Armajun chief executive officer Debbie McCowen and practice manager GP Keith Gleeson addressed the group to explain what services Armajun offered and find out what was needed in Walcha.

“We don’t believe in telling communities what they need,” said Ms McCowen.

“Our purpose today is to ask you what you think you need and outline what services we have and then investigate what we can do to provide anything else you might need.”

Armajun Aboriginal Health Service will be Walcha’s primary health care provider for Aboriginal people in the 2017-2018 year, after receiving almost $2.6 million of federal funding.

The Inverell-based company provides medical services out of the old Medicare Local building in Rusden Street, Armidale.

Mrs McCowen said the new funding secured Armajun’s services to Armidale and the region.

“This means we’re here to stay,” she said.

Armajun recently formed a regional advisory committee to inform the Inverell-based board on important local issues. 

Amaroo chief executive Mark Davies and Kerry Griffin will represent Walcha.

The federal government cut more than $2 million from Aboriginal health provider, HealthWISE’s budget.

HealthWISE New England North West had been servicing more than 7500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the region with about $2.6 million of Commonwealth funding.

But late last year the government announced HealthWISE would only receive $477,053 for the 2017-2018 year. “The level of funding received is insufficient [for us] to continue the same level of services across the region,” chairwoman Lia Mahoney told Fairfax Media at the time. 

Meeting attendees raised concerns regarding the inadequate transport service between Walcha and  Armidale.

While Mr Davies queried whether a doctor who only treated Aboriginal patients would become an issue in the community, the mayor, Eric Noakes, and other attendees said it would not.

Dr Gleeson said they would not do anything without the agreement of other medical services in Walcha.

Dr Gleeson described an Aboriginal controlled health service as a contemporary sacred site.

“It’s a special meeting place that should be respected and cherished by the local Aboriginal community.

“It’s a place of learning, wellbeing and healing. And it belongs to you, the mob. It’s worth protecting,” he said.