Council Appointed to Promote Indigenous Health
The Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, has announced the new membership of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equality Council.
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11 August 2011
Professor Ian Anderson had been reappointed as Chair and Ms Tanya Hosch as Deputy Chair of the council, formerly called the National Indigenous Health Equality Council.
Seven new members have been appointed for three years, including four Indigenous members, and six members have been reappointed to the council for two years. [Details of the council’s membership are attached.]
“The council will continue to advise the Australian Government on the development and monitoring of health-related goals and targets to support our commitments to closing the life expectancy gap and reducing the unacceptably high rates of child mortality among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mr Snowdon said.
“The council will advise me on the development of a National Indigenous Health Plan, and the development and monitoring of health related goals and targets. This will support the Council of Australian Governments’ commitment to closing the gap in outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
The National Indigenous Health Equality Council was established in March 2008 to advise the Government on ways to achieve equitable and sustainable health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
The council has development and conducted a number of forums, including two workforce forums, an Indigenous adolescent roundtable and an Indigenous youth social and emotional wellbeing forum.
The council has also published a number of important reports supporting scientific and evidence-based methods of collecting and analysing data to assist in developing policy and programs to improve Indigenous health.
Council updates are available at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equality Council.
For more information, contact Mr Snowdon’s office (02) 6277 7820
Biographical details - National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council
- Professor Ian Anderson, Chair, is a leading researcher in Indigenous health with wide experience in the health sector. He has a medical degree and a PhD in sociology and anthropology, is Director of Murrup Barkak and Research Director for the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
- Ms Tanya Hosch, Deputy Chair, works primarily in areas of social policy and has a particular interest in the area of philanthropy. She is co-chair of the Indigenous Affinity Group, a Director of a new Co-operative Research Centre on Remote Economic Participation and Executive Director of a governance project aiming to establish the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute.
Members re-appointed to Council for two years to June 2013 are:
- Dr Alex Brown, Head of the Centre for Indigenous Vascular and Diabetes Research at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute.
- Mr Romlie Mokak, experienced Indigenous policy maker and current CEO of the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association.
- Professor Paul Torzillo AM, a senior respiratory physician with particular expertise in child health and health service development for remote Aboriginal communities. He is Medical Director of Nganampa Health Council in the APY Lands.
- Dr Ian Cameron, currently CEO of the NSW Rural Doctors Network. He has extensive experience in rural and remote health, and a particular interest in recruitment and retention of health professionals.
- Professor Peter O’Mara, a general practitioner in an Aboriginal community-controlled health service for many years, now Head of Discipline - Indigenous Health at Newcastle University and President of the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association.
- Mr Adrian Carson, CEO of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health. He has many years experience in community-controlled and government Indigenous health sectors.
New Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of the Council (for three years) are:
- Ms Belinda Duarte (nee Jakiel) is the inaugural Director of the Korin Gamadji Institute. Ms Duarte is also the Chair of the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy.
- Professor Pat Dudgeon, acknowledged as the first identified Indigenous psychologist in Australia and the first Indigenous Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society.
- Dr Sanchia Shibasaki, an epidemiologist with clinical experience as a physiotherapist. She is currently Executive Manager of the Population Health Unit at the Kimberly Aboriginal Medical Services Council (KAMSC).
- Mr Patrick Ah Kit, an Aboriginal Health Worker in public health areas, specifically in men's health including education and health promotion about heart disease and diabetes in men. He is currently at the Wurliwurlinjang Health Service in Katherine.
New non-Indigenous experts on the Council (for three years) are:
- Dr Christine Connors, a general practitioner and public health physician providing clinical and public health services to remote Aboriginal communities. She is involved in a number of research projects and heads the NT Chronic Diseases Strategy Unit in the Northern Territory Department of Health.
- Dr James Fitzpatrick, founding director of True Blue Dreaming, an outback youth mentoring program working with communities in the WA Goldfields, wheat-belt and Kimberley regions.
- Professor Robyn McDermott, a medical epidemiologist with experience as a primary care doctor in remote areas. She is currently Director, SANT DataLink and Professor of Public Health at the University of South Australia.
The Minister has also appointed two Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council as ex-officio members of NATSIHEC. Ms Haylene Grogan is the Senior Director of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Branch, Queensland Health and is a returning NATSIHEC member. Ms Jenni Collard is the Director of the Office of Aboriginal Health, Western Australian Department of Health.
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