Organisations
Information is provided here on Indigenous organisations; National Indigenous representative bodies and National Indigenous peak bodies. For a comprehensive list of links related to Indigenous health generally, view the series of HealthInfoNet links webpages. » Links
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce Working Group ( ATSIHWWG)
ATSIHWWG
is responsible for
the planning, implementation, coordination and monitoring of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce National Strategic Framework. Key areas of interest include: increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working across all the health professions; improving the clarity of roles, regulation and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers as a key component of the health workforce, and improving vocational education and training sector support for training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers;
addressing the role and development needs of other health workforce groups contributing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health;
improving the effectiveness of training, recruitment and retention measures targeting both non-Indigenous Australian and Indigenous Australian health staff working within Aboriginal primary health services; including clear accountability for government programs to quantify and achieve these objectives and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and people to drive the process. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workforce National Strategic Framework presents a five to ten year reform agenda to build a competent health workforce to address the health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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website: Healthworkforce Australia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Agenda Working Group
(RAWG)
RAWG, a sub-committee of the NHMRC's Strategic Research Development
Committee (SRDC), is comprised of researchers and experts in Indigenous
health, and representatives of the NHMRC, the Office of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH), the Standing Committee for Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Health (SCATSIH), and the National Aboriginal
Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). The aim of RAWG is
to ensure that Indigenous health research has practical value and is
relevant to the needs of service providers
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information
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Community (HREOC) advocates for the rights of Indigenous Australians and works to promote respect and understanding of these rights among the broader community. The position of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner was created by the federal parliament in December 1992 – a response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the National Inquiry into Racist Violence. It was also a response to the extreme social and economic disadvantage faced by Indigenous Australians. HREOCs role includes reviewing the impact of laws and policies on Indigenous peoples, reporting on Indigenous social justice and native title issues and promoting an Indigenous perspective on issues. In addition, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner monitors the enjoyment and exercise of human rights for Indigenous Australians. The HREOC Act and the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) require that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner produces an annual Social Justice and a Native Title Report. These reports are tabled in Parliament. This work is led by Tom Calma, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.
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Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council (AHMAC)
AHMAC was established to provide effective support to the Australian Health Ministers' Conference and to consider matters relating to the co-ordination of health services across the nation. AHMAC meets approximately three times per year. AHMAC is comprised of the Heads of the Health authorities of the Federal, State and Territory Governments. The chair and executive committee are selected from among the members biennially.
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Australian Indigenous Doctor's Association (AIDA)
AIDA ia a representative organisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners. It advocates to improve Indigenous health and achieve equitable health and life outcomes and encourages Indigenous people to work in medicine by supporting Indigenous students and doctors.
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Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership
The Cape York Institute is a public policy organisation that advocates reform and innovation in Indigenous and social welfare policies.
The Institute focuses on key economic and social policy issues facing Indigenous communities and aims to: improve the effectiveness of
Indigenous policy at state and regional levels; strengthen Indigenous leadership with greater Indigenous ownership of and participation in policy issues; improve the effectiveness of implementation of
Indigenous development initiatives, especially within Cape York; improve the capacity of practitioners to better implement innovative
policy and contribute to improved outcomes; contribute, with partner organisations, to improved outcomes for communities.
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Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses (CATSIN)
CATSIN was founded in 1997 to formally represent Indigenous nurses. It provides a strong and credible voice within the health profession for Indigenous nurses and seeks to
promote the ideals, objectives and benefits of cultural care within the community.
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Department of Health and Ageing
The Australian Department of Health and Ageing is responsible for: providing expert policy advice, analysis and other services to the Government; working with consumers, communities, providers, peak bodies, industry groups, professional organisations, State and Territory Governments and portfolio agencies through consultation and collaboration; promoting healthy living and communicating information about health and ageing services; managing the Commonwealth’s health and ageing programs to ensure the provision of quality, cost effective care.
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Indigenous Australians’ Sexual Health Committee
The Committee provides advice to Minister’s on AIDS, Sexual Health and Hepatitis. It liaises closely with the Ministerial Advisory Committee
on AIDS, Sexual Health and Hepatitis Committees. The Indigenous Australians’ Sexual Health Committee is also responsible for advising the Department of Health and Ageing on policy needs, objectives and priorities concerning HIV/AIDS, STIs, hepatitis C and related communicable diseases.
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Indigenous Dentists' Association of Australia (IDAA)
Founded in 2004, IDDA aims to promote oral health for Indigenous Australians and to support Indigenous dentists and dental students.
