Minum Barreng: Transition to First Nations Leadership

Background

Minum Barreng: Indigenous Eye Health Unit (Minum Barreng) is committed to strengthening First Nations leadership and supporting self-determination in eye health. For several years, we have worked deliberately to shift power, amplify First Nations voices, and transition leadership, resources and decision-making authority to First Nations organisations.

This page outlines some of our transition journey and links to the key areas of work shaping this shift.

Why transition?

Transition at Minum Barreng is grounded in the belief that eye health systems deliver better outcomes when First Nations people lead the work. Strengthening First Nations leadership creates culturally informed, community-driven pathways and builds long-term capability across the sector.

Our commitment is to create space, support growth, and shift power in ways that are purposeful, respectful and sustainable.

Strengthening First Nations leadership within Minum Barreng

A major focus of our transition has been reshaping our own work group. Through strategic recruitment and intentional support pathways, more than half our workforce identifies as First Nations — a balance maintained since 2021. This has strengthened our cultural foundations and ensured community knowledge, experience and leadership remain central to our work.

Our advisory group was reshaped from 2021 to include a majority of First Nations members, helping set direction, guide priorities and hold us accountable to our values of self-determination.

Supporting the establishment and growth of the First Nations Eye Health Alliance (FNEHA)

Minum Barreng has supported the emergence and growth of the First Nations Eye Health Alliance (FNEHA), incorporated in 2023.

Building on the earlier National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Expert Group, we supported the creation of dedicated First Nations spaces within the national eye health conference and provided targeted support, including a CEO secondment during FNEHA’s establishment period.

In 2025, FNEHA independently delivered the national conference for the first time, an important example of successful transition and a significant milestone for First Nations leadership in eye health and for the broader transition of responsibility and voice.

Transitioning programs to First Nations-led organisations

We are progressively transitioning other Minum Barreng programs and resources to First Nations-led organisations, ensuring long-term ownership and sustainability. These currently include:

*       The Australian Government–funded transition of trachoma health promotion to NACCHO and the ACCH sector by June 2026

*       Exploration of transition pathways for Check Today, See Tomorrow and Eyecare Now, Eyecare Always

*       Support for stronger First Nations leadership in research, including MRFF applications led by First Nations Chief Investigators and planning for further collaborative opportunities in 2026

Each transition is co-designed, paced carefully, and grounded in the readiness of receiving organisations and communities.

Sharing what we learn

Transition is ongoing. Minum Barreng is committed to being transparent about what we learn, what works well, what requires careful thought, and how the sector can collectively move toward stronger First Nations leadership, voice and decision-making.

By sharing our approach, we hope to support partners, agencies and governments considering their own pathways toward genuine self-determination in eye health.

Our Internal Transition Journey

Details to come.

NATSIEH Conference Transition

The first national conference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health was held in Melbourne in 2017 and was organised by Minum Barreng: Indigenous Eye Health Unit. The conference was called Close the Gap for Vision by 2020: National Conference 2017 and reflected many of the themes and activities being advanced under the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision national framework.

The impetus for a national conference was a series of roundtables and meetings held throughout 2015 and 2016 across different areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health. These brought together many of the same organisations and individuals and highlighted the value of creating a national forum to share experiences, strengthen coordination and support collective action.

The Close the Gap for Vision by 2020 national conference has been held annually since 2017. In 2022, it was renamed the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference (NATSIEHC), reflecting its evolution and growing focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership. The 2026 conference, NATSIEHC26, to be held in Naarm (Melbourne), marks the tenth national conference.

Greater Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership of the conference began to be realised in 2021, with the establishment of a Conference Leadership Group. This group spawned from the Aboriginal Reference Group of the Evaluation of the Implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision (2019-2021) and then the National Expert Group in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health (NEGATSIEH).

NEGATSIEH played a key role in shaping the 2022 conference in Garramilla (Darwin), including the introduction of a dedicated day for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates. This created space for strategic discussion and planning, leading to the development of the Vision 2030 report and a strong call for the establishment of a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health peak body.

