An Indigenist review of the development of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Emergency Medicine workforce in Australia. Recommendations for future proofing success, not just parity.
The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) commissioned this Indigenist review to deepen understanding of the experiences of Aboriginal doctors within Emergency Medicine (EM) training and practice. Initiated by an Aboriginal ACEM Fellow in response to sustained cultural and colonial load, and supported by ACEM through its Indigenous Health Strategy, Reconciliation Action Plan, and Specialist Training Program Support Project, the review provides an evidence base for strengthening Aboriginal participation, retention, and leadership within the EM Fellowship pathway.
October 2024 - December 2025
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Evaluation of Pupangarli Marnmarnepu
The Pupangarli Marnmarnepu: Owning Our Future – Aboriginal Self-Determination Reform Strategy 2020–2025 represents a bold step by DEECA toward embedding Aboriginal self-determination as a foundation for public administration. The Strategy builds on a history of strong partnership with Traditional Owners and seeks to transform the way DEECA works with, and for, First Peoples. Developed through engagement with Traditional Owners and Aboriginal Victorians, the Strategy responds to two key calls: for the government to remove barriers to self-determination, and to work in genuine partnership by transferring power and increasing accountability to Traditional Owners and Aboriginal communities.
May 2025 - December 2025
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Evaluation of the National Guide to preventive healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
RACGP, Australia’s largest general practice organisation, and National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation(NACCHO), the peak body for 145 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, work to support high-quality, culturally safe primary healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Since 2014, they have partnered under a formal Memorandum of Understanding, guided by a co-designed Ways of Working Framework, to strengthen preventive care, clinical practice, and culturally safe service delivery.
September 2025 - December 2025
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Cultural Safety in Training Setting Accreditation in Australia
The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) is committed to improving health outcomes for Indigenous peoples across its trans-Tasman jurisdiction, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia and Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand. This includes ensuring cultural safety in the training experience and in accreditation processes.
September 2025 - December 2025
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Cultural Awareness and Training
Karabena Consulting was commissioned by the VDWC to strengthen the relationship between the Commission and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community by embedding cultural safety and promoting inclusivity in its operations and service delivery.
November 2024 - October 2025
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Engaging and Supporting First Nations ECEC students
This project sat within the broader context of the Victorian Government’s Best Start, Best Life (BSBL) reforms, which aim to improve early learning outcomes and expand access to quality early childhood education. A critical pillar of these reforms is the workforce, ensuring that the sector attracts, supports, and retains early childhood teachers and educators who reflect the diversity of the communities they serve
May 2025 - October 2025
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Australian Unity – Living Libraries Part 2
Karabena Consulting was engaged by Australian Unity to deliver the second phase of the Living Libraries cultural immersion program.
The project aimed to strengthen reconciliation commitments within Australian Unity by providing non-Indigenous staff with opportunities to engage directly with Aboriginal leaders and community organisations.
July – September 2025
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Evaluation of a Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network Model for Keeping Families Healthy Together
This project evaluated the Keeping Families Healthy Together model, an Aboriginal women-led model of care operating in the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BHFLHN), with a focus on the Gawler region in South Australia. The model places Aboriginal matriarchal leadership, cultural governance, child centred practice and relational accountability at the centre of health and child protection service delivery.
January 2025 - August 2025
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Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Navigate Their Cancer Journeys
The Digital Cancer Navigation Service is a national initiative led by Cancer Council Australia to improve access to high quality and culturally safe cancer information and support for all people affected by cancer, with a focus on priority populations.
Karabena Consulting was engaged by Cancer Council Australia to lead the First Nations component of the project, supporting the design and delivery of the service to ensure that the design and delivery of the service meets the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through culturally appropriate and community-informed approaches. This included work to enhance the cultural responsiveness of Cancer Council’s 13 11 20 Cancer Information and Support Line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
November 2024 - June 2025
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Child and Maternal Health Continuity of Care Protocol Program - Phase 2 Testing and Co-Design
Karabena Consulting was engaged to evaluate the co-design process underpinning South Australia’s Child and Maternal Continuity of Care Protocols (CCP) Program. The project aimed to strengthen how Aboriginal voices inform the design of culturally safe, coordinated care for Aboriginal children aged 0–4 years and mothers of Aboriginal babies.
