Professor James Smith has been appointed Chair of the Australian Government’s Reducing Health Inequities Mission Expert Advisory Panel, a major national initiative aimed at improving health outcomes for priority populations.

The Australian government’s mission, funded through the Medical Research Future Fund, will invest $150 million over 10 years to address persistent gaps in health outcomes and access to care across Australia.

As Chair, Professor Smith will lead a panel of national and international experts to guide the mission’s strategic priorities. The group will develop a roadmap and implementation plan to shape future research funding and drive meaningful, long-term change.

The mission focuses on improving health equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, people with disability and LGBTQIA+ communities. It reflects a national commitment to ensuring all Australians can achieve better health and wellbeing.

Professor Smith said the work presents an important opportunity to strengthen health systems and outcomes where they are needed most. The panel’s recommendations will inform future grant opportunities, with the first expected to open in 2027.

This appointment recognises Professor Smith’s leadership in health equity and reinforces Flinders University’s ongoing contribution to research and impact across rural and remote Australia.