Conference Program

The 2026 NAATSIHWP National Conference will begin with the afternoon and evening of pre‑conference activities, followed by two full days of Conference presentations on Tuesday 22 September and Wednesday 23 September 2026.

Please note this is a preliminary agenda provided as a guide. A detailed and fully confirmed conference program will be made available and uploaded when it has been finalised.

21 September – Pre-Conference

12:00 – 16:00
Registration Desk opens
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
12:00 – 18:00
Registration Desk opens
• 15:00: Barista Coffee cart opens (sponsored by CATSINaM)
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
13:00 – 18:00
Pre-Conference Activities (booking essential)
• 13:00 and 16:00 start for 2 hours: A powerful Thirrili-led wellbeing workshop supporting community conversations around trauma and healing (Full and Student Members only)
Room 203
• 15:30 pm: A guided Koorie Heritage Trust walking tour, exploring Birrarung Marr and the stories of the Kulin Nation
Reception
• 13:00 and 16:00 start for 2 hours: A creative Balitj Woka weaving workshop, blending yarning, learning, and cultural practice
Room 204
18:00 – 21:00
Welcome Reception (Exhibitors Welcome)
Melbourne Room 2 Foyer (Level 2)
• 18.00 – 18.05: Chair's Welcome
David Follent
• 18.05 – 18.15: Welcome to Country
Kathleen Terrick
• 18.15 – 18.25: Welcome Reception Sponsor address
AMC
• 18.25 – 18.30: Torres Strait Island Representative Blessing of the Food
• 18.30 – 19.15: Buffet Open
• 19.15 – 19.45: Dessert Served
• 21:00: Evening Closes

22 September – Day 1

08:00 – 08:30
Exhibition Area, Barista Coffee cart (sponsored by Yardhura Walani) and Reception Desk open
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
08:30 – 16:00
Wellbeing Room Opens
08:30 – 08:35
MC Introduction
Sean Choolbura
Melbourne Room 2
08:35 – 09:15
Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony
Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Jason Tweedie
09:15 – 09:20
Chair's Welcome
David Follent, Board Chairperson, NAATSIHWP
Melbourne Room 2
09:20 – 09:40
Opening Address
The Hon Rebecca White MP
09:40 – 10:00
Keynote Address
Dr Janet Stajic, Member & Ambassador, NAATSIHWP
Melbourne Room 2
10:00 – 10:10
NAATSIHWP Update
Karl Briscoe, CEO, NAATSIHWP
10:10 – 10:30
Keynote Address - Warnings for wellbeing: The Bigaagarri cultural protocol for preventive, experiential, arts and cultural evidence models (The PEACE Platform)
Phillip Orcher
10:30 – 10:35
Video Address
Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy
10:35 – 10:40
Thank you’s and Housekeeping
10:40 – 11:10
Morning Tea
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
11:10 – 11:30
Mums & Bubs & Tharawal Aboriginal Medical Centre Community
Kelly Briggs and Shirley Connolly
Melbourne Room 2
11:30 – 11:50
Just North A Review On Practice And Impact On Community
Matthew Cheetham, Shennae Neal, and Eden Cvetkovic
11:50 – 12:10
Meeting Mob Where They Are: Delivering Opportunistic Vaccination in the Emergency Department
Kim Moffit and Gringa Taylor
12:10 – 12:30
Health Worker Program Coordinator - Domestic Family Violence Service
Terry-Martin Savage
12:30 – 12:45
Q & A, Thank you's, and Survey
12:45 – 13:30
Lunch (sponsored by HESTA)
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
13:30 – 13:50
Growing Our Own: Investing in Local People, Building Local Workforce
Louise McKenna
Melbourne Room 2
13:50 – 14:10
Explore the Benefits of NAATSIHWP Membership and Professional Development
James Harris and Tanya Roy, NAATSIHWP
14:10 – 14:30
Kawa Adaption: A culturally responsive approach to healthcare
Debra Nona
14:30 – 14:50
Aboriginal Health Practitioners in Pharmacy: Bridging Cultural Gaps for Better Health Outcomes
Vicki Gardner
14:50 – 15:00
Q & A, Thank you's, and Survey
15:00 – 15:30
Afternoon Tea
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
15:30 – 15:50
What We Heard: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voices Shaping Australia's National Cancer Navigation Service
Georgina Liew
Melbourne Room 2
15:50 – 16:10
First Nations Health Worker Traineeship Program
Courtney Barker
16:10 – 16:30
Growing Strong Futures: The Tracking Cube and Culturally Responsive Neurodevelopmental Pathways
Theresa McDonald
16:30 – 16:45
Wrap up Day 1 (Q & A, Thank you's, and Survey)
Melbourne Room 2
18:30 – 23:00
Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony
Melbourne Room 1
Attire: Smart Casual

23 September – Day 2

08:30 – 16:00
Wellbeing Room Opens
08:30 – 09:00
Registration Area and Barista Coffee Cart (sponsored by IAHA) open
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
09:00 – 09:20
Opening Address
Justin Mohamed, Ambassador For First Nations People
Melbourne Room 2
09:20 – 09:45
Keynote Address: NAATSIHWP Consultancy program presentation on RegIP, Vanuatu
Karl Briscoe, Sael Fred, Eric Nalau, and Obed Manwo
09:45 – 10:15
Keynote Address: Hauraki Primary Health Organisation, New Zealand
Taima Campbell
10:15 – 10:25
Major Sponsor Address
Victorian Department of Health
10:25 – 10:30
Thank you's and Housekeeping
10:30 – 11:00
Morning Tea
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
11:00 – 11:20
Culture Therapy in Practice: Partnering with First Nations Arts workers to strengthen wellbeing in healthcare settings
Paula Rankmore
Melbourne Room 2
11:20 – 11:40
'Other people’s opinion of us, is not our reality' – Growing our own
Andrew Fraser
11:40 – 12:00
Occasions of Care Explained and Analysed (OCEAN) Study
Associate Professor Christopher Harrison
12:00 – 12:20
Equalising power relations to drive systemic change in Health Regulation
Distinguished Professor Yin Parades and Nicole McCartney
12:20 – 12:30
Q & A, Thank you's, and Conference Survey
12:30 – 13:15
Delegates Lunch (sponsored by Judy Bell, Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme)
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
13:15 – 13:30
Group Photo
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
13:30 – 13:50
Growing Within a Nation: The impact of a First Nations MHAOD team
Jonathon Link
Melbourne Room 2
13:50 – 14:10
EMUnisation Uptake: The Story of Dhirrabuu & Dottie Dhinawan
Louann Brown
14:10 – 14:30
Stronger Together: Digital SEWB for Our Mob and Workforce
Angela Sheridan
14:30 – 14:50
Q & A, Thank you's, and Conference Survey
14:50 – 15:15
Delegates Afternoon Tea
Melbourne Room Foyer (Level 2)
15:15 – 15:35
My Journey to becoming a Credentialled Diabetes Educator
Josiah Little
15:35 – 15:55
From Genomics to Community: Empowering Aboriginal Health Workers to lead the genomics conversation
Kate Russell
15:55 – 16:15
Voices of Resistance: Community-Led Truth-Telling for Nicotine-Free Futures
Associate Professor Raglyn Maddoz
16:15 – 16:25
Q & A and Thank you's
16:25 – 16:30
Conference Wrap Up