RISE eX-detainees Calls For Cohealth Permanent Funding and Updates : 15/06/2026

This statement contains :

An update on the shutdown of cohealth services
RISE eX-detainees demands
Call for actions (A template letter and contact details of local, state and federal politicians)

Since cohealth has announced the closure of some of its clinics due to funding cuts, RISE eX-detainees has been actively advocating on behalf of the RISE eX-detainee members and refugee community to oppose these closures. We have been engaging with our members and allied organisations and interest parties to highlight the devastating impact this decision will have on some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

In the past few months, cohealth (community health clinic services) in North-West Melbourne/Naarm has been cutting their GP, Nursing, Counselling and pharmacy services for the over 12,500 people in the community including RISE eX-detainees Members.

RISE eX-detainees’ members have reported issues arising from these cuts by cohealth including:

Inability to secure appointments

Having their appointments repeatedly cancelled at different cohealth clinics including Footscray
No longer being able to access counselling at cohealth Footscray and Collingwood
Being treated as new patients having to re-tell their trauma again and again to different cohealth staff even though they have been long-term patients of cohealth
Having their counselling appointments cancelled multiple times. A RISE eX-detainees member with a history of multiple admissions to psychiatric hospitals, was informed abruptly by cohealth that their counsellor of over 6 years had left cohealth and cohealth terminated their counselling service without any notice. cohealth did not provide any follow up or assist the RISE eX-detainees member to transition to another free mental health service.

Chronic Neglect of Community Health Infrastructure

In 2025, Infrastructure Victoria found that there is a chronic lack of funding to maintain Community health buildings with 89% of buildings for General Community health in poor condition, and 82% buildings occupied by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in poor condition. Source: https://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/recommendations/fund-better-health-and-wellbeing-infrastructure-for-first-peoples and https://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/recommendations/invest-in-maintenance-upgrades-and-expansions-of-community-health-facilities

This chronic lack of funding has led to frequently cancelled appointments or the closing down of entire clinics or services which affects patients’ access to timely care and support services, jeopardising community and public safety.

Government’s Bail-out Packages is a temporary bandaid solution

The Australian Federal Government has since provided cohealth with 2 bail-out packages of $3 Million which only helps maintain their GP services until July 2027. This is a band-aid response and fails to address the pressing need of the community: Permanent Free Wraparound Community Health Care Services for Everyone.

“In 2023–24 there were 546,000 emergency department visits in Victoria that could have been avoided if they were managed in the primary care or community health sectors. This would have saved Victoria’s public hospitals an estimated $554 million in expenditure in emergency departments.” Source: https://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/recommendations/invest-in-maintenance-upgrades-and-expansions-of-community-health-facilities

This is a drop in the ocean when considering the expenditure by the Federal government of $580 million for offshore immigration detention torture or $727 Million for prison expansion by the Victorian government. Permanent funding for free community health care for everyone will support everyone’s health and wellbeing, promote a sense of community, and support overall community safety. Supporting and consulting the most vulnerable builds resilience in our communities.

The Independent Review into cohealth services

The Independent Review into cohealth services – commissioned by the Federal and Victorian Governments – has been finalised in 03/2026. In early 06/2026, part of the report was leaked to the media. Source: https://www.medicalrepublic.com.au/exclusive-damning-report-finds-cohealth-failed-on-multiple-fronts/126165. Following the leak, the Australian Government released a redacted version of the final report, which can now be read here: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/review-of-cohealth-general-practice-and-related-services-final-report-with-redactions?language=en

Yet, there is still no clear decision from both the Federal and Victorian Governments to ensure permanent funding for wrap-around one-stop-shop community health services in North-West Melbourne as well throughout Victoria. With the NDIS funding cut, there is an even greater urgency for the Governments to prioritise the delivery of more community health services while ensuring high quality care.

Demand

We, RISE eX-detainees Members who rely on cohealth and other community health services in Victoria – Demand all levels of Government:

Commit to long-term, transparent funding arrangements for cohealth inner-city centres in Kensington, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Footscray (minimum 10-year funding agreement), to ensure financial stability, accountability, and ongoing access to essential healthcare services for vulnerable and marginalised communities.
Commit funding towards the development and expansion of additional wraparound community health centres across Victoria that focus on complex and long-term needs, ensuring vulnerable communities have access to integrated healthcare, mental health, social support, and multidisciplinary services as demand continues to grow.

Call for Continued Actions

We urge our supporters and members of the public to continue taking action by contacting all levels of politicians to demand them to secure permanent funding for cohealth and all wraparound community health services in Victoria.