July 2024 - June 2025
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Koori Maternity Service Guidelines and Minimum Dataset Review
Koori Maternity Services are a vital part of Victoria’s maternity system, providing culturally safe, holistic, and community-based care for Aboriginal women, non-Aboriginal women having Aboriginal babies, and their families. Delivered across 14 sites (11 through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and three through public hospitals), KMS offers care that goes beyond clinical support.
February 2025 - June 2025
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Public Sharing of Intersectional Data
In response to Recommendation 69 of the Family is Culture Review, the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and BOCSAR developed the Linked Data Asset (LinDA). This is an internal DCJ client centred database that links records from social housing, homelessness, child protection, out-of-home care (OOHC), and justice. The data can be used to highlight opportunities for cross-sectional policy responses, inform targeted service delivery and build analytical models that identify client risk.
December 2024 – May 2025
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Review of Murray PHN Commissioning Data – First Nations Dual Diagnosis Services
Since 2018, Murray Primary Health Network (PHN) has been commissioning dual diagnosis services for First Nations peoples across six Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs). These services support First Nations peoples experiencing both mental health and substance use challenges. Over the years, significant data has been shared with MPHN. Given anticipated changes to funding arrangements, a review is needed to help inform future commissioning arrangements.
December 2024 – May 2025
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Aboriginal led custodial health service design
Karabena Consulting worked with the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS), Corrections Victoria, Justice Health and GEO to develop and document an Integrated Aboriginal Justice Health Model for implementation at Marngoneet Correctional Centre. The model supports the social, emotional, cultural, and physical wellbeing of Aboriginal people in custody through integrated care, continuity of support post-release, and lived-experience peer workforces.
February 2025 – May 2025
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Aboriginal Youth Cautioning Program (AYCP) Review
The Aboriginal Youth Cautioning Program (AYCP) was developed in collaboration with Aboriginal communities and in accordance with principles of Aboriginal self-determination outlined within the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement Phase 4 (AJA4). The aim of the AYCP is to increase and enhance the use of police cautioning through a community-led model, based on principles of early intervention, harm reduction and community involvement, to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal young people in the criminal justice system. Initially established as a pilot program, the AYCP has now expanded into an ongoing State-wide program, operating for over four years.
August 2024 – March 2025
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Driving Change: Participatory Research and Recommendations to Enhance Road Safety Outcomes for Victorian First Peoples Children, Young People and Their Families
Karabena Consulting was engaged by the DTP to deliver a two-stage project focused on improving road safety outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria.
The first stage (September 2023 – January 2024) involved a comprehensive review of literature, examining evidence-based strategies and actions to enhance road safety for First Nations communities in Victoria.
September 2023 – January 2025
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Renewal of OCHRE (Opportunity, Choice, Healing, Responsibility, Empowerment) in NSW
As two stages of OCHRE evaluation demonstrate, there were many achievements over 2013- 2023 including ARA being established over significant parts (but not all) of NSW. But a statewide healing program did not progress beyond the consultation stage. There was also slow progress in transferring decision-making powers to Aboriginal communities. From 2018-2019 onwards, OCHRE was increasingly overshadowed by the negotiation and roll out of the Closing the Gap program in NSW.
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Strong Brother Strong Sister Lapsing Program Evaluation
Karabena Consulting (Karabena) was engaged by the Department of Health (DH) to conduct a lapsing program evaluation of the Strong Brother Strong Sister (SBSS) suicide prevention and social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) program.
This evaluation sought to assess the program’s implementation, outcomes, and impact, and by analysing this data determine its overall effectiveness, efficiency, and cost effectiveness. Further, Karabena examined the potential risk, to both individuals and the community, if program funding is not renewed
August 2024 – December 2024
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Victorian Aboriginal Early Years Framework
In 2023, the Victorian Government committed to integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge in antenatal, Maternal and Child Health (MCH), and early parenting services to strengthen the early years health sector for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families in Victoria from preconception to school age.
August 2023 – August 2024
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Better Futures and Home Stretch Evaluation – First Nations Experience
The Better Futures and Home Stretch Programs, an initiative of DFFH, aim to provide structure, guidance, and support to young people transitioning from care services to adulthood.
March 2024 – November 2024
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