Moree and District Health Service has continued on with the NAIDOC Week celebrations, hosting its annual flag raising and lunch.
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Around 100 people attended the celebrations at Moree Hospital, which was all about building a better future.
Elders Colleen Duke and Bill Grose gave the Welcome to Country, before Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) Mehi sector general manager David Quirk spoke and acknowledged the 2019 theme, 'Voice Treaty Truth'.
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"In the 20 years I've actually been in Moree and the health service, it's always been the aim of creating a better future so it's terrific today to see that actually the theme of the NAIDOC celebrations," Mr Quirk said.
"Much of what we've done over the last 20 years has always been about building a better future involving the health service, the local Aboriginal community and non-Aboriginal community."
Mr Quirk said that over the last 20 years the percentage of Aboriginal workers in the health service has risen from three percent to just under 12 percent.
He says they will have succeeded when it hits 25 percent.
"We're halfway to where we need to be but that's still a great start," Mr Quirk said.
"For us here today, there are many opportunities for us to make a shared future and a better future for everyone living here in this community and that goes back to I think just a common shared future and respecting our roles within our local community."
Mr Quirk said the health service offers many services targeted at young people and celebrated the progress regional services have made that have allowed local people to receive their required care without having to travel.
He was delighted to see such a large crowd gathered, a larger crowd than he could remember in recent years.
"That's a great thing for our health services and our community," he said.
After the flag raising, a local Aboriginal dance group performed three dances for the crowd before everyone enjoyed a fantastic barbecue lunch.