On the show today we chat with Anthony and Uncle Will Paulson. We talked about Anthony's journey from apprentice butcher to now working as a leader and manager in Cultural Education. We also get to hear Uncle Will share his story from growing up on a mission to getting a medical condition that changed his life. We yarn about the connected nature of police justice and health and how resilience, good choices, work ethic and role modelling can help you find your way in life.

Bio's:

Anthony Paulson is a proud Aboriginal man and his people are Worimi, Bundjalung and Mununjali people. Anthony is a saltwater man from the Mid North Coast of NSW in Taree. Anthony joined the NSW Police in his early 20’s and served in regional and remote locations. 
Anthony has experience working in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS) setting and extensive experience working with community in both government and non-government roles in rural and remote locations within NSW. Anthony thoroughly enjoys working with different stakeholders and learning from different communities and his Elders. In 2017, Anthony joined GP Synergy as the Manager of the Aboriginal Cultural Education Unit and enjoys the diversity the role brings.

William Paulson his people are Worimi, Bundjalung and Mununjali people, worked with local government for 14 years, NSW Police as Liaison officer for 15 years.  During that time he has occupied many local committees and community work in a voluntary capacity.

On the show today we chat with Professor Marlene Drysdale, Dr Kali Hayward and Henry Neill who share their knowledge and expertise in helping GP registrars, or Doctors in training, learn the best ways to interact with their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. They also share information on how to be a good ally. 

On the show today we chat with Les Collins who shares his journey from growing up in Cherbourg to being a member of the Brisbane chapter of the Black Panthers. And who, through his advocacy, helped shape the legal system, housing and health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, nationally.

Mr Les Collins – Chair of the Board Aboriginal & Islander Health Training Advisory Committee (Kab-bai Committee)

Les Collins is one of the pioneers to address Indigenous health inequalities in Queensland. He helped develop a number of community controlled Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health services across Queensland. For 20 years, Les was the Queensland representative for the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (formerly National Aboriginal & Islander Health Organisation) and was a member of the National Aboriginal Health Strategy Working Party which produced the National Aboriginal Health Strategy (NAHS) 1989.

For many years the NAHS was the official policy and action framework for addressing Indigenous health throughout Australia which led to many improvements in services for Indigenous people. Among these initiatives was Australia’s first Indigenous Health Curriculum for General Practice which Les helped develop.

Les was also heavily involved in establishing and managing a range of organisations that addressed the needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities in Queensland.

Les is also an Advisor to the Institute for Urban indigenous Health and a singer-songwriter/entertainer who has put two of Oodgeroo Noonuccal’s poems to music and written a song about the 2008 Apology to the Stolen Generations which can be viewed on Youtube.

Watch 'Great Moments' by Les Collins:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RjXyQ3hnus