Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

National network

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has established a national network for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers. Known as the National First Nations Research Network, it brings together unique skills across culture, knowledge and health research to address the health priorities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The network is led by some of Australia's most eminent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers including Dr Pat Anderson AO, Professor Sandra Eades, Professor Gail Garvey and Professor Alex Brown.

The concept for the network was developed in collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers through extensive consultation. The process involved an expression of interest process, seed funding, a workshop and a final full application assessed by an expert panel.

The network will receive $10 million over five years.

Now closed – NHMRC public call for submissions: Research priority areas in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

NHMRC sought community input into research priorities in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, which may form the basis of a Targeted Call for Research (TCR) grant opportunity. Submissions opened 23 November 2020 and closed 8 February 2021. Further details and next steps can be on Research priorities in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

Road map 3

Road map 3: A strategic framework for improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health through research (Road map 3) is a comprehensive 10-year strategic framework to improve the health of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. This includes an Action Plan (current 2018–21) and annual report cards focussed on the achievements made each year against the Action Plan.

News, updates and achievements

Through the support of health and medical research, NHMRC works to improve and promote the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Visit Achievements and updates for news, updates and achievements.

Read some 'deadly' stories about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers and research in our News centre.

Previous Rising Star Award and new award honouring Professor Sandra Eades FAHMS can be found on NHMRC Awards.

Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus

The NHMRC established an advisory committee to seek advice on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and health research issues: Principal Committee Indigenous Caucus (PCIC).

Funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, Medical Research and Researchers

NHMRC funds Indigenous health and medical research across all its funding schemes. In addition, it has established specific funding schemes to support research in priority areas and to build capacity in Indigenous health.

To qualify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, at least 20% of the research effort and/or capacity building must relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

Qualifying applications must address the NHMRC Indigenous Research Excellence Criteria.

Search find funding for information on NHMRC funding for Indigenous health and medical research and researchers.

More information on funding outcomes can be found on Outcomes of funding rounds.

Evidence-practice policy gap (EPPG) – Indigenous

An evidence-practice/ policy gap is the difference between what is known from the best available research evidence and what is practised in reality (through delivery of medical care or drafting of policies or guidelines). NHMRC is pursuing a range of initiatives to foster the translation of scientific discoveries into policy and practice.

This includes the development of reports to raise awareness of the evidence to practice policy gaps that currently exist in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. See Evidence-practice policy gap (EPPG).

Building and strengthening capacity of Indigenous health researchers

As part of NHMRC's commitment to strengthen capacity amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers, NHMRC has committed to funding a National network for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health researchers.

Further information on other initiatives and public consultations can be found at Building and strengthening capacity of Indigenous health researchers.

Tripartite agreement

NHMRC, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) are committed to working both within and between their agencies to improve the health of Indigenous Peoples – the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada, the Māori people in New Zealand and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. In December 2017, the agencies renewed their commitment to work together for another five years on mutual Indigenous health research priorities.

View the Tripartite agreement – letter of intent – December 2017 (PDF 230 KB).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health advice and publications

NHMRC develops or endorses national guidelines and provides health advice to the Australian people and Government. It has implemented a number of initiatives that address health priority areas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Search this site for publications related to Indigenous health.

Publications of note

• Revised Ethical guidelines for research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• The Indigenous guide to healthy eating poster
• Australian Drinking Water Guidelines: Community Water Planner – A tool for small communities to develop drinking water management plans has been developed to support the implementation of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines' management approach in small communities. It does this by assisting local drinking water managers to develop risk management plans tailored to their community.
• Overview of Systematic Reviews of Research into the Health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (Overview) – see download section (below)