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News Archive

AIATSIS Seminar Series: Indigenous Wellbeing

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) holds seminar series each year. The current Seminar Series 1 for 2010 focuses on Indigenous Wellbeing.

It will consider conceptual frameworks and philosophies around Wellbeing and will look at its increasing use in the development of government policy and service provision, as well as a range of case studies which will consider Wellbeing in a more localized and specific context, such as health provision, caring for country, holistic health service provision, cultural expression, for youth and in the education sector.

Go to the AIATSIS Seminars page for more information and for links to the seminar timetable, abstracts and audiovisual recordings.

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New reports on Indigenous health in Australia

These reports on Indigenous health in Australia were recently released:

National Indigenous Health Equality Council (NIHEC) Child Mortality Target: Analysis and Recommendations, 2010. Download report
Media release: "Government on track to close gap on infant mortality" (10 March 2010)
Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association and Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation, UNSW. Health Impact Assessment the Northern Territory Emergency Response.Canberra: Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association, 2010. Download report

United Nations Special Rapporteur: "The situation of Indigenous peoples in Australia" (advanced unedited version), addendum to Promotion and Protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development: report by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundmental freedoms of indigenous people, James Anaya, 4 March 2010. Download report from the media release:

Media Release: "Australia / Indigenous peoples: development and self-determination to overcome severe disadvantages"

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Lowitja Institute advertises new positions

The newly created Lowitja Institute: National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research is advertising a number of new positions:

Executive Officer (Melbourne based) Applications close COB 30 March.
Media & Marketing Manager (Melbourne based) Applications close COB 30 March.
Program Manager (Brisbane based) Applications close COB 30 March.
Administration Officer – Research Support (0.5 FTE Brisbane based) Applications close COB 30 March.
Administration Officer – Research Support (0.5 FTE Darwin based) Applications close COB 30 March.
Administration Officer – Research Support (0.5 FTE Adelaide based) Applications close COB 30 March.
Corporate Services Officer (Melbourne based) Applications close 19 March.
Stakeholder Management Officer (0.6 FTE Melbourne based) Applications close COB 19 March.

These positions are advertised online at www.seek.com.au and http://www.indigcareers.com.au/. For further information contact David Morgan by email at dmsalary@dmsalary.com.au. A position description can be obtained by telephoning 0409 631 470. All applications, which can be submitted by email, must address the selection criteria, contain a resume and at least three work referees. Indigenous persons are encouraged to apply.

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Menzies wins funding for Indigenous tobacco control project

Menzies School of Health Research has received $761,300.00 in federal funding, as part of the Department of Health and Ageing’s ‘Indigenous Tobacco Control Initiative Open Fund Round’.

The money has been allocated to launch the new national Menzies’ project, Innovative and interactive multimedia communication strategies aimed at reducing tobacco consumption among Indigenous people. The project will use social networking sites, iPods and mobile phones to engage with and communicate health messages to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, aged 18 to 25 years.

The project aims to provide culturally relevant educational resources for both communities and health professionals, and provide a greater understanding of the impact of tobacco use on health. Initial consultation groups will be set up within urban Melbourne, regional Darwin and remote settings in the Northern Territory, but the resources created will be available nationally.

For more information go to project information on Menzies website and/or government funding announcement: $10.7 Million to Combat Indigenous Smoking

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New $10m Endowment for Indigenous Health for Flinders University

Flinders University is delighted to announce that a $10 million endowment from philanthropist, Greg Poche AO, will enable Poche Centres for Indigenous Health to be established in both Alice Springs and Adelaide.

The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health in Alice Springs will be led by a senior Indigenous academic, and will link with the new Northern Territory Medical Program, being led by Flinders University, in partnership with Charles Darwin University, which aims to significantly increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people studying in the Northern Territory to become doctors.

The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at Flinders University in Adelaide, aims to increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students studying medicine, nursing and other health profession courses. It will also foster health research by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers and health workers, with a focus on the social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Mr Poche said he was “very pleased that two major Australian universities have already taken up this project to improve Indigenous health and I look forward to proceeding in partnership with other major universities in Australia to make this a national initiative.”

To read more, go to the announcement by Flinders University.

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Lowitja O'Donoghue Speech from Institute Launch

The Lowitja Institute (incorporating the CRC for Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander Health) was launched last week on Wednesday 24 February 2010. The Institute is named after our Patron and Chair of the CRC for Aborginal and Tropical Health (1997-2003), Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue, AC CBE DSG, who spoke at the launch.

She concluded her speech, saying "I am delighted to accept the great honour that you have bestowed upon me. And it is with great pleasure, that I pass my name to you. I trust that in your capable hands, the Institute will become widely known for its excellence and outcomes."

Read the full speech by Lowitja O'Donoghue.

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Congress Lowitja to be held in Sydney on 23-24 March 2010

The Lowitja Institute: Australia’s National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research, incorporating The Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (CRCATSIH) is hosting the first Congress Lowitja in Sydney from Tuesday 23rd to Wednesday 24th March 2010.

This event will showcase findings from the former CRCAH and provide an opportunity to discuss the future CRCATSIH and the Lowitja Institute research agenda and stakeholder involvement. Download the Congress Overview Program

Key community organisations have received invitations and we would also encourage interested individuals to register to attend. As there are a limited number of funded places, we anticipate that the home organisation of the person seeking support will provide the cost of having a delegate in attendance. Registration can be completed online or by downloading a pdf at our registration page. For more information, please contact Scott Davis.

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New Lowitja Institute brochure

With the launch of the Lowitja Institute yesterday, a new brochure has been launched to introduce the Institute and the CRC for Aborignal and Torres Strait Islander Health (CRCATSIH). It gives a brief overview of the background, the structure, and the research agenda.

