EP#71: Listening and learning together - with Janine Mohamed

“There is so much to be told in Australia’s history, and there are terrible truths that need to be spoken about but there is also much to celebrate, and I hope we continue to build on that celebration.” A poignant closing from our guest this week, CEO of the Lowitja Institute, Australia’s national institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research, Dr Janine Mohammed. On this week’s episode of GovComms, Dr Janine Mohammed sits down with our host, David Pembroke to discuss closing the health gap, creating a culture of safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the role of the Lowitja Institute as the only health research that has a sole focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues. Dr Janine Mohamed (née Dutschke) is a proud Narrunga Kaurna woman from Point Pearce in South Australia who has dedicated her career to the Indigenous health through roles in nursing, management, and policy for over two decades.  Recently, Janine has contributed to the establishment of the Close the Gap campaign and was part of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Peoples’ delegation that participated in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2011 and 2012.   Janine was appointed CEO of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINatM) in 2013 and led the organisation for five years.  Janine has been recognised for her contributions on multiple occasions, including a University of South Australia Alumni Award in 2016, the ACT Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander “Individual” NAIDOC Award in 2018 and the 2019 NATSIHWA Lifetime Achievement Award due to her integral role in establishing a national professional association for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Health Practitioners.   She has also been awarded an Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity Fellowship and an Honorary Doctorate from Edith Cowan University. Discussed in this episode: -          Finding the language to discuss racism -          Creating systems that support cultural safety and lifelong learning -          The magic ingredients of effective communication -          Navigating unintended consequences of media coverage -          Ensuring research is relevant and accessible to those who need it -          The legacy of Lowitja O’Donoghue