IRNet Showcase
Program
Day 1: September 29
Our Voice - Our Research - Our Future
Registration
8 - 8:30am
In 1998, a group of Redfern residents came together with the vision of revitalising Aboriginal culture through economic and social stability.
Tribal Warrior has been a central part of the Redfern community for over two decades. Throughout this time of rebuild and change, their vision has been unwavering – they want to empower our community through connection to culture and family. All Tribal Warrior activities are designed to contribute to a Redfern that is strong in its history, proud of its achievements, and economically self-sustaining into the future.
Learn more about Tribal Warrior by visiting their website.
Welcome
8:30 - 9am
Yvonne Weldon AM
Deputy Chairperson, Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council
Yvonne Weldon is an independent councillor for the City of Sydney and the first Aboriginal councillor in the City's 180-year history. She brings the same audacity, creative energy and fierce optimism to Town Hall that her aunt Mum Shirl brought to her life-long fight to make Sydney a more just and honourable city.
Yvonne is a proud Wiradjuri woman. She was born and raised in the inner city of Sydney but maintains strong ties to her homelands of Cowra and the Riverina areas of New South Wales.
A life-long activist, Yvonne has 30 years' experience working in key government and Aboriginal organisations driving positive reform in health, education and child protection.
Yvonne also serves as Deputy Chair of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, Deputy Chair of the NSW Australia Day Council and as a Board member of Domestic Violence NSW and Redfern Jarjum College.
Yvonne’s vision for Sydney is of a green, vibrant and inclusive city humming with opportunity, equally accessible to all Sydneysiders.
Professor Mark Scott AO
Vice-Chancellor and President
University of Sydney
Professor Mark Scott was appointed as the University’s 27th Vice-Chancellor in 2021. He is a highly respected and successful senior leader of large and complex institutions, across public service, education and the media. Under his leadership as Secretary of the NSW Department of Education (2016 to 2021), the Department:
- secured a record 10-year funding agreement for public schools
- created School Infrastructure NSW to deliver an additional 160,000 classroom places
- established the School Leadership Institute to train and develop aspiring school principals across the state
- established policies around the protection and expansion of Aboriginal languages in NSW schools.
Professor Scott is an accomplished communicator and his distinguished record of strategic leadership includes a decade as Managing Director of the ABC (2006 to 2016), where he led the organisation’s transformation to be a public broadcaster in the digital era. Over that time, the ABC created new services like iview, News 24, ABC3 and digital radio; and expanded online and mobile services, such as podcasting and ABC News online.
Professor Scott has also held a number of senior editorial roles at Fairfax, including Education Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and Editor-in-Chief of metropolitan, regional and community newspapers. His contribution to education reaches back to the start of his career, as a teacher in Sydney. He built on his interest in education with senior policy and leadership positions with two NSW education ministers – Terry Metherell and Virginia Chadwick – and in 2011 he was named an Officer of the Order of Australia.
He is also a proud alumnus of the University and holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma of Education, a Master of Arts (Political Science and Government), an Honorary Doctorate (Letters) and a Professor of Practice (Education and Media) from the University of Sydney, as well as a Master of Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has also been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of NSW and University of Technology Sydney.
Professor Don Nutbeam
Executive Director
Sydney Health Partners
Chair
Australian Health Research Alliance
Don Nutbeam is a Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney and, prior to his appointment at Executive Director in 2020, served Sydney Health Partners as interim ED (2016-2017) and then Special Advisor.
As a social scientist, Professor Nutbeam’s research interests are the social and behavioural determinants of health, and the development and evaluation of public health interventions. Over more than 40 years, he has made a substantial international impact on the theory, science and practice of health promotion, and contributed to health policy at national and international levels.
Professor Nutbeam has worked as an external advisor and consultant on public health issues to the World Health Organization (WHO) for more than 30 years, and as consultant and team leader in health system capacity development projects for the World Bank.
Between 2000-2003, he was the Head of Public Health at the UK Department of Health, where he drove a cross-government programme to tackle health inequality in Britain.
Professor Nutbeam was Academic Provost at the University of Sydney between 2006-2009 and then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton in the UK until 2015.
More recently, he was Principal Senior Advisor at the Sax Institute and is editor-in-chief of the Institute’s journal Public Health Research and Practice.
Professor Nutbeam serves on the boards of Western Sydney Local Health District and Suicide Prevention Australia.
Session 1: National First Nations Research Network
9 - 10am
Professor Lisa Jackson-Pulver AM
Professor of Public Health and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Services
University of Sydney
A visionary educator and strategically sound, Lisa places a deep understanding of Indigenous issues and inclusion more generally at the heart of all that she achieves. Lisa is a leading commentator on education and Indigenous Australia in both University environments and the Australian community in general, having led the successful development and adoption of the current strategy “One Sydney Many People” and having multiple guest appearances on The Drum (ABC television) and various podcasts. Lisa has overseen dramatic increases in overall Indigenous student numbers and is now concentrating on educational innovations and curriculum reviews that will benefit all students, including undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts from all 170 countries and backgrounds from which University of Sydney student originate. Lisa is committed to an education which creates the next generation of leaders in the future workplaces of Australia and globally.
