Overview
While many Aboriginal Victorians report good health, improving health outcomes and having a good quality of life will ensure all Victorian Aboriginal communities can thrive.
Measures under Goal 11 have mixed results
Rates of daily smoking reduced while self-reported health has remained steady.
The other measures under this goal are complex in nature and need to be considered in full in the chapter below.
Goal 11 directly aligns with the following Closing the Gap Outcome and Target
Outcome 1 People enjoy long and healthy lives.
- Target 1 Close the gap in life expectancy within a generation, by 2031.
Closing the Gap - How Victoria is tracking nationally
Outcome 1: Nationally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males born in 2020–22 are expected to live to 71.9 years and females to 75.6 years, and non-Indigenous males and females to 80.6 years and 83.8 years respectively. Nationally, based on progress from the baseline year (2005-07), the target shows improvement but is not on track to be met for males or females.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander estimates of life expectancy are currently not produced for Victoria due to under-identification in deaths records, small sample sizes, data collection issues and statistical challenges associated with the calculation methods. There are ongoing efforts to improve the quality of data on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths.
Data Note
The following measures rely on datasets that are infrequently collected. No new data was available at the time of reporting.
- Measure 11.1.1 Expectation of life at birth, by sex
Historical data for this measure is available on the First Peoples-State Relations website: Victorian Government Aboriginal Affairs Report | firstpeoplesrelations.vic.gov.au
11.1 Improve Aboriginal health status, quality of life and life expectancy
Measure 11.1.2 Proportion reporting ‘excellent or very good’ health status
What does the data say?
In 2024, 30 per cent of Aboriginal respondents to the Victorian Population Health Survey (VPHS) assessed their health as ‘excellent or very good’.
Does the data show improvement or decline?
In both the long and short term, the percentage of Aboriginal respondents assessing their health as excellent/very good has remained steady. In 2019, a high point of 32.2 per cent of Aboriginal respondents self-assessed excellent/very good health, and in 2018 a low point of 27.7 per cent of respondents self-assessed excellent/very good health. With results remaining similar to previous years, this does not indicate improving results.
How does this compare with non-Aboriginal results?
In 2024, 36.6 per cent of non-Aboriginal respondents to the VPHS assessed their health as excellent/very good. This is less than in 2023 (40 per cent) and is also less than the median across all years of the VPHS (40.6 per cent).
Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd (VACSAL)
SDRF enabler 4: Transfer power and resources to community
From September 2019, VACSAL are a recognised State Sport and Active Recreation Body (SSARB). VACSAL is a state-wide agency that provides advice to the Victorian Government on a range of community development issues and provides extensive services to First Peoples in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. It is regarded as a key advocate for First Peoples in Victoria, with representation on over 85 local, regional and State reference or advisory bodies.
VACSAL works with Sport and Recreation Victoria to coordinate information out to and from First Peoples. This acknowledges the key role VACSAL plays in the sport and active recreation sector and their contribution to creating participation opportunities for First Peoples in Victoria.
Following this recognition, VACSAL are eligible to apply for program funding through the various participation programs delivered through the Community Sport portfolio. VACSAL currently received funding of $200,000 over 4 years under the Together More Active 2023-27 Program to deliver junior sporting carnivals to community, $100,000 over 2 years to deliver senior sporting carnivals and $80,000 over 2 years to support Workforce Development for First Peoples’ volunteers.
Measure 11.1.3 Rate of daily smoking
What does the data say?
In 2024, 13.7 per cent of Aboriginal respondents to the VPHS aged 18 and above said they are daily smokers. This is the lowest recorded yearly percentage for Aboriginal adults in the VPHS.
It should be noted that a relative standard error (a measure of how well a survey sample represents a larger population) of 24.7 per cent is still considered accurate but is close to the threshold being treated with caution.
Does the data show improvement or decline?
Since the 2023 VPHS, the proportion of Aboriginal respondents saying they smoke daily decreased by 11.6 percentage points. This is a large decrease and points to improving results for this measure. Over the long term there have also been large decreases. The percentage of daily smokers declined by 21.4 percentage points in 2024 compared with 2017.
While these results point to large improvements, they should be treated with some caution. Smoking behaviours in general have changed in the past 5 to 10 years with the prevalence of vaping and other non-cigarette smoking. The VPHS also has an expanded sample every three years and this may have affected the results.
How does this compare with non-Aboriginal results?
In 2024, 9.4 per cent of non-Aboriginal respondents to the VPHS said they were daily smokers. This is a decrease of 2.8 percentage points compared with 2017.
