01 May 2025

NALHN is committed to meaningful engagement with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. The annual Aboriginal Health Community Forum is one way we facilitate that, and this year’s was on 27 February at Innovation House, Mawson Lakes.


Pictured: Community members taking part in yarning circles

‘We really value our forums,’ said Toni, Executive Director, NALHN Aboriginal Health. ‘They’re a great way to work with community, to co-design services and models of care.’

Around 70 community members joined us for yarning circles on:

  • Access to Aboriginal Primary Health Care Services
  • Aboriginal Workforce
  • Mental Health
  • Racism.

NALHN’s Aboriginal Consumer Reference Group spoke about the importance of listening to the community’s needs and priorities, and walking alongside NALHN to keep us accountable for creating better health outcomes.

Robert Taylor, proud Kaurna, Nganguruku, Ngarrindjeri and Narungga man, performed a cleansing ceremony and delivered the Kaurna Welcome to Country. Garry Goldsmith, proud Narungga man, was Master of Ceremonies.

Attendees shared positive feedback, with one commenting it was ‘one of the best’ forums they’d been to in a while. 

Toni was also delighted by the outcome: ‘The information people gave us is crucial to developing our next Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan 2025-2028.’