Role
The Reducing Health Inequities Mission EAP provides the Minister for Health and Ageing with advice on the strategic priorities for research investment through this mission.
It will define evidence and knowledge gaps requiring research funding to assist in transforming health care and outcomes for individuals and communities. This includes defining key research questions that, if answered, would deliver meaningful change to patients through the translation of research.
EAP members will consult and engage with other researchers, industry and consumer/patient groups. It will also participate in media and public activities to build awareness of and facilitate interaction with the mission and with other MRFF-funded research.
Further information on the roles and responsibilities of MRFF EAPs can be found in the MRFF Mission Governance resource.
Terms of reference
Reducing Health Inequities Mission Expert Advisory Panel - Terms of reference
Members
The EAP was appointed in February 2026 and includes eminent researchers and persons with lived experience. The government selected panel members with the skills and experience the mission needs to achieve its objectives.
| Member | Background and experience | Declarations of interest |
|---|---|---|
| Professor James Smith (Chair) | Matthew Flinders Professor (Health and Social Equity), Flinders University Co-Director, Health Equity Impact Program, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University Professorial Research Affiliate, Flinders Centre for Social Impact Adjunct Professor, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania Affiliate, Flinders Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Flinders University Affiliate, Centre for Social Impact, Flinders University Honorary Professor, University of Queensland Honorary Research Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research Senior Faculty Affiliate, Vivian A. and James L. Curtis Center for Health Equity Research and Training, School of Social Work, University of Michigan More than 20 years’ experience as an applied social health researcher focusing on rural and remote health and improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and education outcomes | Global Vice President, Scientific Affairs; and Global Board Member, International Union for Health Promotion and Education Member, Scientific Advisory Board, The Australian Prevention and Partnership Centre Member, Strategic Advisory Board; and Affiliate - National Centre for Education and Training in Addiction, Flinders University Member, Centre for Health in All Policies Research Translation, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute Deputy Chair and Board Director, Association for Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies Northern Territory Member, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Portfolio Committee, Rotary South Pacific ARC, NHMRC and MRFF grant funding recipient. |
| Ms Nicky Bath | Chief Executive Officer, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia Formerly:
| Chief Executive Officer, LGBTIQ+ Health Australia Member, Australian National Advisory Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs Co-Chair, 2026 Census LGBTIQ+ Expert Advisory Committee Member, Department of Health and Aged Care, Diversity Consultative Committee Member, The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Partnering with Consumers Advisory Group Member, National Suicide and Self-Harm Monitoring System Expert Advisory Group and User Experience Working Group Member, Strengthening Medicare Implementation Oversight Committee Member, Aged and Community Care Providers Association Consumer Advisory Committee Member, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Consultative Forum Member, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, Strategic and Scientific Advisory Committee Member, National Office for Child Safety, Child Safe Sectors Leadership Group Member, National Aged Care Alliance Member of several national research project advisory committees |
| Mr Adam Heterick | A Wiradjuri man and Australia’s first Indigenous bioinformatician Bioinformatics Officer at Black Ochre Data Labs (The Kids Research Institute, Australia) and the National Centre for Indigenous Genomics (Australian National University) Mr Heterick’s work focuses on helping First Nations communities develop ethical, culturally informed ways to govern and use genomic data Member of the NHMRC-MRFF Indigenous Advisory Panel | Bioinformatician, Black Ochre Data Labs (Kids Research) and National Centre for Indigenous Genomics (Australian National University) First Nations Member, ALIVE National Centre for Mental Health Research – First Nations Advisory Committee First Nations Data Expert, National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Data Governance Forum |
| Professor Stuart Kinner | Professor of Health Equity, School of Population Health, Curtin University Head, Justice Health Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University Head, Justice Health Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Honorary Professor, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne Honorary Professor, School of Public Health, University of Queensland Has produced over 250 publications on the health of marginalised and justice-involved people | Director, Thinklusion Pty Ltd Founding Convenor, Australasian Justice Health Network Member, National Youth Justice Health Advisory Group Member, Victorian Government Violence Reduction Unit - Violence Prevention Partnership Collective Member, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute - Population Health Executive Committee Member, National Prisoner Health Information Committee and Technical Experts Group Member, National Prison Addiction Medicine Network Member, Smart Justice for Young People (SJ4YP) Youth Detention Working Group Member, Generation Victoria (GenV) Data Linkage Working Group Member, WHO Steering Group on Prisons Health Member, National Prisons Hepatitis Network Member, Australian Child Rights Taskforce Member, Victorian Department of Justice Human Research Ethics Committee Member, Steering Committee, Worldwide Prison Health Research and Engagement Network MRFF grant funding recipient |
| Professor Leigh Kinsman | Chair of Rural Health Research, La Trobe University Nurse academic specialising in reducing the gap in health outcomes between rural and metropolitan Australians Former Professor of Evidence Based Nursing, University of Newcastle | Chair, of the Rural Health Consumer Panel Advisory Committee at the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, La Trobe University MRFF grant funding recipient |
| Ms Mary Sayers | Chief Executive Officer, National Disability Research Partnership Member of the NDIS Evidence Advisory Council Has personal and family experience of disability Board Director, Gippsland Primary Health Network | Board Director, Gippsland Primary Health Network Board Director, Bass Coast Health Chief Executive Officer, National Disability Research Partnership Member, NDIS Evidence Advisory Council |
| Dr Jenny Welsh | Fellow and epidemiologist, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University Mid-Career Researcher who specialises in community-based population health research to address health inequities Employed by the Australian National University | Board of Directors, for the Women’s Centre for Health Matters, a community-based organization (ACT) |
| Professor Suzanne Crengle (International member) | Professor and Director of Ngāi Tahu Māori Health Unit, University of Otago General Practitioner at Ngāti Porou Oranga A senior Māori health researcher with a focus on health inequities, health services research and quality of care, and youth health Over 25 years’ experience as a Public Health Medicine Specialist | Member executive, Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka (currently Deputy Chair) Trustee, National Hauora Māori Coalition Trust |
| Professor Louise Maple-Brown (AMRAB representative) | Senior Endocrinologist at Royal Darwin Hospital Honorary Fellow at Menzies School of Health Research 20 years’ leadership experience in Aboriginal health on Larrakia country, Darwin, Northern Territory Established and led the Diabetes across the Lifecourse: Northern Australian Partnership (2012–2024) Head of Endocrinology, Royal Darwin Hospital (2012–2022) Deputy Director (Research), Menzies School of Health Research (2023–2024) | Member, NHMRC-MRFF Public Health and Health Systems Committee. Member, Clinical Governance Committee of Danila Dilba Biluru Butji Binnilutlum Health Service Limited. Member, Mentorship Committee of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Fellow, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. Honorary Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research. Senior Endocrinologist, Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospitals, Northern Territory Health. Chief Investigator on grants funded by NHMRC and MRFF. Previous member of the Australian Diabetes Society Board (2014-2022). Chair and Director, Maple-Brown Family Foundation. |
Declarations were accurate as of April 2026. No conflicts of interest required action beyond ‘register’, as defined in the MRFF Declarations of Interest Policy Statement . | ||
Related committees and groups
The Reducing Health Inequities Mission EAP reports to the Minister for Health and Ageing.
The Health and Medical Research Office provides secretariat support to the EAP.
