• Charles Sturt to collaborate on $1.7 million research that will improve family safety and community wellbeing for First Nations people
• The research team will investigate different health issues where there is a knowledge gap or unmet need
• A Charles Sturt adjunct professor will lead research that aims to improve the cultural safety of workplaces

Charles Sturt University academics will collaborate on a $1.7 million research project that aims to improve family safety and community wellbeing for First Nations people living in regional Australia.

The First Nations-led project, called ‘Unsafe Workplaces, Unsafe Care: Addressing Structural Violence in Regional New South Wales Health Services’, is a collaboration with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Targeted Call for Research: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health – Addressing Violence for Safer Families and Communities project.

The project will involve research teams aiming to embed culturally safe, trauma-informed and community-driven approaches to improve the safety of First Nations families and communities.

Professor Faye McMillan from the University of Technology Sydney and Adjunct Professor at Charles Sturt University is leading the University’s research team, which includes academics from the Deadly Aboriginal Nurses and Midwifery Mentoring Program (DANMM) and university faculties.

As part of Charles Sturt’s contribution to the five-year project, Professor McMillan (pictured) will lead research that aims to improve the cultural safety of workplaces through governance, manager training and peer support.

Professor McMillan said cultural safety is a health determinant, influencing access, engagement and outcomes, yet current efforts have not led to sustained change.

“Despite national commitments, Australian health systems remain structurally and culturally unsafe for First Nations health professionals,” she said.

“Shaped by colonial legacies, these environments expose staff to racism, marginalisation and the cumulative burden of colonial load, the expectation to absorb systemic injustices without recognition or support.

“These harms lead to burnout, distress, and premature workforce exit, undermining staff wellbeing and the quality of care for First Nations patients, families, and communities.”

Building on the DANMM feasibility study, Professor McMillan said the ‘Unsafe Workplaces, Unsafe Care’ project aims to embed cultural safety across regional health systems through three initiatives:

• Cultural governance advisory groups
• Co-designed cultural safety training for middle managers to address structural boundaries and promote anti-racist leadership
• Community of practice model to support First Nations health professionals through mentoring and advocacy

The project is a partnership between Charles Sturt University, the University of Technology Sydney, the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney, RMIT University, the University of Canberra, the Western NSW Local Health District, NSW Ambulance and Marathon Health.

The project aligns with national priorities to address violence against First Nations healthcare workers and improve health equity through culturally safe, trauma-informed approaches.

“This funding success reinforces Charles Sturt’s leadership in regionally-focused, community-led research that drives meaningful change for First Nations communities,” Professor McMillan said.

“By working closely with health services and communities, the project will deliver evidence-based models that can be scaled nationally, supporting safer workplaces, stronger workforces and better health outcomes.”