$2.6 million for new Indigenous Research Projects

Media release - Minister Wyatt

A total of 14 new Indigenous-led research projects worth $2.6 million will be funded under the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies’ (AIATSIS) Indigenous Research Exchange grants program, The Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP announced today.

"The research grants will support a wide range of projects, and notably all will be led by Indigenous people, with half led by Indigenous organisations," Minister Wyatt said. 

Projects supported by this round of funding include research into the strengthening of cultural law to improve resilience from natural disaster; improving sexual health education and support for mental health and suicide prevention measures; policy reforms in child welfare; and better mechanisms for how communities engage with government on complex social issues.

The Indigenous Research Exchange was established in 2018. Its key activities are a research grants program and a knowledge exchange platform.

"Many of the projects will use technology to help communities better access education and support services, or to help them with decision-making. Ultimately each project is about achieving a better quality of life for Indigenous communities," Mr Wyatt said.

AIATSIS Chief Executive Officer Craig Ritchie said there was a strong response to the call for applications in this round of funding. "There were some very impressive proposals received by the assessment panel.

“The majority had a strong focus on community wellbeing and health, and supporting Indigenous engagement with the systems that governments use to deliver services.

"Each proposal was considered on its merits, and each of the projects to receive the grants announced today will contribute to strengthening Indigenous communities from within as well as their bonds with their wider communities.”

Each funding year, the Indigenous Research Exchange Advisory Board engages with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to establish research theme priorities. These priorities are used by an independent panel of experts to assess and prioritise project proposals for recommendation to AIATSIS. The priorities this year are:

• Valuing Indigenous knowledge and methods
• Cultural resurgence and resilience
• Indigenous governance and prosperity
• Rethinking engagement with governments
• Opportunities provided by technological change.