In 2024, Aboriginal adults were 1.5 times more likely to be daily smokers than their non-Aboriginal peers. This has halved since 2017, when Aboriginal people were 2.9 times more likely be daily smokers than their non-Aboriginal peers.
Measure 11.1.4 Rate of hospitalisations for potentially preventable causes (vaccine preventable, acute, chronic and all)
What does the data say?
In 2023-24, 62 per 1,000 Aboriginal people were in hospital for potentially preventable causes. For specific causes; 6.7 per 1,000 potentially preventable hospitalisations were for vaccine-preventable causes, 24 per 1,000 were for acute conditions, and 32.6 per 1,000 were for chronic conditions.
Potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs) are conditions where the hospitalisation could have potentially been prevented through the provision of appropriate individualised preventative health interventions or early disease management. These interventions would normally be delivered in primary care and community-based care settings (including by general practitioners, medical specialists, dentists, nurses and allied health professionals).
Does the data show improvement or decline?
From 2022–23, the rate of all Aboriginal separations (that is, a period of care in hospital) increased by 7.2 per 1,000 Aboriginal people. Over the long term, the rate of all Aboriginal separations has increased by 15.4 per 1,000 Aboriginal people since 2014–15.
Breaking this down by reason for hospitalisation; most of the growth in potentially preventable separations for Aboriginal people is for acute conditions (short severe injury or disease).
This trend points to worsening results for Aboriginal people in Victoria. An improved result would see fewer separations per 1,000 for potentially preventable hospitalisation.
How does this compare with non-Aboriginal results?
In 2023-24, 25.1 per 1,000 non-Aboriginal people were in hospital for potentially preventable reasons. When breaking that number down by causes; 2.2 per 1,000 potentially preventable hospitalisations were for vaccine-preventable causes, 11.1 per 1,000 were for acute conditions, and 12 per 1,000 were for chronic conditions.
When comparing rates, Aboriginal people were 2.5 times more likely to experience potentially preventable hospitalisations in 2023-24. The highest difference between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal potentially preventable hosptialisations is between those admitted for vaccine-preventable causes, with Aboriginal people 3 times more likely to be hospitalised.
Measure 11.1.5 Incidence of selected cancers
What does the data say?
Cancer incidence site
In the period 2019–23, there were 2,191 new diagnoses of cancer for Aboriginal people in Victoria. The top new diagnoses of cancers for Aboriginal people were for lung (339 incidences), prostate (245 incidences), breast (221 incidences), bowel (203 incidences), and head and neck (100 incidences). Lung cancer alone represented 15.5 per cent of all new cancer diagnoses in Aboriginal people in Victoria.
Cancer by age and gender
In the period 2019–23 Aboriginal males and female aged 70-plus years had the highest incidence rate among all age cohorts. Aboriginal men had a cancer incidence rate of 710.6 per 10,000 and Aboriginal women had a rate of 493.6 per 10,000. Results for other age cohorts are as follows:
Does the data show improvement or decline?
Since 2018–22 there were 126 more incidences of cancer among Aboriginal people in Victoria with lung and prostate cancer accounting for the 20.6 per cent and 23.8 per cent of that growth. In 2019–2023 Aboriginal men under 50 years of age were less likely to be diagnosed with cancer than in 2018–2022. Aboriginal men 50 and over were more likely in the same period. For Aboriginal women under 50 years of age, age specific rates of cancer remained steady between 2018–2022 and 2019–2023. Aboriginal women 50 years of age and over were more likely to be diagnosed with cancer between 2018–2022 and 2019–2023.
It is difficult to determine whether increasing incidence of cancer is positive or negative. For example, it could indicate that fewer cancers are going undetected. However, it could indicate increased incidences.
How does this compare with non-Aboriginal results?
The standardised incidence ratio (SIR) for cancer is a measure of how likely it is for Aboriginal people to have a cancer incidence compared to their non-Aboriginal peers. Aboriginal people have equal incidence of cancer where the SIR is equal to one, more incidence where it is greater than one and less incidence where it is less than one.
In 2019–2023 Aboriginal women and men were more likely to have cancer than their non-Aboriginal peers. Aboriginal women were 4.7 times as likely to have lung cancer, 5.4 times as likely to have liver cancer, 2.3 times as likely to have head and neck cancer and 3.2 times as likely to have cervix cancer than their non-Aboriginal peers. Aboriginal men were 4.0 times as likely to have lung cancer, 5.1 times as likely to have liver cancer, and 3.0 times as likely to have head and neck cancer than their non-Aboriginal peers.
Measure 11.1.6 Rate of emergency department presentations for alcohol or drug-related harm
What does the data say?