Her last appointment was that of Pro Vice-Chancellor Engagement, Pro Vice-Chancellor Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Leadership, and Provost (Parramatta South) at Western Sydney University.
Prior to that, and whilst occupying senior educational roles in the Faculty of Medicine UNSW, Lisa played a key role in the development of a designated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Unit (Murri Marri). She was instrumental in developing an Indigenous and separate Environmental Health Master electives (2005) and an eventual Master Public Health stream (2012). During this time, she engaged vigorously with many communities and organisations to develop a series of residential scholarship programs that inspire donors to contribute over half a million dollars annually to the Gamarada Ngiyani Yana suite of programs. There are over thirty students currently enrolled in this residential scholarship program. Lisa is well known for her collaborative and inclusive approach to all that she does.
She serves her country in the Royal Australian Air Force Specialist Reserve and has moved through the ranks from her initial commission as Flight Lieutenant to her current rank of Group Captain.
Jackson Pulver is an academic leader, a recognised expert in public health, prominent researcher, a visionary and tireless advocate for Education, Health and innovative methods to ensure that both are inclusive for all. Lisa remains the Universities Australia nominee to Council and is a Director with the Australian Medical Council. Her artworks adorn the reports she writes.
Ms Samantha Faulkner
Director, Indigenous Health Advice
NHMRC
Samantha is a Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal woman, from Badu and Moa Islands in the Torres Strait and the Yadhaigana and Wuthathi peoples of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland.
She is the Director, Indigenous Health Advice, NHMRC. She has worked for government for over 25 years in a variety of roles and agencies. She has also worked with the research and non-government sector.
Samantha is a writer and community advocate representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on government and non-government boards. She has two cheeky dogs and six chickens.
Chair: Professor Yvette Roe
Co-Director, Molly Wardaguga Research Centre, Charles Darwin University
Prof. Roe is a proud Njikena Jawuru woman from the West Kimberley, WA. She is the Co-Director of the Molly Wardaguga Research Centre, College of Nursing and Midwifery at Charles Darwin University and an emerging leader on Indigenous health with novel ideas on ensuring that First Nations Australia’s lead research that improves the health and wellbeing of our people. This is supported by more than 30 years experiences working in the First Nations health sector. Research is her political activism and to use research as a mechanism for social, cultural and political change.
Yvette is a Chief Investigator and Associate Investigator on a great number of grants that have been nationally competitive. To date, Yvette has been awarded (either as primary or associate investigator) numerous grants, scholarships, commissioned contracts estimated at $29.5M. The focus of her research is to transform health and support services for the ‘best start in life’ for Australia’s First Nations families. To achieve this vision, First Nations values, ways of knowing, being and doing underpin our reform agenda that is targeting health and support services for families across the first 1,000 days (pregnancy to age two). Her program of research seeks to enable widespread knowledge translation and implementation of Birthing on Country Services through our innovative RISE Implementation Framework: Redesign the health service; Invest in the health and research workforce; Strengthen capacity of Indigenous families; Embed Indigenous governance and control in all aspects of the service.
In May-June this year, Yvette undertook the prestigious 2019 Churchill Fellowship to Turtle Island (Canada) to Learn from leading international Indigenous scholars to develop a Birthing on Country Services Community Engagement How-To Guide. Birthing on Country is an international movement to return birthing services to communities and improve mother and child health and wellness outcomes
Prof. Roe is the proud mother of Jye and Max and proud grandmother to Bonty (rabbit) and Lacy (puppy). Yvette is a passionate Richmond Tigers AFL supporter.
Panelist: Professor Alex Brown
Professor of Indigenous Genomics, Telethon Kids Institute and Australian National University
Alex is an Aboriginal man who grew up on the south coast of New South Wales (NSW) with family connections to Nowra, Wreck Bay and Wallaga Lake on the far south coast of NSW. Professor Brown is a highly accomplished clinician/researcher who has worked his entire career in Aboriginal health. His transdisciplinary program of research spans public health, quantitative clinical epidemiology, mixed-method health service research, qualitative research, implementation science, infectious diseases, chronic disease care, health care policy and novel clinical trials in cardiometabolic disease within Indigenous communities.
Alex was recently awarded a prestigious $5 million-dollar Synergy grant by the NHMRC to form the National Indigenous Genomics Consortium. The consortium will ensure equitable access to the life-changing potential of genomic medicine in diverse populations. The Consortium brings together national leaders in Indigenous health, data sciences, genomics, ethics, and population and clinical genetics with the interdisciplinary approach allowing for the development of an interface that will embed genomics into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health care. It will also define and communicate policy, target the major causes of inequality experienced by Indigenous Australians and reduce the time it takes for Indigenous children to be diagnosed with rare diseases.
Panelist: Professor Gail Garvey
Professor of Indigenous Health Research, University of Queensland
Professor Gail Garvey is a senior Aboriginal researcher with over ~30 years of experience in Indigenous health and education. She is currently Professor of Indigenous Health Research in the School of Public Health at the University of Queensland.
She has established an extensive and targeted research program focused on cancer and wellbeing and Australia’s First Nations people. She currently leads a National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence in targeted approaches to improve cancer services for Indigenous Australians.
Professor Garvey has extensive experience in translating research into policy and practice. Her contributions include leading the development of Australia’s first national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer policy, initiating and hosting the World’s first global Indigenous cancer conference and piloting the delivery of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program via Primary Health Care Services.
