New initiative promoting Indigenous health equity through research

The benefit question initiative encourages all NHMRC applicants in applicable schemes, not only those working directly in Indigenous health, to carefully consider how their research will benefit Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health. This is intended to help improve Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health and support progress towards the Closing the Gap outcomes.

This initiative responds directly to the feedback received from the review of NHMRC’s Indigenous Research Excellence Criteria. The review recommended that every NHMRC applicant address how their proposed research could benefit Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health.

NHMRC developed the benefit question in partnership with the NHMRC-MRFF Indigenous Advisory Group (formerly Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus) and piloted it in the 2025 Centres of Research Excellence funding round. The pilot showed strong support from researchers. Responses were thoughtful and helped lift consideration of how research can contribute to Indigenous health outcomes.

NHMRC will include the benefit question in more grant schemes in 2026. This includes schemes that play a key role in translating research into policy and practice, reinforcing NHMRC’s commitment to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through research.

The benefit question will be included in applications across NHMRC’s grant program, including Synergy Grants, Targeted Calls for Research, Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies, Centres for Research Excellence and Partnership Projects.

Guidance for applicants and peer reviewers is available in the relevant grant opportunity guidelines on GrantConnect and in NHMRC’s online fact sheet.

Quotes attributable to NHMRC CEO, from Professor Steve Wesselingh:

• “NHMRC is committed to promoting wellness and health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• “We listened to the consultation feedback, and we’re pleased with the positive response to the pilot of the benefit question initiative which told us that researchers are ready to engage more deeply with the impact of their work.
• “Along with our other initiatives to support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health researchers and research, expanding the benefit question initiative in the NHMRC grant program will encourage more researchers to think about how their work can contribute to better health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”

Quotes attributable to Chair Indigenous Advisory Group, Professor Yvette Roe:

• “NHMRC’s Indigenous Advisory Group strongly supports expanding the benefit question initiative across more NHMRC schemes.
• “This is an important step in embedding consideration of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health into funded research.
• “Asking all researchers to consider the potential impact of their work on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health creates greater opportunities to answer complex questions that applies a research equity framework to address health inequities.”