- New committee to help guide Aboriginal health and medical research and innovation across WA
- Group to advise Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund’s Advisory Council and Medical Research Minister
The Cook Government is working to close the health equity gap by appointing a new expert committee which will guide the State’s decision-making around funding programs for Aboriginal health and medical research.
The Expert Committee on Aboriginal Health will inform Western Australia’s Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund, helping to ensure the Fund’s programs and initiatives are developed and implemented to achieve positive health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal people in WA.
The group will provide guidance to the Fund’s Advisory Council, the Office of Medical Research and the Medical Research Minister.
The seven member committee includes Aboriginal consumers and community members, Aboriginal health professionals and policy makers and Aboriginal researchers and innovators.
The members who bring a mix of lived experience, knowledge and skills are listed below:
Ms Wendy Casey
Director of Aboriginal Health Policy at the Department of Health, Wendy Casey has decades of experience in Aboriginal health and community matters.
Mr Peter Miller
A Human Research Ethics Officer at the Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee and member of the Aboriginal Health Council of WA, Peter is an expert in Aboriginal ethics, consumer, and community matters.
Dr Caitlin White
A Public Health Medical Officer at the Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia, Dr Caitlin White was nominated by the Aboriginal health sector and is an expert in clinical and public health priorities.
Mr Slade Sibosado
Slade Sibosado is a Community Engagement Officer with the Kulunga Aboriginal Unit at the Telethon Kids Institute. With a strong understanding of research, Slade lives in the Kimberley and has extensive community engagement knowledge of Broome.
Abby-Rose Cox
The Evaluation and Research Manager at the Kimberley Aboriginal Health Research Alliance, Abby-Rose Cox will bring expertise in rural and remote Aboriginal health research and evaluation to the committee.
Professor Pat Dudgeon
A member of the National Indigenous Health Research Network and Professor in the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Western Australia, Professor Pat Dudgeon’s expertise is in Indigenous mental health, suicide prevention, community engagement and consultation.
Associate Professor Glenn Pearson
Director of First Nations Strategy and Leadership at the Telethon Kids Institute and an Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia, Glenn Pearson’s expertise is in Aboriginal health and emotional wellbeing, child development, Aboriginal research methodologies, policy, and advocacy.
Aboriginal health is a key focus area of the FHRI Fund, and this new expert committee reflects its commitment to involve consumers to enhance the quality and relevance of research for the WA community.
To date, the Fund has awarded more than $80 million in grants to 429 recipients, with some $250 million available over the next four years.
For more information on the recent funding recipients along with the next round of new funding opportunities, visit the FHRI Fund page.
Comments attributed to Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson:
“On behalf of the Cook Government, I am pleased to announce the appointment of this new committee which will help guide our FHRI Fund into the future.
“Aboriginal people in Western Australia face complex health issues and it’s critical that their voice is heard when it comes to designing and implementing programs that encourage Aboriginal health and medical research and innovation.
“This committee is integral to future-proofing research and innovation throughout our vast State.”
