I hope you all enjoyed NAIDOC Week in July and were able to participate in some of the excellent, enjoyable, and entertaining NAIDOC events hosted across Australia. It was great to see mob, colleagues, and allies celebrating our communities and cultures while honouring this year’s ‘50 Years of Deadly’ theme.
The HREC has been a long time in the making. In fact, I co-authored an Onemda project report that found Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities supported a similar ethics committee model more than 20 years ago! Despite the delay, the establishment of VACCHO’s HREC represents a welcome commitment to strengthening ethical approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing research. Congratulations to VACCHO’s CEO Jill Gallagher and her team for making the launch a successful celebration of this innovative, long-anticipated, Indigenous-led ethics model.
You'll read more information in this issue of The Doris regarding the Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation’s inaugural Lowitja O’Donoghue Excellence in Leadership – Public Sector Scholarship. Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG dedicated five decades to a distinguished public sector career, making this new scholarship, which supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals with substantial public sector experience, a fitting tribute to her extraordinary, historic achievements.
In another significant recognition this month, a South Australian federal electorate has been renamed 'O’Donoghue' in honour of our late co-patron and Yankunytjatjara leader. The electorate includes De Rose Hill in the APY Lands, where Dr O’Donoghue was born in August 1932. It’s a rare distinction: only 18 out of 150 federal electorates are named after women, and just eight other electorates are named in honour of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people (Bennelong, Blair, Bonner, Canning, Cooper, Jagajaga, Lingiari, and Nicholls). This recognition reflects Dr O’Donoghue’s profound, ongoing legacy.
ngun-godjin
(thank you)
Paul Stewart
CEO
One Act of Courage:honouring Lowitja O'Donoghue Day on 1 August
Thank you to everybody who joined us on 1 August, Lowitja O'Donoghue Day, to honour Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue AC CBE DSG's legacy through 'One Act of Courage', on what would have been her 94th birthday.
Each year the Lowitja O'Donoghue Foundation recognises the birthday of Dr O'Donoghue by honouring her extraordinary life, courageous leadership, and enduring legacy. On Kaurna Country (Adelaide), Dr O'Donoghue's legacy was honoured through reflection, connection, and community, alongside Lowitja's recently unveiled statue in Tarntanya Wama (Elder Park).
We hope awareness and recognition of the annual date continues to grow as an opportunity for Australians to come together and celebrate Dr O’Donoghue’s remarkable contribution to our nation. A date to commit to creating change for future generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The Foundation invests in the next generation through scholarships, programs, and education resources that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Every scholarship creates lasting impact through First Nations leadership, strengthening communities and increasing the influence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander expertise.
If you would like to do more, your support invests in future Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders whose vision, talent and determination will shape stronger communities for generations to come. Together, we can honour Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue’s legacy by investing in the courageous leaders who will shape the future.
Apply now for Lowitja O’Donoghue Excellence in Leadership – Public Sector Scholarships
The inaugural Lowitja O’Donoghue Excellence in Leadership – Public Sector Scholarship is now open.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals with substantive public sector experience in Health, Aboriginal Affairs, Education or Human Services can apply for a scholarship of up to $50,000, to deepen their leadership capacity, cultural authority and influence, strengthening ability to drive reformand create positive outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.
Honouring the late Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue and reflecting her career pathway, the scholarship prioritises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership development and professional impact over formal academic study, recognising that influence is forged through action, service, and lived experience.
Three scholarships are available nationally, applications from rural and remote areas are welcomed.
Find out more and apply today – applications close 31 August.
Larrakia Country set for 5th International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference
Join us from 8–10 June 2027 on Larrakia Country in Garramilla (Darwin) for an inspiring gathering of leaders, knowledge holders, and advocates committed to advancing Indigenous health and wellbeing.
With more than 1,300 delegates attending our conference in 2025 from across Australia and the world, we are looking forward to once again creating a safe space to share innovative ideas and transformational research grounded in our ways of knowing, being, and doing.
Time, Place, Spirit: Living our Legacy
Our 2027 theme speaks to the enduring strength, connection, and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, carried across generations, expressed in the present moment and grounded in the world’s oldest continuing and living cultures. Across all places and across the country, our connections are timeless, carried through story, language, knowledge, and belonging to Country.
About the artists Cyan and Mikaela are Larrakia sisters from the Cubillo family. They’re inspired by their Country and draw upon ancient techniques passed down to them by their Elders as well as exploring contemporary styles. Born and raised in Darwin, they have a deep connection to Larrakia Country. They are fortunate to collaborate artistically as sisters to continue their cultural and spiritual practice of mark-making.
Artwork story ‘Our artwork depicts our sacred banyan tree to represent the ancient and continuing knowledge and connection Larrakia People have with their land and culture. The spangled drongo represents our unique and diverse wildlife and our traditional star dreaming pattern and crosshatching represents our connection to saltwater. The colours reflect those found in our country’.
Call for abstracts now open
Are you an Indigenous researcher or working on an Indigenous health and wellbeing research project? We welcome abstract submissions from individuals, communities, and organisations working locally and globally with, by and for Indigenous peoples in the health and wellbeing sector, to present at our conference in June 2027.
Our conference theme Time, Place, Spirit: Living our Legacy is embedded throughout our program, and we invite critical discussions about issues that impact Indigenous peoples' health and wellbeing. We encourage presentations led by Indigenous peoples that demonstrate Indigenous leadership, have a strengths-based approach and contribute to the improvement of the health and wellbeing of Indigenous peoples.
