First Nations inclusion is critical in achieving CRC TiME’s vision. The First Nations Advisory Team (FNAT) provides advice and support to management to ensure First Nations engagement, participation and outcomes are considered in all CRC TiME project development and delivery processes. FNAT members provide advice in:
- The identification and development of research and impact strategic priorities for First Nations people
- The review and recommendation of new project concepts to ensure First Nations perspectives, cultural appropriateness and opportunities of First Nations inclusion have been considered before proceeding to full proposal development within the CRC
- Ways to facilitate partnerships, enhance engagement and build capacity with First Nations through project delivery and the communication of project/program outputs
Members
Jim Walker
Chair, First Nations Advisory Team
Jim Walker is an Aboriginal man of the Yiman and Goreng Goreng First Nations peoples of Australia. He is a lecturer within the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences within the Faculty of Science at the University of Queensland. He is also a member of the Science Advisory Committee of Earthwatch Australia and Bush Blitz, Chair of the Murri Mura Aboriginal Corporation and Board of Advice member of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation.
Jim has been involved in advocating for the rights of Indigenous Peoples in excess of 20 years both in Australia and internationally. He has worked within the Australian Government at executive and senior management level in Indigenous affairs and was former Manager, Office of Indigenous Engagement at CSIRO. He has been involved in development and implementation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policies and programs in the fields of environment protection, housing and community infrastructure, science research, social justice, education, health, economic development, Indigenous rights advocacy, and Indigenous cultural protection.
Bep Uink
Committee Member, First Nations Advisory Team
Bep Uink (Master of Applied Psychology (Clinical), PhD) is a Noongar woman from Perth, WA. She is a Senior Research Fellow at Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre, Murdoch University, where she co-leads the Aboriginal Culture, Education and Equity (ACEE) Lab. Her research focuses on understanding how socially determined disadvantage impacts the social emotional wellbeing of young people, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and how social systems such as higher education can support young peoples’ wellbeing. Her work spans investigations into adolescent emotion regulation, the barriers and enablers of Indigenous student success in higher education, gendered barriers to higher education, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQA+ youth mental health. She currently holds an ARC Indigenous Discovery grant investigating racism and allyship among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents.
John Briggs
Committee Member, First Nations Advisory Team
John is a proud Yorta Yorta man from Cummrugunja, part of the Barmah Forest on the Murray River border region between Victoria and New South Wales. He is one of three original founders of Intract Australia Pty Ltd., a successful standalone Indigenous construction company. John brings passion, extensive industry experience and a true understanding of Aboriginal culture to Intract, creating a vibrant, innovative and successful leadership model and delivering significant Indigenous outcomes with over 100 full time employees nationwide, an 90% Indigenous workforce, and a 25% female workforce. John’s industry experience is a national portfolio of achievement in the construction and resources sector, where he has spent a large portion of his career, growing Aboriginal people and capability. His leadership and knowledge is widely recognised and he participates on a number of Boards and committees.
Christian Miller-Sabbioni
Committee Member, First Nations Advisory Team
Christian Miller-Sabbioni is a research assistant for ARC Centre Healing Country based at Curtin University. He works at the knowledge interface and is interested in the theoretical components of traditional cultural and modern scientific approaches to restoration and conservation. He is in his third year of a BA majoring in Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations at UWA.
Liz Santo
Committee Member, First Nations Advisory Team
Liz Santo is a proud Gudjala/ Waanyi women from northwest Queensland and to the banks of the Lawn Hill Gorge where her grandmothers were born. Liz has a background in Native Title, Commonwealth Government-Indigenous Business procurement, represented Indigenous Businesses in resource, private and government sectors on a global platform. Liz is a proud business owner in a consultant and civil construction company and is passionate about Indigenous business growth and development with long term sustainable futures to enhance economic participation of Indigenous enterprises, communities, and people. Liz was an applicant for Gudjala People Determination on their Traditional land. Liz was chairperson for her Traditional Owner team and played a lead role in negotiations with the Australian Defence Department for the Australian Singaporean Military Training Initiative.
Gerry Turpin
Committee Member, First Nations Advisory Team
Gerry Turpin is an Mbabaram Traditional Owner from north Queensland with familial links to Wadjanbarra Yidinjii, Nadjon and Kuku Thaypan. He is an Indigenous Ethnobotanist with the Australian Tropical Herbarium, Department of Science (DES) and has been employed by the state government for about 30 years. He is also an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at James Cook University, Smithfield Campus. Gerry is the coordinator of the Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre in partnership with Cairns Institute James Cook University (Smithfield), DES and CSIRO. As an Indigenous ethnobotanist, Gerry has a strong cultural commitment to facilitating effective partnerships that support Indigenous communities to protect, manage and maintain their cultural knowledge on the use of plants.