This momentum continued at the 2023 conference on Dharug Country (Parramatta), contributing to the establishment of the First Nations Eye Health Alliance (FNEHA), which was incorporated in 2023.

Minum Barreng organised and hosted the national conferences from 2017-2023, with solid sector support and input and increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership over time.

In 2024, a co-hosting arrangement was established between Minum Barreng and FNEHA for the conference in nipaluna (Hobart). This reflected a shared intention to transition ownership and leadership of the conference to FNEHA when the organisation was ready. The 2024 conference demonstrated the continued strength, value and impact of the national forum, and the support of sponsors and partners provided a strong foundation for transition.

In 2025, FNEHA assumed full responsibility for the national conference, delivering a very successful event, NATSIEHC25, in Boorloo (Perth). This marked a significant milestone in the transition to First Nations leadership and a clear example of sector-led change in practice.

2026 – NATSIEHC26(Hosted by FNEHA)
11–13 May 2026 | Wurundjeri Country, Naarm (Melbourne, Victoria)

Visit the NATSIEHC26 website:
https://fneha.com.au

Supporting the Establishment of the First Nations Eye Health Alliance (FNEHA)

Minum Barreng is proud to have supported the emergence and growth of the First Nations Eye Health Alliance (FNEHA).

FNEHA, Australia’s first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health peak, was incorporated in 2023 and is now a registered charity. It provides a national voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working in eye care and vision health and works to prevent avoidable vision loss and blindness through equitable, culturally informed approaches.

FNEHA was established following sector-led discussions at the 2022 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health Conference (NATSIEHC22) in Garramilla, Larrakia Country (Darwin), and the 2023 NATSIEHC on Dharug Country (Parramatta, Sydney). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health professionals attending the conferences called for and supported the development of a dedicated First Nations-led body to drive improvements in eye health and vision care outcomes.

As an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisation, FNEHA centres cultural knowledge, lived experience and community priorities in its work. It operates nationally to influence policy, strengthen coordination, and support equitable access to high-quality, culturally safe eye care.

FNEHA also provides a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professionals and partners to connect, build capability and strengthen leadership across the eye health sector.

Earlier steps in the formation of FNEHA can be traced to 2019 and a co-design workshop held for the evaluation of regional implementation of the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices called for an Aboriginal Reference Group to help guide this work.

This group morphed into the National Expert Group Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health (NEGATSIEH) in 2021. NEGATSIEH supported national conference organisation through a Conference Leadership Group. NEGATSIEH also had the capacity and generosity to respond to other sector demands seeking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice on matters of eye health and care.

Minum Barreng supported the Aboriginal Reference Group, NEGATSIEH and the Conference Leadership Group and this resulted in the creation of dedicated First Nations-led spaces within the national eye health conference (from 2022). Minum Barreng subsequently provided staff and in-kind support during FNEHA’s establishment phase, including a period of CEO secondment.

More recently, the partnership between FNEHA and Minum Barreng has been formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (December 2025), supporting shared priorities and a coordinated approach to strengthening First Nations leadership in eye health. Read more here

Acknowledgement of leadership and contribution

The establishment of FNEHA reflects the leadership, commitment and collective effort of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and sector partners over time.

Minum Barreng acknowledges the significant contributions of those who helped shape this work, including members of the National Expert Group in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Eye Health, Conference Leadership Group, and others who contributed through ongoing dialogue, advocacy and system reform efforts.

We recognise the important role of individuals who contributed to the development of structures and pathways to support the establishment of FNEHA, including through extensive discussions and planning. This includes (but is not limited to) the contributions of Shaun Tatipata, Anne-Marie Banfield, Nick Wilson, Tania McLeod, Tanya Morris, Nicole Turner, Emma Robertson, Nicole Tujague, Lose Fonua, Makkaillah Ridgeway, Lesley Martin, Kristopher Rallah-Baker, Jaki Barton and others who played a key role in progressing this work.

