Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Measurement Consortium
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing Measurement Consortium (the Consortium) was established to identify culturally appropriate wellbeing measures to evaluate what works and what does not work to improve SEWB, inform patient and clinical decision making, service delivery, policy, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Its priorities include reviewing SEWB assessments and national mental health surveys, protecting cultural knowledge, improving Government understanding of SEWB data collection and interpretation, outcome measures and KPIs.
The Consortium has reviewed ABS surveys and adapted or developed measurement tools, offered governance advice on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s First Nations Mental Health Prevalence Study, and agreed to undertake a program/policy scoping of national progress in the SEWB sector.
Consortium membership
The Consortium was chaired by Professor Pat Dudgeon (Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing (TIMHWB)/University of Western Australia) from its inception in 2021 to February 2023, when Professor Gail Garvey (University of Queensland) took over as Chair. The Consortium members are primarily First Nations people, who have expertise in SEWB and mental health research and policy, as well as measurement in these areas.
The Consortium has representation from First Nations organisations and universities across the country, with the following members to June 2025:
- Prof. Gail Garvey (Chair) – School of Public Health, University of Queensland
- Prof. Pat Dudgeon – TIMHWB/University of Western Australia
- Prof. Helen Milroy – Perth’s Children’s Hospital/University of Western Australia
- Dr. Graham Gee – Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne; Intergenerational Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital
- Dr. Stewart Sutherland – Australian National University
- Mr. Rob McPhee – Danila Dilba Health Service
- Prof. Maree Toombs – University of New South Wales
- Ms. Rachel Fishlock – Gaya Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia
- Ms. Danielle Dyall – National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
- Prof. Roz Walker – Ngangk Yira Institute for Change, Murdoch University
- Dr. Fadwa Al-Yaman – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The First Nation’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Unit provided secretariat support for the Consortium, as well as research and project assistance.