In a landmark recognition of a lifetime's dedication, Professor Pat Dudgeon, a Bardi woman and Australia's inaugural Aboriginal psychologist, has been honoured with the prestigious 2025 Australian Mental Health Prize. The award celebrates her outstanding leadership and profound, lifelong contribution to the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
A Pioneering Career in Indigenous Psychology
Professor Dudgeon's journey into psychology began at Curtin University, driven by a simple desire to help people. She graduated in 1987, making history as the nation's first Aboriginal psychologist. However, she quickly identified a critical gap in her field.
"Once I started studying I discovered that Indigenous issues weren't a part of the dialogue at all," Professor Dudgeon recalled. "In the ‘80s they did not discuss Indigenous people and their issues, nor any other cultural groups. It was very alienating." She described a time when mental health policies and conferences occurred without the involvement of the very communities they were meant to serve.
Shaping National Policy and Community Solutions
For nearly four decades, Professor Dudgeon has worked tirelessly to fill that void. As a founding chairwoman of the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association and the current director of the University of Western Australia's Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention, her influence has been pivotal.
Her leadership of the landmark Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project led to the seminal 2016 report, Solutions That Work. This report fundamentally reframed the national approach to Indigenous suicide prevention by championing community-led solutions.
"We found that Aboriginal people needed to be a part of their decision-making, part of identifying problems and part of coming up with solutions," she explained. Professor Dudgeon has witnessed significant progress since the report's release, including the launch of the National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander suicide prevention strategy last year.
Progress and Persistent Challenges
Despite these advancements, Professor Dudgeon was quick to highlight the sobering reality. She pointed to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data, released just last week, which shows Indigenous suicides occur at three times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians.
"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face ongoing disadvantage, and racism has re-emerged as a big issue," she stated. She identified both direct and systemic racism as significant barriers, emphasising the need for cultural responsiveness within mainstream services to complement dedicated Indigenous programs.
Upon receiving the award, Professor Dudgeon expressed feeling both honoured and humbled, attributing her success to collaboration. "A lot of my work couldn't have been done without the help of others and without working in collaboration — it's been the efforts of many, this recognition," she said. While acknowledging the considerable challenges that remain, she also sees a future filled with opportunities for continued improvement in Indigenous mental health outcomes.
