Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA)

AHCWA was incorporated under the Commonwealth Corporations Law in February-March 2005. It replaced the Western Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation as the peak body for 19 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services(ACCHSs) in WA. ACCHSs are also known as Aboriginal Medical Services.

The Western Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Incorporated (WAACCHO) had been operating since 1997. It was incorporated under the (WA) Associations Incorporation Act 1987 and was, therefore, subject to State Government legislation and regulations in respect of compliance and financial management. AHCWA must now comply with much stronger governance and financial accountabilities under Commonwealth legislation.

WAACCHO operates under its own constitution that defines its objectives, and which refer to "a holistic care network" that:
AHCWA operates under its own constitution that defines its Objectives, these are:

(a) The amelioration of poverty within the Aboriginal community;
(b) The advancement of Aboriginal religion;
(c) The development and maintenance of educational institutions to provide constructive educational health courses and programmes for members of the Aboriginal community and to undertake medical research to redress ill-health within the Aboriginal community; and
(d) To deliver holistic and culturally appropriate health and health related services to the Aboriginal community.

The scope of the term ‘holistic’ is clarified in the constitution to include the development, promotion and maintenance of the "…physical, spiritual, social, economic and cultural well being…” of Aboriginal peoples. The constitution goes on to identify three distinct areas of network operations.

• Individuals - The network exists to promote health and relieve poverty, sickness and suffering of individual members of the Aboriginal community.
• Services - The network exists to deliver holistic and culturally appropriate health care and health related services to the Aboriginal community.
• Member Organisations - The network exists to provide support to, to promote and to advocate on behalf of its member organisations; and to act as a forum for these member organisations.

Contact Information:

Senior Staff:

This Unit appears in the following related topics:

• Aboriginal Health
• Associations and Organisations

Units reporting to Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA):