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Dr Tom Calma is Patron of the Rural Health Education Foundation, having commenced the honourable position in April 2010. “From my extensive travels around Australia, I know the challenges faced by rural and remote Australians – both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. I am happy to lend my support and assistance to further the mission of the Rural Health Education Foundation in redressing the health inequality in rural and remote Australia.” - Dr Tom Calma. |
An event celebrating Tom Calma’s appointment as the Foundation’s patron was held in Canberra on 31 May 2010.
Biography
Dr Tom Calma was appointed the inaugural National Coordinator for Tackling Indigenous Smoking on 16 February 2010. Immediately prior to the appointment he was the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission for five and a half years.
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, respectively. He has been involved in Indigenous affairs at a local, community, state, territory, national and international level and worked in the public sector for 38 years.
Dr Calma has broad experience in public administration, particularly in Indigenous education programs and in developing employment and training programs for Indigenous people from both a national policy and program perspective.
From 1995-2002, he worked as a senior Australian diplomat in India and Vietnam representing Australia’s interests in education and training. During his time in India, he also oversaw the management of the Australian Education International offices in Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Dr Calma has been actively involved in the formation of the Close The Gap for Indigenous Health Equality Campaign and the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples. He delivered the 2009 Mabo Oration; has continued to advocate for members of the Stolen Generations; and delivered the formal response in Parliament House on their behalf to the Prime Minister’s National Apology.
Tom Calma also served as Race Discrimination Commissioner from 12 July 2004 until 12 July 2009. In this role he convened three Australia/ New Zealand Race Relations Roundtables and launched significant papers including the ‘Voices’ publication as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for the Racial Discrimination Act in 2005. Over the past six years he has addressed many conferences, community and religious groups about Indigenous, multicultural, discrimination and social inclusion issues.
Tom Calma has been a White Ribbon Day Ambassador since 2005. White Ribbon Day is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. In addition to being the Patron of the Rural Health Education Foundation, Dr Calma is also the National Patron of the Wakakirri National Story Festival (since 2006), National Patron of the Poche Centres for Indigenous Health Network and Deputy Chair of the Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation.
In May 2010 Dr Calma received an honorary doctorate (Honoris Causa) from Charles Darwin University, in recognition of his outstanding commitment and contribution to the advancement of Indigenous and multicultural Australia, primarily in the areas of education, employment and training programs for Indigenous and remote communities. In June 2010 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of Reconciliation Australia.
Kungarakan (pronounced – c oong r u cun) & Iwaidja (pronounced – ee wad ja)