On 20 August, undergraduate students in CAEPR’s INDG3001 Indigenous public policy course were privileged to have two leading First Nations public policy practitioners visiting. 

Jason Ardler, the Head of Aboriginal Affairs NSW, leads Aboriginal affairs strategy and reform in NSW across economic participation, community governance, land rights, culture and heritage, community safety, environmental health and service accountability. Jason spoke about the design and the delivery of OCHRE, the NSW Government’s Aboriginal affairs plan, which emphasizes healing, Aboriginal language revitalization and regional agreement making.

Pat Turner AM is the CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). NACCHO is the peak body representing 143 Aboriginal community-controlled health services across the country. She co-chairs the Joint Council on Closing the Gap which was formed in December 2018, as a representative of the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Bodies. Fresh from her appearance on ABC Q&A the night before, Pat spoke about the process that led to the creation of the Joint Council and the Closing the Gap Refresh that is currently underway.