'Transforming Indigenous Health in Rural Australia' with Professor Ian Anderson AO - Violet Vines Marshman Annual Oration

The 2024 Violet Vines Marshman Oration will be delivered by Professor Ian Anderson AO.

Ian is a palawa man, currently living in lutruwita (Tasmania) and is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Tasmania. Ian has a distinguished career in academia and leadership in Melbourne, with a longstanding passion for Indigenous issues and rights. His expertise has had a major influence in Indigenous health policy at Australia’s highest level of government.

His previous roles include ANU Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Melbourne and Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Affairs in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. At the University of Melbourne, Ian was the Foundation Chair of Indigenous Health, Foundation Chair of Indigenous Higher Education, Assistant Vice Chancellor Indigenous Higher Education Policy, and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Engagement). He was Director of Research for the Lowitja Institute and related Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health; Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equality Council, Council Member for the National Health and Medical Research Council and a Co-Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Council.

Ian became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2017 for distinguished service to the Indigenous community, particularly in the areas of health equality, aged care and education, as an academic, researcher and medical practitioner, to policy reform, and as a role model. In 2018 he was appointed a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and Fellow of the Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. He graduated as a medical doctor in 1989 and was awarded his PhD in Sociology and Anthropology in 2006.

Ian completed his PhD in Sociology at La Trobe University in 2007 and received the La Trobe Distinguished Alumni Award in 2020.

ABOUT THE VIOLET VINES MARSHMAN CENTRE FOR RURAL HEALTH RESEARCH

The Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research (VVMCRHR) was established in 2019 with the generous bequest from the VV Marshman Charitable Trust and La Trobe University.

We are dedicated to transforming rural health outcomes through research, collaboration and community engagement. We put the needs of rural communities at the forefront of our work. Based in the La Trobe Rural Health School, we define rural as being outside of a major Australian metropolitan city and are proud to work with communities and partners throughout the country and globally.

OUR VISION: To be a world leader in the elimination of disparities in rural health and wellbeing.

OUR MISSION: To narrow the gulf between rural and metropolitan health outcomes, by facilitating high impact research that is rurally focused, collaborative and pragmatic.

Visit our website to learn more about the Centre.

Acknowledgement

Our work takes place on the unceded lands of First Nations traditional owners across Australia. We acknowledge their Elders and their Ancestors, and we thank them for their ongoing care of the land, skies, and waterways of this country. We also acknowledge First Nations, Indigenous and African communities, their land and their Ancestors.

The VVMCRHR endeavours to honour, respect and position First Nations voices, knowledges, languages and culture through our research, teaching and service and is committed to ‘marra ngarrgoo, marra goorri – the Victorian Aboriginal Health, Medical and Wellbeing Research Accord.’