For more than 25 years, the NSW Aboriginal Environmental Health Unit (AEHU) has worked in partnership with Aboriginal communities to improve environmental health. This presentation reflects on the achievements, lessons learned and future direction of two flagship programs—the NSW Aboriginal Trainee Environmental Health Officer (EHO) Program and the NSW Health Housing for Health (HfH) Program highlighting valuable partnerships positive incremental changes to broader knowledge, attitudes and perspectives of Aboriginal environmental health.
Established in 1997, the Aboriginal Trainee Environmental Health Officer Program has created pathways for Aboriginal people to enter the environmental health profession while strengthening the Aboriginal health workforce across NSW. Since its inception, the program has supported 27 graduates, with seven Aboriginal trainees participating during 2025–2026. Notably, 57% of graduates are now employed in senior environmental health positions within NSW Health. Delivered in partnership with Local Health Districts and Local Government contributing to improved education, employment opportunities, workforce diversity and Aboriginal leadership in environmental health. Other positive outcomes have included the introduction of cultural awareness training and development and implementation of Reconciliation Action plans within the trainee work placements.
In 2021, the program expanded to include a scholarship initiative. The scholarships enable Aboriginal students flexibility to study while remaining connected to their communities, helping strengthen university enrolments and secure the future environmental health workforce.
Housing for Health has also been delivered through NSW Health since 1997 and remains a key component of Aboriginal environmental health practice. The program has improved the health and safety of 5189 of homes across 166 Aboriginal communities by identifying and repairing 117,415 critical health hardware essential for healthy living practices. Long-term program data is being analysed to understand trends over time, inform evidence-based policy development and strengthen healthy housing outcomes across NSW.
The trusted relationships established through Housing for Health and the Trainee program have created opportunities to address broader public and environmental health priorities. Building on community-identified needs both programs have supported large-scale initiatives such as the Aboriginal Communities Water and Sewerage Program, innovative partnerships including the Test and Fix Project with Community Housing Limited, and locally co-designed initiatives addressing emerging community priorities. More recently, Housing for Health has served as a platform for delivering complementary public health programs, including Japanese encephalitis virus prevention through insect screening and education, adult vaccination clinics, Healthy Pet Days in partnership with local Public Health Units and RSPCA NSW, and environmental health research projects to improve indoor air quality and reduce trips and falls within the home.
Looking ahead, the AEHU will strengthen partnerships with Aboriginal Community Controlled organisations, the housing sector and public health agencies to deliver integrated environmental health outcomes. Priorities include embedding climate change adaptation, aligning with the NSW Health Aboriginal Governance Shared Decision Making and Accountability Framework, expanding Aboriginal traineeships and scholarships, and increasing the use of qualitative evaluation to ensure community voices continue to shape program design. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how sustained partnerships, Aboriginal leadership and incremental change continue to improve environmental health outcomes for Aboriginal communities across NSW.