The Bila Muuji region covers western and far western NSW, an area of 445 000 sq kms (almost double that of Victoria) with a total population of 312 000, 12% of whom are Aboriginal. On the SEIFA index of dis-advantage, this area sits alongside rural Narrabri, or just above Liverpool and Campbelltown in Sydney’s western sub-urbs, though not as high as Blacktown.

There are high levels of unemployment, ranging up to 9.8% in Wentworth shire (NSW average is 5.4%, Australian average 5.8%). It has the lowest life expectancy in the state and, in remote areas, a premature mortality rate more than double the state average. The challenges of providing health services to such a remote and dis-persed population are immense and the Aboriginal involvement in the establish-ment of the Western NSW PHN arrange-ments presents a critical opportunity to transform health service delivery for the region. Aboriginal representation in the PHN is more advantageous than any other region in NSW, so the timing for Bila Muuji couldn’t be better.