As we come to the end of the year, I want to thank you for supporting the work of Lowitja Institute. It has certainly been a tough year with the passing of the late Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue AC CBE DSG. She was a remarkable leader and we continue to keep her values at the centre of our work as we carry her legacy with us every day.
Thank you to our members for attending our recent Annual General Meeting. At the AGM, we welcomed Michael Graham from Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) to our Board.
The Board appointed Craig Ritchie as our new chairperson, replacing Selwyn Button. I would like to thank Selwyn – who served for three years as our chair and 11 years as a director – for his dedication and commitment to the Institute. We wish him every success for his new role as Indigenous Policy Evaluation Commissioner with the Productivity Commission.
I look forward to working with Craig and the entire Lowitja Institute Board in 2025.
Read our Annual Report 2024, showcasing our work for the financial year 2023–24.
At the start of this month, we were privileged to play host to a delegation from the Medical Association for Indigenous People of Taiwan (MAIPT).
Representatives from MAIPT visited our head office in Collingwood for a morning of networking and knowledge exchange around the importance of community controlled health research.
This brings me to our 4th International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference, taking place from 16-19 June 2025 on Kaurna Country, Adelaide. 'Early Bird' registrations are now open, so I encourage you to take up this discounted offer. We are also accepting abstract submissions until 31 January 2025. Learn more and register on the conference website.
And finally, Lowitja Institute will close for a break on December 22 and we will reopen on January 13. I wish you all a safe and prosperous festive period and a great start to the New Year.
ngun-godjin
(thank you)
Paul Stewart CEO
Studying in 2025? Scholarships are now open
These scholarships contribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership of health by providing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to develop skills in their chosen area of study.
We are delighted to open our 2025 suite of scholarships open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and early career researchers.
Scholarship rounds are offered across three categories: Lowitja Institute Health and Wellbeing Scholarships, Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation Nursing Scholarships, and Public Health Scholarships (GLOWS).
Lowitja Institute welcomes Craig Ritchie as new Board chairperson
We welcome Craig Ritchie as the new chairperson of Lowitja Institute's Board of Directors. A Dhunghutti man with connections to the Biripi and Gringai nations, Mr Ritchie is an independent advisor and researcher who until August 2023 was the chief executive officer at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).
Last week our team attended the Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) National Conference at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Kaurna Country. Deb Edwards, Senior Project Officer – Lowitja O'Donoghue Foundation, was among the keynote speakers during the event.
Thank you to everybody who visited the Lowitja Institute booth at the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) Members' Conference, held on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, Canberra, on 3 and 4 December.
Visit to research grant recipient organisation RivMed
Our staff were on Wiradjuri Country recently, supporting one of our 2022 Major Research Grant recipients, Riverina Medical and Dental Aboriginal Corporation (RivMed), based in Wagga Wagga. Designed by Aboriginal women for Aboriginal women, RivMed's Yalbilinya miya (learn together) is a holistic breastfeeding program supporting support Koori mums on Wiradjuri lands through their breastfeeding journey.
Pictured above: RivMed Board Director and Chief Investigator of the Yalbilinya miya, Dr Simone Sheriff (second left); RivMed CEO Peta Larsen (fourth right); members of the Yalbilinya miya team; and Lowitja Institute's Paul Stewart, Michelle Kennedy, and Michael Newman.
New economic measurement framework: a positive step for the health and wellbeing of First Nations peoples
Lowitja Institute welcomes recommendations outlined by the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in response to the Inquiry into economic self-determination and opportunities for First Nations Australians. The recommendations align with the Institute’s longstanding advocacy for addressing the economic determinants of health and wellbeing, alongside cultural, social, political, and planetary factors.
The economic measurement framework will give policymakers clear, targeted data on the socio-economic conditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which will enable governments to address disparities effectively and ensure that policies are better tailored to the specific needs of these communities.
On November 26, on Kaurna Country, our co-patron, the late Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG was honoured with a posthumous UNESCO Achievement Award acknowledging a lifetime of devotion and outstanding achievement in her work for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait people.
Presented by Her Excellency, the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia and Mr Rod Bunten, patrons of the Adelaide chapter of UNESCO Clubs, the award also recognised Dr O’Donoghue’s role in the establishment of Lowitja Institute.
Photo: Mahailia Levinson
The award was accepted by Dr O’Donoghue’s niece, Deb Edwards (pictured above with Rod Bunten and Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC) who attended the ceremony with members of her Aunt’s immediate family.
Embedding cultural safety: policy brief
As a follow-up to our Cultural Safety in Australia discussion paper and Cultural Safety Roundtable (held in September 2024), Lowitja Institute has published a policy brief that summarises and presents the key points and findings of the discussion paper.
Cultural safety is vital for addressing the historical and ongoing impacts of racism and colonisation, reducing health inequities, and improving healthcare access, quality, and safety in health and human services environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Published in September 2024, the Cultural Safety in Australia discussion paper highlights the critical need to improve access to quality healthcare, addressing the social determinants of health, and elevating the importance of the cultural determinants of health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Exciting times lie ahead for Lowitja Institute in 2025! We’re growing, evolving, and building on our strong foundation to deliver even greater impact. Now is the perfect time to join our team or encourage others in your networks to explore the opportunities.
We have current vacancies, with more opening on the horizon – don’t miss the chance to be part of a collaborative environment that values community-led solutions and shared success. Together let’s strengthen our collective capacity to create transformative change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing. Share these opportunities and help connect us with passionate change-makers.
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