By URAYNE WARRAWEENA & LEE O'CONNOR

It is pretty rare to see a protest march in a western town, and even rarer to see First Nations people travel long distances to stand up and speak out, but organisers of a rally in Dubbo recently say there are more protests to come. 

On Friday 19 August, more than 60 protesters took to the streets of Dubbo in support of Marrabinya, a service that has supported Indigenous people with chronic health conditions across large areas of inland NSW for almost seven years.  

It was a peaceful protest which started at the Rotunda in Macquarie Street, with marchers making their way up the main street and finishing at the PNH Office.  

Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) has recently notified communities that the funding for Marrabinya will cease and the program will be phased out by 31 December.   

It will be replaced by a revised Integrated Team Care (ITC) Program funded by the Australian Government which will also support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with chronic conditions and will be fully operational from January 1, 2023.   

While PHN and government representatives have said that the change in contract to provide the services was based on extensive consultation that indicated improvements could be made, speakers at the rally took a different view. 

Broken Hill-based Maari Ma Corporation has auspiced the Marrabinya program since 2016 and wants to continue to support their 4,000+ clients. 

“Government needs to stop funding services that don’t work and start funding those that do work. The numbers speak for themselves," said William Smiley Johnstone, Interim CEO of Maari Ma Health.   

Dianne Hardy who is a client of Marrabinya made a powerful speech on how important the Marrabinya service is to her.  

“Why should we have to go to mainstream services? We want to do things our way," said Ms Hardy.  "It’s working, why take it away? They're delivering the service from the ground to the grass roots people.”  

One of Marrabinya's clients speaks to the protestors.

Melissa Flannery Senior Care Link Worker in the Cowra area is one of about a dozen Indigenous people employed with Marrabinya and spoke about how she feels about losing this service and her job.  

“In protesting today, we are hoping the decision will be reversed and they allow us to continue servicing our mob and our community,” Ms Flannery said.  

"They are really going to disadvantage our communities and our elders. They are all going to miss out and, they are taking away jobs from Aboriginal people such as myself and my co-workers. We’re all going to be out of a job and it’s just devastating, really," said Joan, Care link worker in Bathurst. 

Representatives of Maari Ma Health, with has managed the Marrabinya program, addressed the crowd.

However the Western NSW PHN have released a statement saying that improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Western NSW is their "number one strategic goal". 

"Our firm focus is on putting people and their health outcomes as our top priority for all the work we do," said CEO Andrew Coe in a written statement. 

"We have heard and understand the public disquiet that has been generated by Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation since the commencement of the review and co-design process for the revised Integrated Team Care (ITC) Program." 

The PHN, and member for Parkes Mark Coulton, say there has been some misinformation surrounding the changes. 

"I am sympathetic to the concerns held by members of the Aboriginal community in relation to the continuation of this program, however there is a narrative being widely circulated that is, to my understanding, not correct," Mr Coulton said. "It is important to clarify what the proposed changes actually are." 

The Western NSW PHN have clearly stated that they have "never planned, at any time, to cancel or de-fund the ITC Program." 

Marchers from a number of communities in NSW joined in the march in support of Marrabinya.

The statement outlined areas identified by their review as opportunity for improvement including the addition of 'care co-ordination' to assist patient to navigate complex health care pathways and local program delivery to allow the program to be tailored to local situations. 

Nine Aboriginal Medical Services had already been confirmed as new local managers of the ITC Program at the time of the Dubbo rally. 

"This will provide a more localised approach, ensuring the service can be tailored to specific community and individual requirements. Importantly, the program will continue to be delivered by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people," Mr Coulton said in his statement on Monday 22 August. 

"It is very unfortunate that our most vulnerable people have been unnecessarily upset by misleading public discourse. There has never been any intention to cancel or de-fund the ITC Program." 

There is nothing in the PHN statement that indicates a willingness to review the decision to wind up Marrabinya, let alone undo the new arrangements being put into place. 

The protest on 19 August set up outside the PHN offices in Dubbo.

"WNSW PHN thanks those have that contacted us with their concerns regarding the Marrabinya Program. We appreciate that so many of our residents are just as invested as we are in seeing constant improvements in the delivery and access to programs and services that benefit the health and wellbeing of people living in our region," Mr Coe's statement said. 

"WNSW PHN appreciates the work of Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation in its delivery of the Marrabinya Program, and we look forward to continuing our long relationship in working together to a healthier future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Western NSW." 

Supporters of the current Marrabinya Program have vowed to continue the fight and Donna Jeffries, Marrabinya's Executive Manager, has confirmed that a further action will take place on 23 September.