She is has published over 160 peer reviewed publications; and she has been awarded over $29 mil in research funding as principal investigator.
Panelist: Professor Sandra Eades AO
Associate Dean Indigenous and Rowden White Chair, University of Melbourne
Professor Sandra Eades AO is a Noongar woman from Mount Barker, WA. She completed her medical degree in 1990 and after working as a GP, started her career in health research at the Telethon Kids Institute. In 2003 she became Australia's first Aboriginal medical doctor to be awarded a PhD. Her PhD investigated the causal pathways and determinants of health among Aboriginal infants in the first year of life. Professor Eades was named NSW Woman of the Year 2006 in recognition of her research contributions to Aboriginal communities and has received a 'Deadly Award' (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards) for Outstanding Achievement in Health. As well as Associate Dean (Indigenous), she is a Professor at the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. Professor Eades has made a significant contribution to Aboriginal health and has provided leadership at a national level in Indigenous research. In 2022, Sandra was named as an Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to medical research, to Indigenous health, and to professional organisations.
Panelist: Dr Janine Mohamed
CEO, Lowitja Institute
Dr Janine Mohamed is a proud Narrunga Kaurna woman from South Australia. Over two decades, she has worked in nursing, management, project management, research, workforce and health policy in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector, including as CEO at the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM).
Janine is currently the CEO of the Lowitja Institute - Australia's National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research. She was awarded an Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity Fellowship in 2019, a Doctorate of Nursing honoris causa by Edtih Cowan University in 2020 and in 2021, a Distinguished Fellowship with The George Institute for Global Health Australia. She is a regular spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health issues, including racism, cultural safety, climate change, the social and cultural determinants of health, workforce and Indigenous data sovereignty.
Morning Tea
10 - 10:45am
Session 2: Emerging Diseases, Vaccinations and Trust
10:45am - 12pm
Dr Lorraine Anderson
Medial Director
Kimberley Aboriginal Services
Dr Lorraine Anderson is the Medical Director at Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services, based in Broome, Western Australia. Lorraine is proudly linked through her father to the Palawa people of Tasmania. She gained her primary degree in Medicine at The University of Auckland in New Zealand, followed by post graduate qualifications in Child Health, Palliative Medicine and General Practice. Lorraine is a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practice and the Royal Australian College of General Practice. She has been working in Aboriginal health and remote rural practice in the Pilbara, Indian Ocean Territories and now the Kimberley for the past 14 years. Lorraine has a passion for Aboriginal Health, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector model of care and loves to see true partnerships in Aboriginal research with robust and sustainable translation.
Chair: Professor Aunty Kerrie Doyle
Associate Dean, Indigenous Health, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University
Aunty Kerrie is the inaugural professor and associate dean on Indigenous Health in the School of Medicine at Western Sydney University. She is the Chair of the Indigenous subcommittee for WHTRN, and the academic lead of the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing clinical academic group of Maridjulu Budyari Gumal. An Aboriginal woman from Winninninni/Budjeri and Cadigal/Irish heritage, she is married to a chiefly Tuhoe kaumatua, has one son and 2 poodles. She has no grannies, and hope is fast fading.
Panelist: Professor James Ward
Director, Poche Centre, University of Queensland
Professor James Ward is a Pitjantjatjara and Nukunu man, an infectious diseases epidemiologist and a national leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, with over 25 years of experience in Aboriginal public health policy and research. In his current role as Director of the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health he leads research aimed at impacting health and wellbeing outcomes for First Nations peoples, including a program of research to reduce incidence and prevalence of infectious diseases in Indigenous communities; a program of urban Indigenous health research and a global Indigenous health research program. James’ involvement in the COVID-19 pandemic has been integral to Australia’s efforts, including as a member of the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia (CDNA), the CDNA COVID-19 Working Group, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 and the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritisation Group.
Panelist: Dr Lucas de Toca PSM
First Assistant Secretary, Vaccine Policy, Implementation & Primary Care Response for the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce
Dr Lucas de Toca is First Assistant Secretary, Vaccine Policy, Implementation & Primary Care Response for the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce within the Commonwealth Department of Health. He leads the Primary Care Response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the vaccination program across the primary care system. Lucas co-chairs the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 and chairs the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities COVID-19 Health Advisory Group.
Lucas first joined the Department as a Principal Advisor, leading the national taskforce to address a syphilis outbreak in northern and central Australia and other Indigenous Health initiatives.
Before joining the Department, Lucas worked as the Chief Health Officer at Miwatj Health in East Arnhem Land. He studied medicine in Spain and Sydney, before undertaking further training in Public Health at Harvard, where he focused on health systems policy and leadership in health and human rights.
In June 2022 Lucas was awarded with a Public Service Medal for outstanding public service through leadership in managing the successful COVID-19 vaccine rollout through primary health care.
Panelist: Dr Lorraine Anderson
Medial Director, Kimberley Aboriginal Services
Dr Lorraine Anderson is the Medical Director at Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services, based in Broome, Western Australia. Lorraine is proudly linked through her father to the Palawa people of Tasmania. She gained her primary degree in Medicine at The University of Auckland in New Zealand, followed by post graduate qualifications in Child Health, Palliative Medicine and General Practice. Lorraine is a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practice and the Royal Australian College of General Practice. She has been working in Aboriginal health and remote rural practice in the Pilbara, Indian Ocean Territories and now the Kimberley for the past 14 years. Lorraine has a passion for Aboriginal Health, the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector model of care and loves to see true partnerships in Aboriginal research with robust and sustainable translation.
Panelist: Associate Professor Donna Hartz
Associate Professor, Newcastle University
Associate, Burbangana Group
Associate Professor Donna Hartz is a Nurse and Midwife with more than 35 years’ experience as a clinician, educator/lecturer, midwife consultant, project manager, and researcher. She is a descendent of the Kamilaroi/Gomaroi people born on Cammeraygal Country, grew up on Dharug Country and lives and works on Darkinjung Country. As a University of Sydney Poche Centre for Indigenous Health Scholar during 2014-2017, she undertook a mixed method exploration of the Aboriginal Malabar Midwifery Community Link Service in Gadigal and Bidjigal Countries in South-Eastern Sydney.
Her current positions include Associate Professor at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, the Newcastle University, an Associate with Burbangana Group and holds adjunct Associate Professor positions at Western Sydney and Charles Darwin Universities. She is a Chief Investigator on two NHMRC grants the 2018 NHMRC Partnership BOOSt study that is implementating and evaluating of Birth on Country models of care and the 2020 NHMRC CRE that is Scaling-up Birthing on Country Services. She is also a member of the NSW Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Ethics Committee and the Australian Nurse and Midwives Accreditation Council midwifery committee.
During the height of COVID-19 she was senior clinician member of University of Newcastle team who supported Walgett AMS and Yerin Elanor Duncan Health Service on Darkinjung Country with vaccination clinics in their communities. She was also an investigator during 2021 on projects exploring the impact of COVID-19 on Australian mainstream midwifery and maternity service delivery and as a project office with the International Confederation of Midwives the global impact of COVID-19 on such services.
Her other current research foci include Asthma in pregnancy, Smoking cessation in pregnancy, Education pathways to developing the First Nation Midwifery workforce, the experiences of First Nation women with complex life situations during pregnancy and Family preservation and restoration services.
Lunch
12 - 12:45pm
Session 3: Abstract Presentations
12:45 - 3pm
Chair: Heather D'Antoine
12:45pm
Introduction to Session & Slido
1pm
Optimising primary health care to help prevent dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities - study overview
Dr Yvonne Hornby-Turner
Early Career Research Fellow, James Cook University
Yvonne is an Early Career Research Fellow on the Healthy Ageing Research Team (HART) at James Cook University. She is a medical anthropologist by training and has worked in primary and secondary health services research since moving from the UK to Australia in 2014. Her work with HART focuses on improving health systems and healthcare delivery to promote the health and wellbeing of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She currently manages an NHMRC project that aims to partner with Aboriginal medical services to reduce modifiable risk factors associated with dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and a smaller pilot study that aims to strengthening the delivery of dementia care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residential aged care.
Dr Veronica Matthews
Head, CRE-STRIDE, James Cook University
Veronica is from the Quandamooka community, Minjerribah. She heads the Centre for Research Excellence - STRengthening systems for InDigenous healthcare Equity (CRE-STRIDE), an Indigenous-led collaboration strengthening systems to improve primary health care and the social and cultural determinants of wellbeing. The aim of CRE-STRIDE is to achieve equitable health care and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
1:15pm
Survival benefit of deceased donor kidney transplantation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Kelli Owen
Community Engagement Coordinator, National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce (NIKTT)
(150) Kelli Owen is a Kaurna, Narungga & Ngarrindjeri woman, mother of five and mutha (nana) of two. She is the Community Engagement Coordinator for the National Indigenous Kidney Transplantation Taskforce (NIKTT).
In addition, Kelli is a member of South Australia’s AKction (Aboriginal Kidney Care Together - Improving Outcomes Now) team, which aim’s it is to identify and respond to the needs of Aboriginal Kidney patients. Furthermore, she co-leads the Kanggawodli cultural project within CNARTS (Central Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service).
Kelli’s contribution to the NIKTT, AKction and CNARTS is enhanced by her lived experience of kidney failure. After undergoing several years dialysis, Kelli received a donated kidney in May 2016. Her firsthand knowledge of the kidney journey, coupled with her Bachelor of Education and Master of Indigenous Language Education degrees, underpin her engagement with Indigenous communities and help to facilitate positive relationships between health professionals, patients, and their families.
Dr Samantha Bateman
Chief Investigator, Aboriginal Kidney Care Together Improving Outcomes Now [AKction] Project
Dr Samantha Bateman is a white woman who lives and works on Kaurna Country. She is a nephrologist with the Central and Northern Adelaide Renal and Transplantation Service and Nunkuwarrin Yunti community-controlled health service in Adelaide. Sam is a chief-investigator of the co-created and NHMRC funded Aboriginal Kidney Care Together Improving Outcomes Now [AKction] project. She is a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide with a NHMRC post-graduate scholarship and Royal Australian College of Physicians Award for Excellence. Her body of work investigates models of care to improve access to and outcomes of kidney transplantation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Her research program was formed after extensive community consultation conducted by the AKction group and has multi-level Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance through her PhD supervisor team, the AKction reference group and research collective.
