Realising cultural safety in practice
It has been 14 years since all governments in Australia signed the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, yet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities are still facing barriers to achieving equitable outcomes in health and wellbeing.
Despite an abundance of good intentions, healthcare settings are still places where deficits in cultural safety often drive poorer outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This discussion explores what’s required in practice to change that reality.
Abe Ropitini
Abe Ropitini is a Māori man of Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Maniapoto iwi, with ancestral links to the Palawa Nation, Tasmania. He has a background in medical anthropology and international development, and has managed projects across health, disability, aged care, reconciliation, and digital transformation. Abe is the Executive Director of Population Health at the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO).