The new membership of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equality Council (formerly the National Indigenous Health Equality Council) has been announced.

 

Professor Ian Anderson had been reappointed as Chair and Ms Tanya Hosch as Deputy Chair of the council, with weven new members appointed for three years, including four Indigenous members, and six members reappointed to the council for two years.

 

 The Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowdon, said 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.

 

“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.”

 

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 (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 Shinaski, 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 reappointed as ex-officio members Ms Linda Powell, First Assistant Secretary, Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Department of Health and Ageing, and Mr Justin Mohamed, Chairperson, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO).
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.

 

More information is here.