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Indigenous Health Equality Council
The Commonwealth Health Minister, Nicola Roxon announced the composition of the Indigenous Health Equality Council in Adelaide on 10 July 2008.
The Council will advise on the development and monitoring of health-related goals and targets to support the Government's commitments to closing the 17 year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and other Australians, and to address the high rates of child mortality in the Indigenous population.
The Council comprises 11 members with expertise in various health fields. Professor Ian Anderson, who has worked in Aboriginal health for more than twenty years, was appointed Chair, and Dr Mick Adams, Chair of NACCHO (the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation), was appointed Deputy Chair.
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Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
The Ministerial Council of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs is a forum through which Commonwealth and State/Territory Ministers with responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs can meet to discuss issues of mutual interest and to consider reports on relevant Commonwealth, State, Territory and Local Government activities.
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National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
NACCHO represents over 100 health and substance misuse services located across Australia and controlled by Aboriginal people. NACCHO
at the national level, and its affiliates at the State/Territory level, provide a voice for Aboriginal community controlled health
services in national negotiations, forums, consultations, policy development and planning.
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National Advisory Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Information and Data
The Committee provides specialist advice to the Australian Health Ministers
Advisory Council through the National Health Information Group. The
Group advises on mechanisms to improve the quality and availability
of data and information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
health and health service delivery.
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website
National Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Workers (NCATSISWA)
NCATSISWA was formed
to bring together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social workers as a professional body, to exchange information, ideas, and to network for the benefit of their communities. The main objective of NCATSISWA is, in consultation with their communities, to identify areas of need and find ways to successfully address them through the utilization of community development processes, the skills and expertise found within social work, and by networking with other professional bodies, educational institutions, government and non-government departments and organizations at all levels, to assist in finding a way forward that fits the needs, goals and aspirations of their communities.
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National Drug Strategy Reference Group for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Peoples
In 1999, the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy endorsed the establishment
of a reference group to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
drug issues. The group provides high level advice and expertise to the
Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs and the National Expert Advisory
Committees regarding priorities and strategies to address specific drug
issues related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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website
National Health and Medical Research Council
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is responsible
for research funding and the development of advice. It brings together
and draws upon the resources of all components of the health system,
including governments, medical practitioners, nurses and allied health
professionals, researchers, teaching and research institutions, public
and private program managers, service administrators, community health
organisations, social health researchers and consumers. The functions
of the NHMRC come from the statutory obligations conferred by the National
Health and Medical Research Council Act. The Act sets down four statutory
obligations on the directions taken by NHMRC. The Council comprises
nominees of Commonwealth, State and Territory health authorities, professional
and scientific colleges and associations, unions, universities, business,
consumer groups, welfare organisations, conservation groups and the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
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National Indigenous Postgraduate Association Aboriginal Corporation (NIPAAC)
NIPAAC aims to provide a network for Indigenous postgraduate students and to act as an advocate for, and a representative of, Indigenous postgraduate students at the national level. NIPAAC also aims to promote research into Indigenous issues including educating researchers on appropriate protocols when dealing with issues of cultural and social significance to Indigenous peoples, and training Indigenous researchers .
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National Indigenous Youth Movement of Australia (NIYMA)
NIYMA aims to encourage and support young Indigenous people in life (ages 18-30); promoting self-awareness, healing and wellness and supporting career pursuits - contributing to the revival of Indigenous cultural and spiritual values, beliefs and practices for today's world.
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National Mental Health Working Group
The National Mental Health Working Group (NMHWG) is a sub-committee
of the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council (AHMAC) and has
responsibility for oversighting the National Mental Health Strategy.
It also contributes a mental health perspective to a wide variety of
government committees and working groups, including the Social Health
Reference Group, which is developing the National Strategic Framework
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Social and
Emotional Wellbeing 2004-2009
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website
Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
The Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH)
is a key branch within the Department of Health and Ageing. The core
objective of the Office is to improve the access of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples to comprehensive primary health care services.
The aim is to provide coordinated clinical care, population health and
health promotion activities to facilitate illness prevention, early
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website
Positive Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Network (PATSIN)
PATSIN is a national network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with HIV
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Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Care (SNAICC)
Established in 1981, SNAICC is the national non-government peak body in Australia representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. SNAICC is governed by a National Executive (elected directly through postal ballot by SNAICC's full members for a two year term) made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled children's and families' services. SNAICC aims to provide a strong voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families; promoting the rights, needs and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
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Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
The role of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Affairs is to carry out inquiries into matters referred
to it by the House of Representatives or a Minister of the Australian
Government. The Committee may also inquire into matters raised in
annual reports of relevant Australian Government departments and
authorities or in reports of the Commonwealth Auditor General.
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