In 2024–25, there were 2,420 presentations to emergency departments among Aboriginal people for alcohol or drug related harm. This is a rate of 29.2 presentations per 1,000 Aboriginal people.
For Aboriginal people aged 15-24 years specifically, there were 509 presentations to emergency departments for alcohol or drug related harm in 2024–25. This is a rate of 31.4 presentations per 1,000 Aboriginal people aged 15-24 years old.
Does the data show improvement or decline?
There were 172 more presentations to emergency departments for alcohol or drug related harm in 2024-25 than in 2023–24 for Aboriginal people. The number of presentations for alcohol or drug related harm has increased by 1,326 for Aboriginal people since 2015–16.
There were 17 fewer Aboriginal 15–24-year-olds emergency departments presentations for alcohol or drug related harm in 2024-25 than in 2023–24. However, the number of presentations for alcohol or drug related harm has increased by 239 for Aboriginal 15–24-year-olds since 2015–16.
In the short term, there has not been substantial change in the rate of all Aboriginal presentations for alcohol or drug related harm. This is similar for presentations by Aboriginal 15–24-year-olds. Over the long term, there were 13.6 per 1,000 more emergency presentations by Aboriginal people in 2024-25 than in 2015-16. Similarly, for Aboriginal 15–24-year-olds, there were 13.2 per 1,000 more emergency presentations in 2024-25 than in 2015-16.
Over the long term with more emergency presentations for alcohol and drug related harm for both all Aboriginal people and Aboriginal 15–24-year-olds means that results for this measure are declining.
How does this compare with non-Aboriginal results?
In 2024–25, there were 4.0 per 1,000 presentations by non-Aboriginal people to emergency departments for alcohol or drug related harm, and 5.5 per 1,000 for non-Aboriginal 15–24-year-olds. Over time, the rate of presentations for alcohol or drug related harm for non-Aboriginal people has remained stable for all ages and has declined slowly for 15-24-year-olds.
When comparing the rate of presentations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in 2024-25, Aboriginal people of all ages were 7.2 times more likely to present at emergency departments for alcohol and drug related harm, and Aboriginal 15–24 year olds were 5.7 times more likely.
Measure 11.1.7 Specialist alcohol and other drug treatment services provided to Aboriginal Victorians
What does the data say?
In 2023–24, there were 10,693 closed episodes for alcohol and other drug treatment services for Aboriginal people. This represents 129.0 closed episodes per 1,000 people.
A treatment episode is period of contact between a client and a treatment provider, or team of providers. An episode is closed when treatment is completed, and there has been no further contact between the client and the treatment provider for three months.
Does the data show improvement or decline?
In 2023-24, there were 365 more closed episodes for alcohol and other drug treatment services used by Aboriginal people than in 2022-23, representing an increase of 1.8 per 1,000 people. Over the long term, there were 7,152 more closed episodes for alcohol and other drug treatment services used by Aboriginal people than in 2014-15, representing an increase of 78.7 per 1,000 people.
It is difficult to determine whether this is an improvement or a decline of results. The growing number of Aboriginal people recorded using alcohol or other drug treatment services could be because those services are more accessible than they have been in the past, enabling more people to get the support they need. Alternatively, it could be because the demand for those services has gone up, because there is more use of alcohol or other drugs.
How does this compare with non-Aboriginal results?
In 2023–24, there were 10,693 closed episodes for alcohol and other drug treatment services for non-Aboriginal people. This represents 12.2 closed episodes per 1,000 non-Aboriginal people. In 2023–24, Aboriginal people were 10.6 times more likely to access alcohol and other drug treatment services than their non-Aboriginal peers.
Goal 11 – Victorian Government Investment and Action
Health and wellbeing
Strengthening Lifelong Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing (Urgent Care Pathways Funding)
The 2023/24 State Budget allocated $34.04 million for ACCHOs to deliver Strengthening Lifelong Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing (Urgent Care Pathways) from 2023-24 to 2026-27.
Urgent Care Pathways will improve the health of Aboriginal Victorians by redirecting treatment for potentially preventable hospitalisations from mainstream hospitals to ACCHOs. Greater access to primary care will enable ACCHOs to better treat chronic health conditions or even identify them early before they become problematic for the individual.
By shifting demand from acute health services and hospitals to ACCHOs who deliver culturally responsive, prevention-focussed health care, DH and ACCHOs are working towards closing the gap in Aboriginal health and wellbeing.
During 2024-25, the total number of Aboriginal Health Checks completed (Medicare Benefit Schedule 715) reported were approximately 4,000 and the Episodes of Care delivered through ACCHO services was over 150,000 through the Urgent Care pathways funding investment.
These increases indicate improved access to culturally safe primary care, which is expected to reduce potentially preventable hospitalisations over time.
More Support for Elders Living Longer
In 2024, the Victorian Government entered into the Strengthening Medicare Supporting Older Australians Federation Funding Agreement (FFA) aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of older people by:
- intervening early;
- diverting emergency department presentations and hospital admissions where it is safe and appropriate; and
- addressing discharge delays.
Victoria will receive $144.2 million over four years from 2024/25, for nine pilot initiatives through the FFA.
The More Support for Elders Living Longer pilot has been allocated $9.94 million over four years from 2024-25. DH is partnering with the VACCHO to deliver this initiative through a self-determined approach.
The pilot aims to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of Aboriginal Elders aged 50 and over, by enabling them to stay at home and reduce their avoidable emergency department presentations and hospital admissions.
Two ACCHOs will be funded to design initiatives that respond to local needs and will commence service delivery in 2026.
Treating women’s health issues
The 2023/24 State Budget provided funding of $153 million over four years to change the way women’s health issues are treated including for the:
- expansion of the Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Hubs (SRH Hubs) network from 11 to 20. The network of 20 SRH Hubs, includes 8 metro and 12 regional sites that provide free to low-cost sexual and reproductive healthcare for women, girls and gender diverse people, including Aboriginal women and girls.
- establishment of 20 Women’s Health Clinics over four years in public hospitals to provide specialist multidisciplinary services under the one roof for women and girls, including Aboriginal women and girls. Ten clinics have been opened, with additional five to become fully operational by end of the year and final five to be announced in early 2026.
- the introduction of new Mobile and Virtual Women’s Health Clinics to improve access to women’s health services in the community and remove common access barriers associated with cultural safety, service costs and distance. The Mobile Women’s Health Clinic, a bus named Nina, operated by Breast Screen Victoria, is travelling across regional and rural Victoria, and provides primary care women’s health services, including for First Nations women and girls at their doorstep. The clinic has partnered with local ACCHOs to deliver services for Aboriginal women and girls in a trusted and culturally safe environment.
- the establishment of a dedicated and first-of-its-kind Aboriginal Women’s Health Clinic to provide free to low-cost women’s health services and wrap around support for Aboriginal women and girls. The Aboriginal Women’s Health Clinic which opened in early July 2025 is operated by First People’s Health and Wellbeing from their Thomastown and Frankston locations.
Health promotion
2024-25 Health Promotion funding supports First Peoples through a variety of mechanisms, including place based programs – Local Public Health Units (LPHUs) and Community Health-Health promotion, tailored services delivered by Quit Victoria, and fixed-term activity funding to VACCHO and the Working Together for Health initiative.
- DH continued support for the Best Practice Aboriginal Forum on Reducing Tobacco and E-Cigarette Related Harms, where ACCHOs and government funded health organisations shared progress and learning from their local initiatives and built awareness and capacity to reducing smoking and vaping. Self-determined implementation of the Commonwealth funded Tackling Indigenous Smoking and Vaping (TIS) program, led by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service, continued across the wider Victorian community.
- All four ACCHOs within Loddon Mallee continue to be funded to deliver Working Together for Health, a place-based and community driven model focusing on reducing tobacco and e-cigarette related harms; increasing cancer screenings, immunisations and health checks; improving mental health, healthy eating and active living; and oral health promotion.
- Quit Victoria continues to support Aboriginal Quitline as a culturally safe service for First Peoples to quit smoking and vaping. Quit Victoria is also working with DH to better meet the needs of Aboriginal Victorians through the Commonwealth funded Quitline expansion rolling out from 2023 to 2027.
- VACCHO distributed 300 clinical smoking and vaping information pamphlets to 20 ACCOs, and supported ACCOs to maintain and update smokefree and vape free policies. They presented at the Statewide Social and Emotional Wellbeing Gathering in June 2025 to engage with Community, are developing three new clinical resources for smoking and vaping cessation in pregnancy, and are increasing ACCO knowledge of the Aboriginal Quitline and referral pathways. VACCHO also participated in the National Tackling Indigenous Smoking Flip the Vape social media campaign, led by Victorian Aboriginal Health Service. This campaign reached over 15,000 people.
- VACCHO supported eight ACCHOs to deliver locally driven projects through flexible grant coordination relating to Food Connections and encouraging healthy and traditional eating habits. VACCHO has also been involved in sharing and preserving cultural knowledge through food sharing events and community meals, cultural workshops, combining food, storytelling and cultural practices and healthy eating education, delivered by Aboriginal Health workers and local Elders and partnered with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation to improve food security.
