Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation, based in Katherine, will have the “flexibility” to choose how the funding is spent. 

“Organisations involved in rolling out the program have the flexibility to select evidence based mechanisms and tools to reduce tobacco use within their region, that suit the local context and utilise their strengths,” the Department of Health website states. 

“Funded organisations are expected to undertake a multi-level approach to tobacco control, which combines a range of evidence-based tobacco control activities to meet the needs of different population groups within a region.”

A government report released this month showed that alcohol and tobacco levels in NT are considerably higher than the national averages.

Minister for Indigenous Health, Ken Wyatt, said the funding is aimed at preventing young Indigenous people taking up smoking and encouraging existing smokers to quit.

“Reducing smoking rates is central to the Government’s efforts to close the gap in life expectancy, but requires a consistent, long-term commitment,” Minister Wyatt said.

“Smoking causes the greatest burden of disease, disability, injury and early death among Indigenous people and accounts for 23 per cent of the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.”

Under the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Healthcare Agreement, all governments have committed to halving the 2008 adult daily smoking rate among Indigenous Australians, of 44.8 per cent, by 2018.

“The rate of smoking among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is still far higher than among other Australians and is damaging their health in many ways,” Minister Wyatt said.

“It’s unlikely now that we will meet the COAG target, but we are making progress.

“It’s important that anti-smoking programs are meaningful for Indigenous people and changes made in recent years have ensured that only programs which are evidence based and effective are receiving grants.”

Five organisations in the Northern Territory will receive funding for anti-smoking programs.