[1] It brings together a number of disparate organisations for the common purpose of improving the health of people who live and work in Australia's non-metropolitan areas.
Despite Australia's general affluence, for a number of reasons the health status of its people deteriorates with increasing remoteness (i.e. distance from its capital cities).
The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in local communities increases with remoteness and this contributes to the urban-remote health gradient.
In 1998–99 the NRHA was a participant with Commonwealth, State and Territory governments in development of a national strategic framework for rural and remote health in Australia: Healthy Horizons.
The Conference has become a key event on the calendar of people interested in improving health in rural, regional and remote Australia, whether as community representatives, policy makers, researchers or other stakeholders.
The NRHA was the national manager for the Australian Government of the Rural Australia Medical Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme (RAMUS).