For contacts of council members in the City of Melbourne (cohealth Kensington), click here: https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/lord-mayor-and-councillors
For contacts of council members in the City of Yarra (cohealth Colingwood and Fitzroy), click here: https://www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/about-us/council-mayor-and-councillors/councillors
For contacts of council members in the City of Maribyrnong (cohealth Footscray), click here: https://www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/About/Your-Councillors
To search for your local Victorian Parliament politicians, click here: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/member-search/
To search for your local Federal Parliament politicians, click here: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/

Below is a template to help you get started on contacting your local politicians. You can modify and personalise accordingly.

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Date: [dd/mm/yyyy]

Dear [MP/Senator/Councillor/Mayor],

I am writing to urge your immediate support for securing the long-term future of All of cohealth’s inner-city community health services.

Community health services play a critical role in providing accessible healthcare, mental health support, social services and multidisciplinary care to some of Melbourne’s most vulnerable and marginalised communities. However, ongoing funding uncertainty continues to place these essential services at risk and undermines their ability to plan, invest and respond to growing community need.

While recent Federal Government support packages for cohealth have provided short-term relief, these temporary measures do not address the underlying funding challenges facing community health services. Sustainable, long-term solutions are required to ensure these services can continue to meet the complex and increasing needs of the communities they serve.

According to Infrastructure Victoria“In 2023–24 there were 546,000 emergency department visits in Victoria that could have been avoided if they were managed in the primary care or community health sectors. This would have saved Victoria’s public hospitals an estimated $554 million in expenditure in emergency departments.” https://www.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/recommendations/invest-in-maintenance-upgrades-and-expansions-of-community-health-facilities

I therefore call on all levels of government to:

Commit to long-term, transparent funding arrangements for cohealth’s inner-city centres in Kensington, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Footscray, including a minimum 10-year funding agreement, to provide financial stability, accountability and certainty for both service providers and the communities that rely on them.
Invest in the development and expansion of additional wraparound community health centres throughout Victoria, providing integrated healthcare, mental health, social support and multidisciplinary services, ensuring vulnerable communities can access coordinated care for complex and long-term needs as demand continues to grow.

These investments are not simply expenditures; they are investments in preventative healthcare, community wellbeing and improved long-term outcomes. Without sustained funding and strategic expansion, vulnerable community members risk losing access to essential services that support their health, independence and quality of life. With the cuts to NDIS these services are even more critical to communities across the state.

Rather than spending $580 million for offshore immigration detention torture or $727 Million for prison expansion in Victoria, permanent funding for free community health care for everyone will support everyone’s health and wellbeing, promote a sense of community and connections, and support overall community safety.

I urge you to advocate for and support these measures as a matter of priority. Thank you for your attention to this important issue, and I look forward to your response outlining how you will support the long-term sustainability of community health services in Melbourne’s inner city.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

Community Factsheet

What is happening?

Our community health organisation – cohealth – is reducing their services at their Fitzroy, Kensington and Footscray clinics; and permanently closing their Collingwood clinic.

What cohealth Clinics are affected:

cohealth Collingwood (365 Hoddle St Collingwood)
cohealth Fitzroy (75 Brunswick St Fitzroy)
cohealth Kensington (12 Gower St Kengsington)
cohealth Footscray (78 Paisley Street Footscray)

These services have been cut and will not run anymore

Counselling
Pharmacy

These services are having reduced capacity, and may not run in the future:

GP
Nurse
Allied Health (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietician, podiatry etc.)
Chronic Health Coordinated Care

Other services at risk of closure:

Social work
Work and Development Permit Sponsorship
Refugee Health Service
Infectious Disease Clinic

What does that mean for you?

If you are patient at cohealth

It will be harder for you to see your GP and allied health professionals (physiotherapist, occupational therapist, dietician, podiatrist etc.)
You cannot access counselling service to talk to someone when you are stressed or have family issues
You cannot buy medicine from cohealth pharmacy including medication for pharmacotherapy
It’s harder for you to access any health services and support you need
You may have to go to a private clinics and pay out of pocket cost

If you are a family member or friend of a patient of cohealth

It will be harder for your family member/friend to get a GP appointment at cohealth
Your family member/friend cannot access counselling service to talk to someone about their mental health or life challenges
You family member/friend cannot buy medicine from cohealth pharmacy, including medication for pharmacotherapy
Your family member/friend may have to go to a private clinics and pay out of pocket cost

What can you do to change this decision?

Contact cohealth and tell them

- You are a cohealth patient, family member or friend of a cohealth patient
- They must support your community’s health, wellbeing and safety.
- They must keep all services and clinics open so your family and community can have access to free community health care.
- Your community must be represented on cohealth Board of Directors

Contact your local politicians. Tell them:

- You are a cohealth patient, family member or friend of a cohealth patient
- They must support your community’s health, wellbeing and safety.
- They must provide permanent funding for cohealth so your community can access free community healthcare and support.
- You can follow this template:

If you want to learn or find out about it more:

Link to a page on RISE eX-detainees website to additional resources

RISE eX-detainees