Role
NATSIHP provides holistic and culturally safe advice on health protection matters for First Nations peoples and communities. NATSIHP’s focus is on communicable and chronic diseases, environmental health, and disaster management in primary health settings, and health issues related to COVID-19.
Actions include:
- Ensuring appropriate responses to current and emerging health protection issues for First Nations peoples
- Reducing data gaps and improving data use, ensuring adherence to First Nations data sovereignty principles
- Ensuring robust First Nations shared decision making and partnerships
- Ensuring health protection responses include culturally safe and effective communication strategies
- Establishing First Nations led strategic and collaborative governance arrangements
- Providing nationally agreed policy health protection policy advice to the AHPPC
The Australian Government established the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 (Advisory Group) in March 2020. The Advisory Group provided clinical expertise to advise and inform decisions on COVID-19 related health issues for First Nations peoples and communities.
On 17 October 2022, the Advisory Group became the NATSIHP Sub-committee of the AHPPC. NATSIHP’s remit has expanded beyond COVID-19, to include First Nations health protection matters and relevant health outcomes of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Members
The NATSIHP co-chair are the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and the Department of Health and Aged Care.
|
Member |
Role |
Background and experience |
|---|---|---|
|
Dr Lucas de Toca PSM |
Co-chair |
Department of Health and Aged Care, First Assistant Secretary, Vaccine Policy, Implementation and Primary Care Response Division |
|
Dr Dawn Casey PSM FAHA |
Co-chair |
Deputy CEO, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) |
|
Dr Jason Agostino |
Member |
NACCHO |
|
Dr John Boffa |
Member |
Representing NACCHO Member Services |
|
Dr Jessica Leonard |
Member |
Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia (AHCSA) |
|
Dr Julia Vnuk (job share) |
Member |
AHCSA, representing the CEO and Board |
|
Lauren Owen |
Member |
AHMRC |
|
Dr Liz Moore |
Member |
Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) |
|
Damian Griffis |
Member |
First people's Disability Network |
|
Jill Gallagher AO |
Member |
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, (VACCHO) |
|
Dr Maureen Davey |
Member |
Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation |
|
Dr Ana Herceg |
Member |
Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services (WNAHCS), representing the CEO and Board |
|
Dr Marianne Wood |
Member |
Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia, representing the CEO and Board |
|
Dr Lorraine Anderson |
Member |
Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Service, representing NACCHO Member Services |
|
Dr Katie Panaretto |
Member |
Queensland Health |
|
Dr Sean Cowley |
Member |
Queensland Health |
|
Dr Belinda Greenwood-Smith |
Member |
State/territory government representative, Northern Territory |
|
Assoc. Prof. Bhavini Patel |
Member |
State/territory government representative, Northern Territory |
|
Dr Pippa May |
Member |
State/territory government representative, Western Australia |
|
Nicole McCartney |
Member |
State/territory government representative, Victoria |
|
Belinda Fenney-Walch |
Member |
State/territory representative, Tasmania |
|
Dr Rhea Psereckis |
Member |
State/territory representative, Tasmania |
|
Kristy Crooks |
Member |
NSW Health, Hunter New England LHD |
|
Yvonne Uren |
Member |
National Indigenous Australians Agency |
|
Melissa Connors |
Member |
Aboriginal Hostels Limited (ACT Govt.) |
|
Frank Quinlan |
Member |
Royal Flying Doctor Service |
|
Dr Revle Bangor-Jones |
Member |
Department of Health WA |
|
Geraldine Wilson-Matenga |
Member |
Ministry of Health NSW |
|
Dr Tara Smith |
Member |
Ministry of Health NSW |
|
Haylene Grogan |
Member |
Department of Health QLD |
Meetings
The group meets fortnightly, with ad hoc meetings scheduled as required.
Communiques
Communiques from NATSIHP
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 – Communiques
Related committees or groups
Some NATSIHP members are also members on other AHPPC sub-committees:
- Environmental Health Committee (enHealth)
- Blood Bourne Viruses & Sexually Transmissible Infections (BBVSC)
