Medibank renews its commitment to improving indigenous health
wadeye-aboriginal-community
Medibank is committed to playing a long-term role in addressing Indigenous health inequality with the launch today of the fourth Medibank Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for 2018-2020.
Medibank was the first private health insurer to launch a RAP in 2012. Our purpose ‘Better Health for Better Lives’ includes a corporate responsibility to help achieve reconciliation through health, education, employment and community investments.
The 2014-2016 RAP successfully completed 22 objectives including raising awareness across the company of the Indigenous healthcare gap, the fast-tracking of career pathways for three Indigenous university students who received paid summer internships at Medibank, and supporting the growth of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business sector, with our commercial spend through ‘Supply Nation’ increasing year-on-year since 2014.
With Indigenous health equality at its core, our fourth RAP sets out an additional 16 actions. It will remain firmly focused on working together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and health bodies. This also extends to Medibank senior leaders, with a team last year immersed for a week with the community of Wadeye, Northern Territory. This program was first established in 2011.
Reconciliation Australia CEO Karen Mundine has congratulated Medibank on its pledge to achieve change.
Ms Mundine said: “The implementation of the fourth RAP signifies that Medibank is a leading advocate for reconciliation, dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of all Australians.”
Medibank Group Executive of People and Culture Kylie Bishop oversees the RAP and is a member of the Business Council of Australia’s Indigenous Engagement Taskforce.
Ms Bishop said: “We have a responsibility to work towards equality in health and wellbeing across the community. This involves working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and fostering national pride in our First Nations’ cultures.
“Medibank has national reach via our customers and community investment, to make meaningful change towards reconciliation. As a company we will continue expanding our employment opportunities program, with the Reconciliation Action Plan an extension of what Medibank already stands for.”
Media enquiries
Juliet Williams on 0437 931 918 / juliet.williams@medibank.com.au
