22 June 2004

Dr Paul Burgess

A GP registrar from the Northern Territory has won a national award for his pre-PhD research into the health benefits of Indigenous land management.

Dr Paul Burgess, a registrar with the Northern Territory General Practice Education, was awarded the 2004 General Practice Education and Training Registrar Research Prize.

The national Prize is awarded to a GP registrar, or GP not more than two years post-completion of training, for a research project in the field of general practice. It is funded through the Registrar Scholarship and Research Fund, which is co-managed by General Practice Education and Training and the General Practice Registrars Australia.

“I am delighted that my initial research into this very important field has been recognised nationally. It is a great motivator for the formal PhD studies I am now pursuing in this area,” said Dr Burgess.

Dr Burgess’ PhD research is being undertaken at Charles Darwin University through the University’s Centre for Remote Health, School for Social and Policy Research and Menzies School of Health Research.

His PhD research, Healthy Land: Healthy People? Exploring the health benefits of indigenous land management, was commended by the Prize judges for its endeavour to address a very challenging and difficult topic.

“Historically, European colonialists failed to understand the importance of country to Indigenous Australians. This misunderstanding is ongoing, reflected in Indigenous policy that has resulted in the depopulation of vast tracts of northern Australia in favour of serviceable centralised townships,” Dr Burgess explained.

“This dislocation led to very stressful, unhealthy places f or Indigenous people typified by intractable levels of poverty, unemployment, social dysfunction and ill health.

“Across northern Australia many Indigenous peoples are seeking new ways to return, remain and stay on country using customary and contemporary tools. There is a growing recognition of the potential for Indigenous engagement with country to impact positively on health outcomes. “

“The emergence of land and sea management groups support this idea of not just caring for country as in the biophysical sense, but also caring for people's well-being and physical health,” Dr Burgess said.

As part of his award, Dr Burgess will present his research at the National Rural Health Alliance conference in Alice Springs in March 2005 where he will receive the Research Prize medal.

Dr Burgess graduated in 2003 with a Masters in Public Health and trained as a general practitioner, predominantly in Indigenous health, at Danila Dilba Health Service.