Dr Tom Calma - HonDLitt CDU – HonDSc Curtin Ph: + 61 2 6289 1622 Mob: +61 429 121 942 Email: [email protected] Biography for Dr Tom Calma Dr Calma is an Aboriginal elder from the Kungarakan tribal group and a member of the Iwaidja tribal group whose traditional lands are south west of Darwin and on the Coburg Peninsula in the Northern Territory of Australia, respectively. He has been involved in Indigenous affairs at a local, community, state, national and international level and worked in the public sector for 40 years and is currently on a number of boards and committees focussing on rural and remote Australia, health and education. Dr Calma was appointed National Coordinator, Tackling Indigenous Smoking in March 2010 to lead the fight against tobacco use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Dr Calma’s most recent previous position was that of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission from 2004 to 2010. He also served as Race Discrimination Commissioner from 2004 until 2009. Through his 2005 Social Justice Report, Dr Calma called for the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to be closed within a generation and laid the groundwork for the Close the Gap campaign. He chaired the Close the Gap Steering Committee for Indigenous Health Equality since its inception in March 2006 and has recently retired as Co-Chair of the steering committee. The Close the Gap campaign has effectively brought national attention to achieving health equality for Indigenous people by 2030. National Close the Gap Day is celebrated on 24 or 25 March each year. Dr Calma has broad experience in public administration, particularly in Indigenous education and employment programs from both a national policy and program perspective. He has served in roles within Australia relating to Indigenous and mainstream employment, community development and education, and as Senior Adviser to the Minister of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. Internationally, Dr Calma worked as a senior Australian diplomat in India and Vietnam representing Australia’s interests in education and training from 1995 to 2002. In 2007 Dr Calma was named by the Bulletin Magazine as the Most Influential Indigenous Person in Australia and in 2008 he received an award from GQ Magazine after being named GQ Magazine’s 2008 Man of Inspiration for his work in Indigenous Affairs. In 2010, Dr Calma was awarded an honorary doctorate from Charles Darwin University in recognition of decades of public service, particularly in relation to his work in education, training and employment in Indigenous communities. Dr Calma in 2010 was named by Australian Doctor Magazine as one of the 50 Most Influential People in medicine in Australia. In 2011, Dr Calma was awarded an honorary doctorate from Curtin University in recognition of his work, advocacy and leadership in Indigenous health reform and Indigenous affairs. @ 21 Nov 2011 1 Dr Tom Calma - HonDLitt CDU – HonDSc Curtin Ph: + 61 2 6289 1622 Mob: +61 429 121 942 Email: [email protected] Current employment and Board and Committee involvement since 2005 National Coordinator, Tackling Indigenous Smoking 16 February 2010 to 31 July 2013 [10 days per month consultancy] • Chair, Tobacco Technical Reference Group • Chair, Indigenous Chronic Disease Social Marketing Programs Campaign Reference Group ………………………………………………………………………………………… • White Ribbon Day Ambassador • Patron of Wakakirri Dance and Story Festival • Member, Wakakirri Outback Advisory Committee • National Patron – Poche Centres for Indigenous Health Network • Board Member of Bullana, The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health – Uni of Sydney • Advisory Committee Member, Poche Centre – Flinders / Charles Darwin University • Member of Poche Centres Network • Patron, Rural Health Education Foundation • Patron, The Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand’s 2nd Conference on Indigenous Cardiovascular Health - 2011 • Ambassador and Board Member of The Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) • Founder, member and recently retired Co-Chairperson, Close the Gap on Indigenous Health Equality Steering Committee • Campaign Champion, UnitingCare Burnside “100 Years of Care” campaign • Member, Nura Gili Advisory Board – Uni of NSW • Chairperson, Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre Pty (AILC) • Member, University of Canberra Council • Council Committees • Chair of Legislation Committee • Chair of the Step One (Indigenous Issues) Committee • Member of Regional Pathways Committee • Member of the Environment and Works Committee • Member, Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) Leadership Council • Member, VicHealth Indigenous Advisory Committee • Member, Minerals Council of Australian Indigenous Leaders Dialogue Committee • Director, Ecosystem Investment Management Australia (EIMA) Pty Ltd • Trustee, The Charles Perkins Trust for Children and Students Trust • Adviser, APSC SES Indigenous Governance Network • Member, National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples Inaugural Ethics Council • Member, University of NSW Law Advisory Council @ 21 Nov 2011 2 Dr Tom Calma - HonDLitt CDU – HonDSc Curtin Ph: + 61 2 6289 1622 Mob: +61 429 121 942 Email: [email protected] • President and Director of The First Australians Capacity Development Association • Deputy Chair, Ninti One Ltd • Member, Research Quality And Innovation Review Committee • Member, Audit and Risk Management Committee • Deputy Chair, Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation • Co-Chair, Reconciliation Australia Board • Member, Audit and Risk Committee • Member, Aboriginal Art Museum Utrecht, Netherlands, Australian Friends Trust • Member, 2012 World Indigenous Housing Conference Committee, Vancouver, Canada • Member, Australian Social Inclusion Board • Member, Racism, Discrimination and Stigma Reference Committee • Member, Measurement and Reporting Reference Committee • Champion, National Compact (Third Sector) • Chair, Indigenous Suicide Prevention Expert Advisory Group • Member, Indigenous Mental Health Advisory Group • Chair, Australian Centre Indigenous Knowledges and Education Governance Committee (ACIKE), Charles Darwin University • Member/ Consultant, MediaRING Advisory Committee • Member, Deadly’s Academy • Member, Australian National Preventive Health Agency Expert Committee on Tobacco • Member, Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs, Standing Committee on Tobacco • Ambassador for Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Peoples • Co-Chair, Australian Volunteers International, Indigenous Volunteers Alumni @ 21 Nov 2011 3.