Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation as the traditional custodians of the land on which Murdoch University stands and pay respect to Elders past, present and future.
We recognise the long history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia. In doing this, we acknowledge that the past is not just the past but continues to impact on the present and the future.
A strong start for healthy and resilient Aboriginal people and communities
Ngangk Yira works closely with the WA government, contributing high level expertise to projects and initiatives which seek to ensure Aboriginal families and communities have access to culturally safe maternity care.
Meet Professor Rhonda Marriott
Pro Vice Chancellor of Ngangk Yira Institute for Change and Professor in Aboriginal Health, Professor Rhonda Marriott leads a multidisciplinary team and a range of research projects addressing Aboriginal peoples’ questions of research priority. Her personal mantra is “nothing about us without us”.
With a national and international reputation for excellence in Aboriginal research, Rhonda uses her knowledge, expertise and phenomenal professional networks to advocate for the changes needed in health, child protection, education and environmental policies and the systems which operationalise these.
Born in Derby, Western Australia, Rhonda is descended from the Kimberley Nyikina people through her mother. She is a registered nurse and midwife and became the inaugural Head of the School of Nursing at Murdoch University in 2003; becoming the first Indigenous head of a university School of Nursing in Australia.
Rhonda has been the recipient of many awards, including induction into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame in 2019, membership of the Order of Australia in 2020, and receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 WA Nursing and Midwifery Awards.