Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC)

What Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) does

Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW (AH&MRC) is the peak body and community-controlled voice for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) in New South Wales, founded in 1985 following the NSW Aboriginal Task Force Report and incorporated as a public company limited by guarantee in 1998. The organisation supports 52 ACCHO member services across NSW through an integrated portfolio spanning 11 dedicated health programs (mental health and suicide prevention, chronic care, ear and eye health, NDIS, sexual health, SEWB, smoking cessation, cancer, lung cancer screening, alcohol and other drugs, and Our Healthy Kids), public health services including mobile health clinics and a GP/registrar recruitment network, compliance and continuous quality improvement support, ethics review via its 1996-established committee, policy advocacy, and an in-house Registered Training Organisation (RTO Code 91020, registered 2004) that delivers accredited courses and operates the Little Bay Training Centre.

AH&MRC's business model is a hybrid of government grant funding, subsidised training delivery, and ancillary venue hire. Primary revenue comes from federal and state government sources, including Prime Minister and Cabinet, NACCHO, NSW Health, and the National Indigenous Australian Agency, applied to ACCHO sector development, workforce programs, and specific health initiatives (e.g., SEWB funded by PMC, ESTER co-developed with Cancer Institute NSW). Training courses are delivered through the RTO with Smart and Skilled subsidies, while Little Bay venue hire provides a smaller commercial revenue stream. The technology stack is non-proprietary — a website, member portal, online training modules and email newsletter — with no disclosed AI/ML, software products or patents. Distribution occurs through direct member engagement, regional representation across Northern, Southern, Western and Metropolitan NSW, and physical mobile clinic assets.

AH&MRC is governed by a board of eight regionally elected Aboriginal directors and led by CEO Nicole Turner and Chairperson Scott Monaghan AM, with a workforce spanning public health medical officers, policy, RTO delivery, project officers and operations. Strategic priorities are reflected in recent organisational buildout: a dedicated Policy team (2021), the Service Performance & Quality Unit (2020), and expansion of digital health, disaster resilience and intelligence functions, alongside award recognition (2022 Indigenous Governance Award for the Ethics Committee).

Name

Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC)

Legal name

Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW

Website

https://ahmrc.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AH&MRC is the NSW peak body supporting 52 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations through health programs, accredited training, compliance, ethics review, mobile clinics, and policy advocacy, funded primarily by federal and state government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Sector Support Services

NAICS

Health Care and Social Assistance (62), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Systems Strengthening & Universal Health Coverage (UHC) (BPADAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health Information Management (EHR) & Medical Office Administration (EDAOAJAF)

Keywords

• Aboriginal community health
• Health program delivery
• Registered training organisation
• Healthcare compliance support
• Health policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Bay

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Grants: AH&MRC receives government funding from multiple sources including Prime Minister and Cabinet (PMC), NACCHO, NSW Health, and National Indigenous Australian Agency to support ACCHO sector development, health programs, and training initiatives.
2. Training Course Fees: As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), AH&MRC delivers nationally accredited courses with fees subsidized through Smart and Skilled government initiatives. Course fees vary based on delivery costs and available subsidies.
3. Venue Hire Revenue: Little Bay Training Centre offers venue hire packages for events and meetings, generating revenue from external bookings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AH&MRC is the peak body for 52 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) across NSW. It delivers a portfolio of 11 health programs (chronic care, mental health, sexual health, ear/eye health, NDIS support, cancer care, smoking cessation, etc.), public health services including Mobile Health Clinics and GP recruitment, accredited vocational training via its Registered Training Organisation (RTO Code 91020), compliance and Continuous Quality Improvement support, ethics review services, and policy advocacy to state and federal government.