1:30pm
Clinical yarning: Improving communication between clinicians and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients with chronic pain
Christina Bernardes
Researcher, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Christina M Bernardes is a researcher at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. She has qualification in nursing, public health and human resources management. She has worked in Brazil, United Arab Emirates and Australia. In Brazil, worked in primary health care for more than 15 years managing programs for ante-natal care, and in the prevention and control of chronic diseases. In the United Arab Emirates, worked in health education, promoting healthy eating habits and prevention of childhood obesity.
In Australia, since 2010 she is working in research towards improving the health outcomes for First Nation Australians. Her work involved the areas of cancer, chronic liver diseases, pain management and most recently mental health. She is currently working with training clinicians to build a culturally competent, responsive and clinically safe mental health workforce.
Kushla Houkamau
Recruitment Officer, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
Kushla is a proud Quandamooka woman of the Noonuccal mob and a proud Māori woman of the Ngati Kahungunu iwi and Ngati Porou iwi.
She is currently studying a Bachelors of Medical Laboratory Science at Queensland University of Technology, and aspires to complete further studies afterwards.
She has previously worked as a community based recruitment officer on the Clinical Yarning project; which seeks to improve communication and health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with chronic pain.
She is currently working with QIMR as a recruitment officer in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait health research team.
1:45pm
Catching mullet: Systematic review of the literature to find out about why and how women’s groups work to improve maternal and child health
Talah Laurie
Researcher
Talah is a proud Gumbaynggirr and Yaegl woman, with ancestors connections back to beautiful Biripi Country. She is passionate about advocating for First Nation Peoples social justice issues, pushing the boundaries of conventional data translation and being involved in research projects that create positive change, is inclusive, adheres to cultural protocols when working with communities and embraces holistic practices
Associate Professor Karla Canuto
Associate Professor, Flinders University
Associate Professor Karla Canuto is a Torres Strait Islander, descendent of the Naghir Tribe of the Kulkagul Clan. Karla has over 20 years’ experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health/ health research. Karla's qualifications include a Bachelor of Sports & Exercise Science, a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion and a PhD conferred in 2013. Karla has experience across a wide range of research projects all focused on improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, topics include cancer, chronic disease prevention, mums and bubs and the promotion of physical activity and nutrition. She is also passionate about building the capacity and capabilities of researchers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, in particular, growing the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers.
2pm
Asking people about their drinking on the ‘Grog Survey/App’ and applying these learning to other drugs
Associate Professor Kylie Lee
Associate Professor, University of Sydney
Deputy Director, Centre of Research Excellence in Indigenous Health and Alcohol
Kylie is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney and Deputy Director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Indigenous Health and Alcohol. She leads the academic support provided through that Centre. Kylie’s highly original research in alcohol and other drug use is led by community or health service requests. Kylie is lead editor on a clinical textbook requested by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alcohol and other drug workers nationally.
Adjunct Associate Professor Scott Wilson
CEO, Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council SA (ADAC)
Adjust Associate Professor, University of Sydney
Scott is the CEO of the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council SA (ADAC) and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. He is also Co-Director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Indigenous Health and Alcohol. Scott has worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities nationally to develop innovative ways to prevent, treat and reduce harms from alcohol and other drug use. He served as Deputy Chair of the National Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Committee. Scott has received several awards including the Australian Centenary Medal and the Sister Alison Bush Award from the University of Sydney.
2:15pm
Referral Pathways: Integrated Genetic HealthCare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders
Gregory Pratt
Manager of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, Queensland Institute of Medical Research
Descendant of the Quandamooka people of Moreton Bay, Greg grew up with the Ghughu Yalanghi people of Cape York. He has extensive experience as an Aboriginal mental health practitioner and has worked in policy, research and health services. Greg led extensive consultations across QLD in 2018 for “GenetiQs”; developing guidelines for genomic research involving Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. In 2019, Greg led efforts to develop a suite of genomic health literacy resources for First Nations peoples of QLD. In 2020-21 his team worked with community controlled, primary and public health services to identify workforce needs for a coordinated care model for precision medicine at the primary health intersect. Over the past 3 years, Greg has led more than 50 community engagements across QLD. As manager for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research at QIMR Berghofer, he supports the institute realise responsibility, benefit and impact for supporting Indigenous sovereignty, equity and access to health.
2:30pm
Taingiwilta Pirku Kawantila (Strong Community in the North) Project: Yarning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and service providers on what is needed to promote social and emotional wellbeing in northern Adelaide
Associate Professor Natasha Howard
Platform Lead, Implementation Science, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, SAHMRI
A/Prof Natasha Howard is the Platform Lead: Implementation Science, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, SAHMRI. The Platform incorporates a systems view and privileges Indigenous knowledges to deliver mixed-method inter-disciplinary perspectives which aim to generate policy and practice-based evidence on the social determinants of health. Her experience spans both the health and social sciences, applying population approaches to investigate how the social and built environment enables and promotes cardiometabolic health and well-being, notably for priority populations. She has been active in advocacy and mentoring of the local population health community in both research and practice.
Courtney Hammond
Research Assistant, Implementation Science, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, SAHMRI
Courtney Hammond is an Eastern Arrernte/Tanganekald woman with ties to Country in lower South East of South Australia and Central Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences, majoring in Medical Science from the University of Adelaide and is currently completing a Master of Public Health within The University of Adelaide. She is employed as a Research Assistant within Implementation Science at Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity at SAHMRI. In this role, she is involved in multiple mixed-methods projects including the Aboriginal Eye Health Project and Taingiwilta Pirku Kawantila (Strong Community in the North) Project.
2:45pm
Murru Minya – Exploring the conduct of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research
Dr Michelle Kennedy
Assistant Dean, Indigenous Strategy and Leadership, College of Health Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle
Executive Manager of Research and Knowledge Translation, Lowitja Institute
Vice President Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Public Health Association
Dr Michelle Kennedy is a Wiradjuri woman who has grown up on Worimi country, Australia. Michelle is an NHMRC early-career researcher, partnering with Aboriginal communities to place the power in their hands and address priority areas to improve Indigenous health. Michelle brings 16 year’s experience working with Aboriginal communities and Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing to the health research space to deliver health research that is appropriate, engaging and meaningful for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Michelle is leading a national study Murru Minya (www.murruminya.com.au) exploring the conduct of research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
Michelle is the Assistant Dean Indigenous Strategy and Leadership for the College of Health Medicine and Wellbeing at the University of Newcastle, the Executive Manager of Research and Knowledge Translation at the Lowitja Institute and the Vice President Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander for the Public Health Association.
Chair: Glenn Pearson
12:45pm
Introduction to Session & Slido
1pm
Designing Indigenous Aged Care with a whole of community perspective
Associate Professor Odette Pearson
Co-Theme Leader and Population Health Platform Lead, Aboriginal Health Equity Theme, SAHMRI
Adjunct Senior Fellow, University of Adelaide.
Associate Professor Odette Pearson is a Kuku Yalanji/Torres Strait Islander woman. She is co-Theme Leader and the Population Health Platform Lead in the Aboriginal Health Equity Theme, SAHMRI and holds an adjunct position with the University of Adelaide. and Adjunct Senior Fellow with the University of Adelaide. A/Prof Pearson’s research aims contributes to reducing health inequities experienced by Indigenous Australians through contributing evidence on health system improvements, best practice and culturally safe workforce initiatives and data governance for self- determination, all underpinned by Indigenous governance.
Dr Adriana Parrella
Senior Research Fellow, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity Theme, SAHMRI
Adjunct Senior Fellow, University of Adelaide.
Dr Adriana Parrella is a Senior Research Fellow in the Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the University of Adelaide. Her research focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care, principles of culturally safe care, Indigenous understandings of health and wellbeing and healthy ageing. Her research draws from key stakeholder perspectives of Aboriginal community members, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and aged care service providers throughout South Australia.
1:15pm
The Co-Production of a Diabetic Retinopathy Eye Health Plan Using Research Practice Partnership Approaches
Rosamond Gilden
Senior Implementation Project Officer, SA Aboriginal Chronic Disease Consortium, Wardliparingga, SAHMRI
Rosamond Gilden is a Senior Implementation Project Officer for the SA Aboriginal Chronic Disease Consortium located within the Wardliparingga team at SAHMRI. Rosamond graduated with an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science and a Masters of Orthoptics. Upon completion of her Masters, Rosamond worked as an orthoptist in the private and public centre and transitioned into research at the Centre for Eye Research Australia working on the first National Eye Health Survey. After completing this research, Rosamond commenced work at Indigenous Eye Health at the University of Melbourne and played a key role in supporting implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision. More recently, Rosamond completed a Masters of Public Health in 2020 and is the Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee for Orthoptics Australia. Rosamond also engages in international eye health work and is the DR-NET Regional Coordinator for the South Pacific Region.
Courtney Hammond
Research Assistant, Implementation Science, Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, SAHMRI
Courtney Hammond is an Eastern Arrernte/Tanganekald woman with ties to Country in lower South East of South Australia and Central Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences, majoring in Medical Science from the University of Adelaide and is currently completing a Master of Public Health within The University of Adelaide. She is employed as a Research Assistant within Implementation Science at Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity at SAHMRI. In this role, she is involved in multiple mixed-methods projects including the Aboriginal Eye Health Project and Taingiwilta Pirku Kawantila (Strong Community in the North) Project.
1:30pm
Cake and Care: Evaluation of the Cherbourg 3rd Birthday Party Wellness Check Pilot
Adjunct Associate Professor Claire Treadgold
National Manager of Research and Evaluation, Starlight Children’s Foundation
Adjunct Associate Professor, University of New South Wales
Dr Claire Treadgold is the National Manager of Research and Evaluation for Starlight Children’s Foundation and an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Discipline of Paediatrics, UNSW Medicine & Health, UNSW Sydney. She has over twenty years' experience in for-purpose organisations, with a particular focus on children, young people, health and community services. With a PhD in education, and other degrees in arts, communications and youth development, Claire has published papers and book chapters on peer support, advocacy and service delivery amongst other areas.
Professor Aunty Kerrie Doyle
Associate Dean, Indigenous Health, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University
Aunty Kerrie is the inaugural professor and associate dean on Indigenous Health in the School of Medicine at Western Sydney University. She is the Chair of the Indigenous subcommittee for WHTRN, and the academic lead of the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing clinical academic group of Maridjulu Budyari Gumal. An Aboriginal woman from Winninninni/Budjeri and Cadigal/Irish heritage, she is married to a chiefly Tuhoe kaumatua, has one son and 2 poodles. She has no grannies, and hope is fast fading.
1:45pm
Alcohol and other drug use of Aboriginal people involved in the NSW criminal justice system
Dr Michael Doyle
Senior Research Fellow, University of Sydney
Michael is a Bardi Aboriginal man and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sydney. He has conducted research into AoD use and treatment for people in the criminal justice system since 2010. He has extensive experience in Aboriginal health service delivery, policy/planning and research.
Michael has a Certificate IV Aboriginal Health Work (1999), Graduate Diploma of Indigenous Health Promotion (2009), a Master of Public Health (20014) and a Doctor of Philosophy (2018). He commenced a NHMRC Investigator grant emerging leadership in 2022.
2pm
Baby Coming you Ready
Dr Jayne Kotz
Senior Research Fellow, Ngangk Yira Institute for Change, Murdoch University
Jayne Kotz (PhD, RNP, MW, CHN) is a Senior Research Fellow (PhD) at Ngangk Yira Institute for Change at Murdoch University in Western Australia. She has over 35 years of experience working in community health settings. Her career path includes clinical practice, research, health promotion and community development, policy planning, management, and advocacy. As a Nurse Practitioner/midwife Jayne has worked along First Nations peoples in Tanzania, Vanuatu in their communities and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across rural and remote Western Australia, Victoria, the Northern Territory and in corrective services setting. The past 15 years she has focused on Culturally respectful approaches to researching and codesigning supportive strategies to improve maternal and infant health and wellbeing for Aboriginal peoples. This includes the Kimberley Mums Mood Scale and Baby Coming You Ready.
Trish Ratajczak
Research Officer, Ngangk Yira Institute for Change, Murdoch University
Trish Ratajczak is Palawa woman from Lutruwita (Tasmania) with connections to descendent Mannalargenna chief of the Pairrebeene/Trawlwoolway Clan. Trish is a research officer at Ngangk Yira Institute for Change at Murdoch University in Western Australia co-lead for the Baby Coming You Ready program. She is a registered clinical midwife of 13 years in the tertiary setting and has been a strong advocate and educator for upcoming health professionals on Aboriginal health and culturally security for the past 13 years in the universities in Western Australia. She is also an early childhood educator and is committed supporting positive impact and change with Community at every opportunity.
2:15pm
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ meaning of home
Ania Anderst
PhD Candidate, Gunna-manna (Heal), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program
Ania Anderst (they/them) is a Research Associate and PhD Candidate at Guuna-maana (Heal), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Program, The George Institute for Global Health. Guided by Dharawal and Bidjigal community members, Ania’s PhD explores meanings of home and desired outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in social housing on Dharawal and Bidjigal land, to develop tangible ways to facilitate success that align with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s priorities in housing, home, and health and wellbeing.
Ania is an investigator on the Healthy Housing study, co-developing tools to facilitate healthcare workers’ effective social prescribing for patients experiencing health problems due to poor housing conditions. Their recent work includes a systematic review of screening and social prescribing in healthcare and social services to address housing issues among families. Equity, meaningful community engagement, relationship-building and a decolonial approach underlie Ania’s work in the research sphere.
2:30pm
Applying an Aboriginal Cultural lens to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD); and decolonising FASD
Dr Robyn Williams
Senior Research Fellow, Curtin University
Robyn is a Noongar woman and is employed as a Senior Research Fellow at the Curtin Medical School, Curtin University. Robyn has a diverse background, with over 20 years in Aboriginal affairs, including Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service. Her expertise includes leading and designing research projects, advocacy, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). In 2018, Robyn completed her PhD on FASD in Noongar country, and engaged with 180 Aboriginal participants. In 2019 her thesis was awarded a Chancellors commendation for excellence. Since 2014, Robyn has worked in collaboration with leading international experts in FASD and Child protection. Other qualifications include a Master of Arts, and BA in Sociology/Anthropology. For the past decade, Robyn has provided FASD training workshops to relevant sectors and has supported families with children with FASD. Robyn remains committed to Aboriginal led responses to disability in the Aboriginal community.
2:45pm
Facilitators and barriers to physical activity and sport participation experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults: a mixed method review
Dr Bridget Allen
Medical Doctor
Bridget is a medical doctor who was worked in hospital settings in urban, rural and remote settings in Australia. After completing her Master of International Public Health at UNSW she has worked as a research assistant for Neuroscience Australia in the Aboriginal Health and Ageing team, primarily working on the Let’s CHAT Dementia project, a research project working with 12 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) around Australia to improve detection of cognitive impairment and dementia, as well as dementia care and brain health in the primary care context. Additionally, Bridget works clinically for RPA Virtual Hospital, helping to deliver care for people experiencing Covid-19 and other illnesses in the community.
Associate Professor Karla Canuto
Associate Professor, Flinders University
Associate Professor Karla Canuto is a Torres Strait Islander, descendent of the Naghir Tribe of the Kulkagul Clan. Karla has over 20 years’ experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health/ health research. Karla's qualifications include a Bachelor of Sports & Exercise Science, a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion and a PhD conferred in 2013. Karla has experience across a wide range of research projects all focused on improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, topics include cancer, chronic disease prevention, mums and bubs and the promotion of physical activity and nutrition. She is also passionate about building the capacity and capabilities of researchers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, in particular, growing the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers.
Afternoon Tea
3 - 3:30pm
Session 4: Indigenous Genomics and Data Sovereignty
3:30 - 4:50pm
Professor Alex Brown (BMed, MPH, PhD, FRACP (hon.), FCSANZ, FAAHMS)
Professor of Indigenous Genomics
Telethon Kids Institute and Australian National University
Alex is an Aboriginal man who grew up on the south coast of New South Wales (NSW) with family connections to Nowra, Wreck Bay and Wallaga Lake on the far south coast of NSW. Professor Brown is a highly accomplished clinician/researcher who has worked his entire career in Aboriginal health. His transdisciplinary program of research spans public health, quantitative clinical epidemiology, mixed-method health service research, qualitative research, implementation science, infectious diseases, chronic disease care, health care policy and novel clinical trials in cardiometabolic disease within Indigenous communities.
Alex was recently awarded a prestigious $5 million-dollar Synergy grant by the NHMRC to form the National Indigenous Genomics Consortium. The consortium will ensure equitable access to the life-changing potential of genomic medicine in diverse populations. The Consortium brings together national leaders in Indigenous health, data sciences, genomics, ethics, and population and clinical genetics with the interdisciplinary approach allowing for the development of an interface that will embed genomics into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health care. It will also define and communicate policy, target the major causes of inequality experienced by Indigenous Australians and reduce the time it takes for Indigenous children to be diagnosed with rare diseases.
Dr Kalinda Griffiths
Scientia Lecturer, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, UNSW
Research and Education Lead Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, Victoria Comprehensive Cancer Centre Alliance
Associate Professor, College of Medicine and Health, Flinders University
Kalinda’s work addresses complex health disparities in populations by using existing administrative data. She holds honorary positions at the University of Melbourne and Menzies School of Health Research, is deputy editor of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia and senior editor of the First Nations Health and Wellbeing: The Lowitja Journal.
Her research currently addresses issues of quality and the utilisation of Indigenous data with a focus on data governance, measurement and cancer care and outcomes. Kalinda is the recipient of a number of awards. Notably, she was awarded the Northern Territory Young Australian of the Year in 2011 and more recently, the 2019 Lowitja Institute Emerging Researcher Award. She is also a 2019-2021 Science and Technology Australia Superstar of STEM.
Professor Lisa Jackson-Pulver AM
Professor of Public Health and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Services
University of Sydney
A visionary educator and strategically sound, Lisa places a deep understanding of Indigenous issues and inclusion more generally at the heart of all that she achieves. Lisa is a leading commentator on education and Indigenous Australia in both University environments and the Australian community in general, having led the successful development and adoption of the current strategy “One Sydney Many People” and having multiple guest appearances on The Drum (ABC television) and various podcasts. Lisa has overseen dramatic increases in overall Indigenous student numbers and is now concentrating on educational innovations and curriculum reviews that will benefit all students, including undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts from all 170 countries and backgrounds from which University of Sydney student originate. Lisa is committed to an education which creates the next generation of leaders in the future workplaces of Australia and globally.
Her last appointment was that of Pro Vice-Chancellor Engagement, Pro Vice-Chancellor Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Leadership, and Provost (Parramatta South) at Western Sydney University.
Prior to that, and whilst occupying senior educational roles in the Faculty of Medicine UNSW, Lisa played a key role in the development of a designated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Unit (Murri Marri). She was instrumental in developing an Indigenous and separate Environmental Health Master electives (2005) and an eventual Master Public Health stream (2012). During this time, she engaged vigorously with many communities and organisations to develop a series of residential scholarship programs that inspire donors to contribute over half a million dollars annually to the Gamarada Ngiyani Yana suite of programs. There are over thirty students currently enrolled in this residential scholarship program. Lisa is well known for her collaborative and inclusive approach to all that she does.
She serves her country in the Royal Australian Air Force Specialist Reserve and has moved through the ranks from her initial commission as Flight Lieutenant to her current rank of Group Captain.
Jackson Pulver is an academic leader, a recognised expert in public health, prominent researcher, a visionary and tireless advocate for Education, Health and innovative methods to ensure that both are inclusive for all. Lisa remains the Universities Australia nominee to Council and is a Director with the Australian Medical Council. Her artworks adorn the reports she writes.
Cocktail Party at the Charles Perkins Centre
5 - 7pm
Sign Up to the IRNet Mailing List
Both the IRNet Showcase and Capability Building Day are accessible, with lift access, Auslan interpreters and closed captioning.
The Black Cockatoo Feather
The Black Cockatoo feather symbolises connectedness, abundance and the rejuvenation of energy and spirit.
A familiar and well-loved bird, the Black Cockatoo is found across Australia often hailing the onset of rain.
Illustrated by Wiradjuri man, Paul Gilsenan.