This week a significant change was announced in favour of Australia’s public health sector. The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) welcomes the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice. This initiative specifically aims to advance health outcomes for Indigenous communities. It addresses a historical gap in the Australian healthcare system, addressing the health divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. National leadership Prominent advocacy, policy, and regulatory figures lead this new, future-oriented voice. Jacara Egan, Julie Tongs and Dr. Summer May Finlay, each, in their own ways, bring their lived experience and expertise to the frontlines of this vital movement.
Jacara Egan is a Muthi Muthi and Gunditjmara woman, writer and community artist. At HCL, she directs operations for Headspace’s First Nations cultural practice and engagement. Her story underscores the need for safe spaces to be an intentional priority. These spaces provide young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders the opportunity to look for support without stigma. Egan argued that it is important for organizations to adjust their services to best fit the needs of diverse communities.
Julie Tongs is a Wiradjuri elder and community leader. Since 1998, she has been chief executive of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services in Canberra. Tongs underscored the motivation that has led the PHAA to decide to implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice. She noted that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members were at the forefront in setting this agenda. From there, they got great support from the organization’s executive director.
Dr. Summer May Finlay, a proud Yorta Yorta woman, is an Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong. She is a passionate and committed Vice President for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs at the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA). Finlay expressed concerns about trying to hold only community-controlled organizations responsible for achieving positive results in Closing the Gap projects. She thinks all of this would require a deeper, stronger and way broader support from non-Indigenous organizations to make meaningful change.
The PHAA’s decision comes amidst alarming statistics indicating that Closing the Gap targets have regressed, particularly in mental health and social emotional wellbeing. Tongs remarked on this trend, stating, “So we’ve seen that the Closing the Gap target has gone backwards. So this is mental health, but social and emotional wellbeing.”
This would give the new voice a powerful collective front to speak on matters they see affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Egan expressed enthusiasm about the initiative’s potential impact: “What this means going forward is that we’re going to have an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collective front and centre on all things that impact our mob, which is really, really exciting.”
Dr. Finlay reinforced the need for collaboration among various organizations: “I would really just like to raise the bar a little bit and call on other non-Indigenous organisations to really think about doing something similar.” She further explained that the drive for change came from community members themselves, stating, “It was actually the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members that really drove this particular agenda with the support of the CEO and the team and the board.”
Egan elaborated on how Headspace aims to engage with young people effectively: “So at Headspace, we really need to meet young people where they’re at.” She learned that each client’s journey toward their needs is different, and some clients might not know which issues they need help with. Very little is off limits or too taboo to pass through our doors. Those who suffer from the disease of addiction have enough struggles. Mental health concerns and trauma can take an even deeper toll on their physical wellbeing,” she added.
By creating this voice, the PHAA has demonstrated their ongoing commitment to implementing inclusive healthcare practices. This approach genuinely captures Indigenous communities’ priorities. The initiative reflects a larger movement-wide realization that comprehensive healthcare has to go beyond the four walls of medicine. Egan stated, “It’s because we do holistic healthcare in the true sense of the word, where it’s not just about doctors and nurses and Aboriginal health workers.”
Australia has some of the worst indigenous morbidity and mortality rates in the world. The forthcoming new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice, legislated through the constitution, is an exciting and important step toward addressing these challenges. Egan, Tongs, Finlay and their respective teams will collaborate to create better health metrics. Perhaps more importantly, they will foster trust and awareness with Indigenous communities.