Product overview

AH&MRC is the peak body for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) in NSW, operating as a single organizational entity offering a comprehensive portfolio of health programs and support services rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings include 11 dedicated Health Programs (Our Healthy Kids, Mental Health & Suicide Prevention, Alcohol and Other Drugs, Chronic Care, Ear & Eye Health, NDIS, Sexual Health, SEWB, Tobacco Cessation, Cancer Primary Care, and National Lung Cancer Screening), supplemented by Public Health Services (Member Service Support, Communicable Diseases, Disaster Resilience, Mobile Health Clinics, Health Promotion, and Deadly Doctors/GP Recruitment). Supporting infrastructure includes Compliance/CQI Services, Education & Training (as a Registered Training Organisation), the Little Bay Training Centre venue, a Resource Centre with health materials, Ethics & Research Services, Policy Services, and Member Services. The organization supports 52 ACCHOs across NSW to deliver culturally safe primary healthcare to Aboriginal communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Our Healthy Kids Program An 8-week, cost-free health and wellbeing program for NSW primary-aged students, covering 8 key health areas, aligned with the NSW PDHPE curriculum and delivered by Aboriginal educators.
• Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Program Program supporting Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB), Aboriginal Mental Health Forums, advisory groups, and Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid Training for ACCHOs and communities.
• Chronic Care Program Program addressing chronic diseases including Diabetes and Kidney Disease, Respiratory Diseases, Cardiovascular Disease, and Musculoskeletal Conditions through the Living Longer Stronger resource kit.
• Ear & Eye Health Program Ear and Eye Health Coordination Program improving ear and hearing health in Aboriginal communities through monitoring, treatment facilitation, and access to culturally safe services.
• NDIS Support Program Program strengthening NSW ACCHSs as NDIS support service providers, promoting culturally appropriate disability support for Indigenous individuals.
• Social Emotional and Wellbeing (SEWB) Program Program funded by Prime Minister and Cabinet to strengthen SEWB workforce capacity through counselling, case management, cultural healing, and community engagement.
• Aboriginal Tobacco Resistance and Control (ATRAC) Program Aboriginal Tobacco Resistance and Control (ATRAC) program delivering smoking cessation forums, advisory committees, training, and the ATRAC Yarning Tool for ACCHSs.
• Cancer Primary Care Program Program raising cancer awareness, promoting early detection, and delivering the NSW Aboriginal Cancer Primary Care Program with 15 Aboriginal Cancer Pathway positions.
• Mobile Health Clinics Two mobile clinics (Mobile Health Clinic motorhome and Mobile Denture Van) providing primary healthcare to locations without medical services, used by member ACCHOs such as Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service and Pius X.
• Deadly Doctors GP Workforce Recruitment Professional community for doctors in ACCHOs and program connecting GPs and registrars with permanent, locum, and short-term placements at Member Services without agency fees.
• Disaster Resilience Program Program supporting Member Services and communities in disaster preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery with culturally appropriate resources.
• Education & Training (RTO) Registered Training Organisation (RTO Code 91020) delivering nationally accredited courses in primary health, public health, leadership, community services, and pre-employment training.
• Compliance and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Services Support for ACCHOs in achieving accreditation, implementing Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), clinical governance, data management, Medicare, and organisational business systems.
• Little Bay Training Centre Venue Hire Training venue at Little Bay (35 Harvey St, NSW) offering venue hire packages with tranquil ocean views for member services and external organisations.
• Ethics and Research Services Ethics Committee providing NSW Aboriginal Health Ethics Guidelines and ethics application review for culturally appropriate research involving Aboriginal communities.
• Policy Services Policy team providing policy submissions, strategies, reports, and advocacy at state and federal levels on Closing the Gap and Aboriginal health priorities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350+ workforce training completions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational peak body partnership for Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. NACCHO provides funding for programs including NDIS support and Ear Health Coordination. AH&MRC participates in national forums and Yarning Circles hosted by NACCHO.
• NSW HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Mental Health Model Of Care initiative under Closing the Gap. Regular meetings with NSW Ministry of Health on SEWB programs. Collaboration on Respiratory Infection Prevention initiatives.
• NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for Ear Health Coordination Program (EHCP). Joint design of program activities with state-wide Advisory Group on Aboriginal Hearing Health. Also partner for Mobile Health Clinic deployment.
• Cancer Institute NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Excellence in Smoking Cessation Training, Education and Resources (ESTER) project. Joint development of online module for health professionals on smoking and vaping cessation, hosted on NSW Health HETI and AH&MRC RTO websites.
• Far West NSW Local Health DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Aboriginal Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Forum in Broken Hill (May 2023), including cultural activities and sponsorship.
• Hearing AustraliaminorOthersPartner in ear health initiatives under Australian Government ear health programs, referenced in EHCP coordination activities.
• Vision 2020 Australia / Indigenous Eye Health UnitminorOthersKey stakeholders in eye health providing resources and programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health, including Spectacles scheme coordination.
• Fred Hollows FoundationminorOthersPartner organization in Indigenous eye health providing resources and programs for Aboriginal communities.
• Brien Holden FoundationminorOthersPartner in Australia Program for eye health initiatives serving Indigenous communities.
• Katungul Aboriginal CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced NDIS success story videos showcasing community-controlled disability service delivery and impact on individual wellbeing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA): National peak body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and medical students. Adjacent peer — addresses part of AH&MRC's Deadly Doctors GP recruitment and workforce pipeline, but at the medical profession level rather than sector level.
• Aboriginal Medical Service Redfern (AMS Redfern): Australia's first Aboriginal Medical Service (founded 1971) and an AH&MRC member service. While not a peak body, AMS Redfern is led by AH&MRC Deputy Chair LaVerne Bellear and is a flagship model of the community-controlled primary care AH&MRC exists to support.
• Lowitja Institute: Australia's community-controlled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research institute. Adjacent peer to AH&MRC's Ethics Committee and research ethics function, with comparable community-controlled governance.
• National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Wellbeing Research: Australian National University-based research center on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing. Interacts with AH&MRC's ethics and research portfolio and shares community-controlled research principles.

Regional players

• Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia (AHCWA): Western Australian state peak body for ACCHOs. Comparable to AH&MRC as a member-led Aboriginal health sector support organization providing training, advocacy, and program delivery across a single state jurisdiction.
• Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC): Queensland state peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled health. Mirrors AH&MRC's structure of member services, sector representation, training/RTO capability, and policy advocacy in a different jurisdiction.
• Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO): Victorian state peak body for ACCHOs. Operates the same member-services, policy, training and Aboriginal-health program model as AH&MRC but is restricted to Victoria, making it the most directly comparable state-level peer.
• Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC): Tasmanian Aboriginal community-controlled organization delivering health, social, and cultural services. Functions as both a service provider and advocacy body, similar to AH&MRC's combined peak-body-plus-programs model but in Tasmania.

Direct peers

• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO): National peak body for ACCHOs across Australia. NACCHO is AH&MRC's direct national counterpart and core funder/partner, with the same member-representation, training, policy advocacy and program delivery model scaled nationally.

Emerging players

• Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA): National peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied health professionals. Overlaps with AH&MRC's workforce-capacity mission (training, Deadly Doctors Network, professional development) but focused on allied health rather than whole-of-sector support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@OurHealthyKids
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61573684926069
• Instagraminstagram.com/our.healthy.kids
• Xx.com/ahmrc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC)