Thursday, 10 September, 2026
Funding boost for remote laundries to tackle preventable heart disease
The Aboriginal Investment Group (AIG) and the Heart Foundation have welcomed new Australian Government funding for 12 new and upgraded community laundries in remote Aboriginal communities, saying it will deliver lasting health, social and economic benefits while helping reduce preventable infections linked to rheumatic heart disease (RHD).
Under the funding, AIG will build and deliver three new community laundries in remote Aboriginal communities:
- Lajamanu, on the northern edge of the Tanami Desert in the Northern Territory.
- Nauiyu, in the Daly River region of the Northern Territory.
- Mulan, in the southeast Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Other laundry providers will deliver new or upgraded facilities in nine other communities, with a full list here: Successful providers announced for Remote Community Laundries Project | Ministers’ media centre
The Heart Foundation congratulates all laundry providers and communities who will benefit from this investment. These projects will make a lasting difference to the lives of First Nations people in remote communities across Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.
Why laundries work in remote communities
Access to washing facilities helps reduce the spread of scabies and other skin infections. Scabies does not directly cause RHD, but it creates skin breaks that lead to severe Strep A bacterial infections, which are the direct precursor to Acute Rheumatic Fever (ARF) and subsequent RHD. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people account for about 78% of Australians living with RHD, with the burden highest in remote areas. Prevalence is highest in the Northern Territory.
For AIG, the announcement represents a significant step forward in addressing longstanding infrastructure gaps in remote Aboriginal communities.
“We are incredibly excited to have received funding to establish new laundries in Lajamanu and Nauiyu, and to have supported the Mulan community through their application,” Aboriginal Investment Group Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Morgan-Brett said.
“These laundries are about so much more than washing clothes. They provide an essential service that supports health, dignity and wellbeing, particularly for families and people living in communities where access to reliable laundry facilities has historically been limited.”
The Heart Foundation has worked alongside AIG since 2023 to advocate to governments across Australia for greater investment in community laundries. AIG is a Heart Foundation Catalyst Partner.
Heart Foundation National Manager, Health and Wellbeing Le Smith said access to reliable laundry facilities was a practical but often overlooked contributor to health and wellbeing. Ms Smith is also the Heart Foundation’s General Manager for the NT.
“Access to clean clothes and bedding is something many people take for granted, but in remote communities reliable laundry facilities can have a profound impact on health, wellbeing and dignity,” Ms Smith said.
“Practical infrastructure like this can help improve living conditions, support family wellbeing, contribute to stronger, healthier communities and provide new employment opportunities.”