- The Healthy Eating Advisory Service (HEAS), delivered by the National Nutrition Foundation with support from the Victorian Government, manages the Catering for Good Directory to promote healthier and more sustainable caterers. HEAS is actively promoting Victorian Aboriginal businesses certified by Kinaway Chamber of Commerce, including Jarrah Catering, Pawa Catering and Djambana Catering, which are listed in the directory. HEAS also produced a promotional case study video for Pawa Catering, highlighting its use of native ingredients, sustainability practices and employment for Aboriginal communities. DH has supported these business by increasing the uptake of Aboriginal owned businesses across departmental activities.
- A number of Community Health-Health Promotion program agencies have worked through local networks on place-based initiatives to address food insecurity and support mental wellbeing, while Local Public Health Units manage regional population health catchment planning to promote equity and ensure programs are inclusive and responsive to the needs of their communities. For example, under its Priority Populations Grants Program, North East Public Health Unit funded the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service to deliver a time limited project in Banyule, Darebin, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges that provided culturally designed nutrition education and interactive workshops. These workshops supported healthy food choices, diabetes management and increased consumption of nutritious foods, with an evaluation to inform a sustainable service.
Health-led response to public intoxication
Following the decriminalisation of public intoxication on 7 November 2023, the Victorian Government invested $84.3 million over three years for health-led, culturally safe and consent-based alternatives to police custody for people who are intoxicated in public.
The public intoxication reform service model provides outreach and transport to a nominated safe place or to a dedicated service to sober up safely, supported by a statewide central intake, referral and dispatch service. Public intoxication reform activities are monitored and overseen by a dedicated, Aboriginal-led Implementation Monitoring and Oversight Group (IMOG).
Victoria’s public intoxication services are delivered by five ACCHOs and one community health service (cohealth) in ten physical locations, and the statewide central Intake, Referral and Dispatch (IRD) service is delivered by the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service.
ACCHO-led and self-determined public intoxication services employ 170 people as 79 FTE across the state.
In areas without a dedicated public intoxication service response, consent-based support including transport to a safe place is facilitated by police and ambulance services.
From November 2023 to September 2025, public intoxication services have delivered more than 3,000 on-demand outreach supports, over 2,000 stays at sobering services, and over 77,000 instances of assertive outreach and community engagement, including brief interventions to reduce alcohol and other drug harms, and supported referral into relevant services including alcohol and drug, health, family violence and housing.
Sport
Aboriginal Sport Participation Grant (ASPG) program
The ASPG program provides a single-entry point for First Peoples to access funding that assists in addressing a range of barriers to community sport participation right across the state. The ASPG Program is led and directed by Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV)’s Aboriginal Programs Team (APT). The ASPG program administers two rounds per year to First Peoples in Victoria to increase participation in carnivals and community sport. Since 2020, the ASPG program has provided more than 511 grants, totalling more than $903,000 to ACCOs and sporting clubs and associations.
Sport and Recreation Victoria Funding Service Agreements
The APT in SRV continue to embed First Peoples outcomes in SRV funding service agreements, including Community Service Agreements with professional clubs through major infrastructure investments.
Surfing Victoria’s Indigenous Surfing Program
The Together More Active 2023-27 program is providing funding of $200,000 over four years to Surfing Victoria to support its Indigenous Surfing Program. The Indigenous Surfing Program utilises surfing as a vehicle to connect First Peoples in Victoria with the ocean, their community and nature whilst learning new skills, water safety knowledge and healthy habits. It aims to enrich First Peoples across Victoria through surfing and stand up paddleboarding; being physically active in a safe, fun environment, whilst building confidence, social cohesion and connection to community whilst reducing barriers to participation and teaching water safety skills.
Victorian Aboriginal Sporting Partnership (VASP)
In March 2024, the Victorian Aboriginal Sporting Partnership Working Group (the Working Group) was established by SRV to design and develop a model and action plan for the VASP. In alignment with First Peoples self-determination principles, the Working Group consists of 10 First Peoples community leaders with roles across the sport, government and primary prevention sectors.
The Working Group plays an important role in helping shape SRV’s approach to policy, programs and projects. The VASP will provide a formal agreement to increase sport and active recreation participation opportunities for First Peoples in Victoria through a self-determined approach. The VASP will be a positive mechanism for First Peoples sporting bodies to come together to share experiences, connect and have a voice on sport and recreation to the Victorian Government. In October 2025, a self-determined draft VASP Strategy was provided to Government for consideration.
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