First Nations Health Officer report shows both the progress made and the challenges that remain in improving the health and wellbeing of First Nations Queenslanders.
Partnership is key. The collaboration between Queensland Health, QAIHC, and the community-controlled health sector shows what is possible when we stand side by side with shared goals. Culturally safe, community-led care is not an option - it is the only path to closing the gap.
The report makes clear that when First Nations voices, knowledge, and leadership are central to policy and programs, real results follow.
This vision has been strengthened by the leadership of Haylene Grogan, the first Chief First Nations Health Officer. Her commitment, insight, and determination have laid a strong foundation for the transformative work ahead.
The report sends a clear message: while we see gains in some areas, the gaps in life expectancy, the high rates of preventable illness, and the ongoing effects of systemic inequities remain unacceptably widespread.
Commitments in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, particularly those focused on sharing and using data, are critical. Data sovereignty is not optional: our communities must control how information about us is collected, accessed, and used.
As discussed at the 2024 QAIHC member conference, the risks of BADDR (blaming, aggregate, decontextualised, deficit and restricted) data show why community-led control of data matters. When we own the evidence, we ensure it drives the right change - change that reflects our priorities, our ways of working, and our vision for health.
There is still much work to do. This report gives me confidence we are heading in the right direction, but confidence is not enough. We must continue listening to our people, acting on what the data tells us, and holding each other accountable. Only then can we build a health system that works with us and for us, so future generations do not inherit these same inequities.
Paula Arnol
Acting Chief Executive Officer