Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities Health Advisory Group

The Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities Health Advisory Group works in partnership with the department to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for multicultural people and communities.

Role

The Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities Health Advisory Group provides a two-way communication channel between the Australian Government and multicultural communities.

It provides expertise, advice and recommendations to shape culturally safe policy and communications to improve health and wellbeing for people and communities from multicultural backgrounds.

The advisory group includes representation from: 

  • multicultural community leaders
  • public health and medical experts
  • Department of Health and Aged Care
  • Department of Home Affairs
  • state and territory governments.

Background

The Australian Government is committed to improving health equity for people from CALD backgrounds and to learning from the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It established the advisory group in December 2020 as the CALD Communities COVID-19 Health Advisory Group, to provide advice about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Australian Government expanded the advisory group’s remit to advise on broader health and wellbeing matters for multicultural communities from 1 January 2023.

Terms of reference

Members

RoleNameOrganisation
ChairMs Tiali GoodchildAustralian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
MemberMs Tracey AndrewsAustralian Government Department of Health and Aged Care
Member – Organisations
MemberMs Erica BiddleAustralian Government Department of Home Affairs
MemberMr Leo Di GiorgioAllied Health Professions Australia
MemberMx Renee DixsonForcibly Displaced People Network
MemberDr Jane DouglasAustralian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
MemberMs Rana Ebrahimi  Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network
MemberMs Sandra Elhelw WrightSettlement Council of Australia
MemberMary Ann GeronimoFederation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia
MemberA/Prof Erika Gonzalez GarciaAustralian Institute of Interpreters and Translators 
MemberTBAMental Health Australia (Embrace Multicultural Mental Health)
MemberMrs Maria JohnsMulticultural Aged Care (PICAC Alliance)
MemberDr Adele MurdoloMulticultural Centre for Women’s Health
MemberMs Jamila PadheeForum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT)
MemberDr Aidan TanThe Royal Australasian College of Physicians
MemberDr Kate WalkerRoyal Australian College of General Practitioners
MemberMs Carla Wilshire Social Policy Group 
Member – Health Expert
Health ExpertA/Prof Georgia PaxtonRoyal Children's Hospital in Melbourne
Health ExpertProfessor Christine Phillips Companion House Medical Service 
Health ExpertA/Prof Ines RioNorth Western Melbourne Primary Health Networks
Health ExpertProf Helen SkouterisHealthcare Improvement and Implementation Science at Monash University
Health ExpertDr Judy TangInvictus Health
Health ExpertMrs Andrea VanciaBrisbane South Primary Health Network
State and Territory Observers
ObserverTBANorthern Territory Government
ObserverMs Bee AnderssonGovernment of South Australia 
ObserverProfessor Ben CowieVictorian Government
ObserverMrs Udani DhanojananGovernment of Western Australia
ObserverMrs Elizabeth Mahnken Tasmanian Government 
ObserverMs Melanie NichollsQueensland Government
ObserverMr Nick SandrejkoNew South Wales Government
ObserverMr Izaac WhiteACT Government

Communiques

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