Lowitja brochure_cover Feb 20102

"Australian governments, health service providers and Indigenous community-based stakeholders have recently come together to address the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In this context, there is a need for a permanent national body devoted to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research over the long term: The Lowitja Institute."

To read more about the new Institute, please download the brochure.

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Media Release: Closing the Gap: Lowitja Institute Launched

"National efforts to improve Aboriginal health and close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and other Australians will receive a major boost with today’s Canberra launch of the Lowitja Institute – Australia’s Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Health.

Named in honour of senior Yankuntjatjara Elder and national Aboriginal leader, Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue, the new Institute will host the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health and provide a more permanent home for CRCATSIH’s pioneering work of improving Indigenous health through research and the development of a professional and effective Indigenous health workforce."

Download media launch to read full text
Go to www.lowitja.org.au to find out more about the Lowitja Institute and CRCATSIH.

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Letsstart flyer march 20102

The Let's Start: Exploring Together Preschool Program will launch its evaluation report on Wednesday 17 March 2010 in Darwin. RSVP to libraryevents@nt.gov.au by 15 March. For more information download a flyer or go to http://www.crcah.org.au/research/lets_start.html.

You can also download a copy of the report:
Robinson, G., Zubrick, S. R., Silburn, S., Tyler, W., Jones, Y., D’Aprano, A., McGuinness, K., Cubillo, C., Bell, M., Stock, C., 2009, ‘Let’s Start: Exploring Together. An early intervention program for Northern Territory children and families. Final evaluation report’, Darwin: School for Social and Policy Research, Institute of Advanced Studies, Charles Darwin University.

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Letter to CRCAH Stakeholders from the Chair

Pat Anderson, Chair of the CRCAH and the interim Lowitja Institute Board, has written to the CRCAH stakeholders with important information about

the establishment of the Lowitja Institute - Australia's National Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research;
the transition from the CRCAH to the CRC for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (CRCATSIH); and
the coming inaugural Congress Lowitja.

You can read her letter here: Letter to stakeholders [pdf]

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CRCAH Discussion Paper 10 Living on the Edge: Social and Emotional Wellbeing Protective Factors for Serious Psychological Distress among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

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The Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association and the CRC for Aborignal Health produced a new CRCAH Discussion Paper (Number 10) in December 2009.

"This paper has been prepared by the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA) to generate discussion around the determinants of Indigenous social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB), and to provide a range of recommendations for addressing the current gap in social and emotional wellbeing between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians." p 3

Kelly, K., Dudgeon, P., Gee, G. & Glaskin, B. 2009, Living on the Edge: Social and Emotional Wellbeing Risk and Protective Factors for Serious Psychological Distress among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, Discussion Paper No. 10, Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, Darwin.

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AIATSIS Ethics Review

The Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) is currently undertaking a full review of their Guidelines for Ethical Research in Indigenous Studies (GERIS) and associated materials. The Guidelines were drafted around ten years ago, and have not been comprehensively reviewed since.

The project is looking at developments in ethical practices over the past decade and emerging trends for the future, with the aim of delivering a coherent policy document to guide ethical research involving Indigenous peoples over the next 5-10 years.

A copy of the discussion paper and a revised draft of the guidelines can be found on the AIATSIS website.

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Peer reviewed journal article on CRCAH priority setting processes

The CRC for Aboriginal Health has been innovative in the processes it has followed to set priorities for research. The below peer reviewed article was published in December 2009, with a literature review of priority setting in Aboriginal health research, and an overview of the history of these processes in the CRCAH.

The article concluded: "The CRCAH's experience has demonstrated that a collaborative process is more effective than a competitive one in developing projects that will deliver the benefits that priority setting promises. It has also demonstrated that, by providing meaningful support, a collaborative process can develop the skills of researchers at all levels and produce robust and useful research."

Johanna Monk, Kevin Rowley & Ian Anderson 2009, Setting and meeting priorities in Indigenous health research in Australia and its application in the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health. Health Research Policy and Systems, 7 (25).

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New CRCAH discussion paper 9: Aboriginal Spirituality: Aboriginal Philosophy, The Basis of Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing

The CRC for Aboriginal Health produced a new discussion paper in December 2009:

This paper explores the philosophical basis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture that encompasses wellbeing has in every area of engagement with Indigenous Australian people. The chapters address issues of Creation, Connections, The role of women, The international context, Aboriginal Spirituality and Christianity.

Vicki Grieves, 2009, Aboriginal Spirituality: Aboriginal Philosophy, The Basis of Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing, Discussion Paper No. 9, Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, Darwin. [download paper (5.95MB).

DP9cover

For more discussion papers and publications go to our publications page.

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CRCAH now the CRC for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health

From 1 January 2010 the CRC for Aboriginal Health has become the CRC for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health. More information about the change is in the December 2009 issue of Gwalwai-Gai.

This issue of Gwalwa-Gai also announced the departure of CEO Mick Gooda at the end of January 2010, who is taking up the post of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, following in the footsteps of Professor Mick Dodson and Tom Calma.

View Issue 21 of Gwalwa-Gai, Dec 2009

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Healing Our Spirit Worldwide Registrations

The Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH) - through its chairperson, Pat Anderson, and former CEO, Mick Gooda - has been involved in planning the Sixth Gathering of Healing Our Spirit Worldwide in Honolulu, Hawaii from 3 to 10 September 2010. This international cultural and spiritual forum celebrates the tenacity and resilience of Indigenous peoples around the world in the struggle against alcohol and drug abuse.

Registrations close on 30 April 2010 (Early Bird Registrations have already closed). To find out more about registering, go to the Australian portal for Healing Our Spirit Worldwide.

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