Dr Aunty Mary AM

Aunty Mary is our Elder-in-Residence which is a joint appointment between the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) and the UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health (UQ Poche Centre). Aunty Mary worked as a nurse at the Brisbane Mater Hospital in the early 1970s before joining the Brisbane Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS) in 1976. With a career in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health spanning nearing 50 years, Aunty Mary has played a pivotal role in the establishment of health services, peak bodies, federal health frameworks and the national curricula for general practice training.  In December 2019, Aunty Mary was recognised for her lifeworks by QUT with an awarding of a prestigious Honorary Doctorate. A published author and advocate for Aboriginal community control and better health outcomes. Aunty Mary provides critical support towards the centre’s engagement activities by defining and implementing cultural capabilities and core values for staff and students.