See our conference website for further information on our submission guidelines, terms and conditions and selection criteria. Abstract submissions close 23 October.
Scoping and policy review: Preparedness for AI in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Across all sectors and applications, artificial intelligence (AI) presents both significant opportunities and inherent risks. Acknowledging the increasing use of AI in healthcare, Lowitja Institute's new scoping and policy review provides a point-in-time analysis of how current Australian Federal health and workforce policies and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health policies address the development, governance, and use of AI in healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This review identifies structural gaps in current Australian health policy settings, highlighting the need for strengthened governance, accountability, and regulatory clarity to ensure that AI is designed and implemented in ways enable the opportunities of AI to be realised, and the risks to be mitigated.
The paper will form the basis of ongoing discussion and collaboration with key stakeholders across the community controlled and digital health sectors, to co-design priorities for policy recommendations to the Commonwealth Government. The overarching objective is to ensure the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce is prepared to engage effectively, safely, and strategically with AI technologies and systems.
NAIDOC Week 2026 was a time of reflection and to pay tribute to the generations who have shaped this movement and continue to inspire. Our staff celebrated together and across the country with family and friends. We are also proud to contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through the work we do every day.
During the week, our Co-Patron Pat Anderson AO delivered a keynote speech at the University of Queensland in Magandjin. Pat shared her wisdom and words on what it means to constantly work towards shaping strengthened futures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Join us for 'Decolonising Implementation: Rethinking How Change Happens'
Our Lowitja Learning Summit continues on Thursday 3 September (10:30–11:45am AEST) with an online workshop presented by Donald Warne MD, MPH. This webinar explores what it means to re-imagine and re-interpret implementation science by centring Indigenous Knowledges, practices and leadership. Leading to self-determination, and community priorities seen throughout the implementation process.
Implementation science (IS) has the potential to bridge the gap between theory and practice, therefore improving health and wellbeing for communities. However, IS is grounded in Western thinking and understanding of the world. Indigenous Knowledges, practices and cultural authority has been overlooked. This webinar explores what it means to re-imagine and re-interpret implementation science by centring Indigenous Knowledges, practices, and leadership. Leading to self-determination, and community priorities seen throughout the implementation process.
Drawing on Professor Warne's experience in Indigenous health and implementation, participants will examine how culturally grounded, relationship-based approaches can strengthen implementation efforts and lead to more equitable, sustainable outcomes. The webinar will reflect on shared lessons across Indigenous contexts, including the US and Australia, and consider practical strategies for embedding Indigenous governance, knowledge systems, and strengths into implementation planning, partnerships, evaluation, policy, and systems change.
Congratulations to four awardees in the 2026 GLOWS Scholarship program
Through the Guiding Local Opportunities for Wellbeing (GLOWS) Grant Program 2024–26, Lowitja Institute aims to further increase health equity, address disparities that continue to drive disease transmission, and work towards elimination of HIV and viral hepatitis in all of our communities. In collaboration with Gilead Health Sciences, we offered scholarships to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, community organisations, and their partners for work relating to HIV and viral hepatitis.
The following scholars have been awarded in the 2026 GLOWS program:
Ms Maddie Perry (Bachelor of Nursing, University of New England)
Mr Cody Logan (Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine, University of Tasmania)
Ms Taleah Ugle (Doctor of Medicine, University of Western Australia)
Ms Paris Jowett-Crociani (Bachelor of Medical Science, Doctor of Medicine, Monash University)
Our Knowing, Being, and Doing series continued on 15 July with Professor Marcia Langton AO and Associate Professor Kristen Smith featuring in a panel discussion facilitated by Lowitja Journal Co-Editor-in-Chief Professor Cath Chamberlain that critically explored the increasingly used concepts of Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing within health research and publishing.
Drawing on diverse perspectives and experiences, our panellists examined the meanings and complexities of Indigenous epistemologies, ontologies and axiologies, including how knowledge is generated, embodied, valued and communicated within both Indigenous and Western systems.
Significant milestone for Aboriginal community controlled health research governance in Victoria
In late July, Lowitja Institute representatives had the honour of attending the official launch of Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) Aboriginal Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC).
We are proud to have supported VACCHO in establishing the HREC and are super-excited to see it grow and make a positive impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research in Victoria.
As the first committee of its kind in the state in more than two decades, the HREC strengthens culturally safe and community-led ethical oversight of health, medical and wellbeing research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
. Lowitja Institute CEO Paul Stewart shared his insights and words on a panel with Associate Professor Summer May Finlay, Kelly Jones, and Sophie Gatenby. Congratulations to VACCHO and everyone who contributed in bringing the HREC to life. Read more about the HREC or submit an application.
National Indigenous Healthcare Forum on Eora Country
This week, Lowitja Institute representatives were delighted to attend the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW (AH&MRC)'s National Indigenous Healthcare Forum on Eora Country. We hosted a booth during the two-day event, which took place at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
OCHRe Convocation on Wurundjeri Country
The upcoming OCHRe Convocation will take place on 15–16 October on Wurundjeri Country in Naarm. This two-day event is an opportunity to connect with colleagues and partners from across the research sector, share insights, spark collaboration, and draw inspiration.
Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), OCHRe is a national network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers that comprises four operational hubs, each driving innovation and excellence in their fields. Lowitja Institute leads the OWL (Our Wisdom Leading) Hub.
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