Ongoing impact and leadership

FNEHA’s work contributes to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and reflects a broader commitment to strengthening self-determination, leadership and voice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

FNEHA is led by a Board and Secretariat made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders with extensive experience across community-controlled health, clinical care, research, policy and advocacy.

Further information

For more information about FNEHA, including leadership, partnerships and current work:  https://fneha.com.au

Trachoma Health Promotion Transition

Minum Barreng is currently in the process of transitioning ownership and delivery of its trachoma health promotion, including Clean Faces, Strong Eyes and related resources, to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community control.

The Australian Government Department of Health (currently Department of Health, Disability and Ageing) has supported trachoma health promotion through a series of funding arrangements with Minum Barreng (the Indigenous Eye Health Unit, based at The University of Melbourne) since 2015. From 2023, Minum Barreng has specifically proposed transition of trachoma health promotion to community control. An evaluation of much of the trachoma health promotion work was undertaken in 2024, the outcomes of which further strengthened and supported the move to community control.

Evaluation of Trachoma Health Promotion

Under the current 2025-2026 funding agreement, Minum Barreng will continue business as usual delivery of trachoma health promotion while concurrently working with National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health (ACCH) sector to develop a transition plan that will support a sustainable hand over of trachoma health promotion to community control. As part of this process Minum Barreng and NACCHO are regularly meeting and a trachoma health promotion transitions workshop was held in November 2025 in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) with representatives from affiliates and targeted ACCHs.

Trachoma Health Promotion Transition Workshop Article

Minum Barreng will also be sharing an exhibition table at the December 2025 NACCHO Conference and Members Meeting to further engage with the ACCH sector and gather additional input into the trachoma health promotion transition. An online survey has been developed to allow those working across the ACCH sector, and others engaged in trachoma and hygiene health promotion, to provide additional input and seek further information on transition of trachoma health promotion, how it will progress and what support is available throughout the process.

Complete the Trachoma Transition Survey Here

Eye Health Promotion transition (FNEHA)

Minum Barreng is transitioning its national eye health promotion campaigns, Check Today, See Tomorrow (CTST) and Eyecare Now, Eyecare Always (ENEA), to the First Nations Eye Health Alliance (FNEHA).

This transition is being undertaken as a staged and supported process, working in partnership, with stewardship and leadership of these resources transitioning to FNEHA by 30 June 2026.

FNEHA has established its role as the national, First Nations-led peak body for eye health since incorporation in 2023, and Minum Barreng is now stepping back from health promotion program leadership to support long-term, community-controlled stewardship. FNEHA has agreed to lead the two campaigns from 2026, and Minum Barreng and FNEHA are currently working in partnership to effect the transition.

This is a deliberate shift to self-determination, through partnership and transition of these activities, which reflects the continued strengthening of First Nations leadership in eye health.

The transition process has included:

• regular meetings to guide transition planning of campaigns
• shared oversight of timelines, priorities and key milestones through to June 2026
• communication and engagement with sector partners and stakeholders
• transfer of campaign strategy, resources, knowledge and supporting materials
• support for future hosting, distribution and access to resources

This process involves not only the transfer of materials, but also the exchange of knowledge, relationships and experience built over time, supporting FNEHA to determine and lead the future direction of these campaigns.

Campaign overview

1. Check Today, See Tomorrow (CTST) was initially developed in 2014-2015 and launched in 2015 to support awareness of diabetes eye care and promote yearly eye checks as part of ongoing diabetes management.
2. Eyecare Now, Eyecare Always (ENEA) was initially developed in 2021-2022 and launched in 2022 as a broader eye health promotion campaign, supporting regular eye checks and early detection of the main eye conditions impacting on vision and eye health, particularly through the 715 Health Check.

Both campaigns were developed in response to identified gaps in culturally appropriate eye health promotion resources and align with national frameworks such as the Roadmap to Close the Gap for Vision (2012) and Strong Eyes, Strong Communities (2019).

They include a wide range of resources, posters, brochures, flipcharts and digital content, and are used across clinics, community programs, schools and community outreach activities.

CTST and ENEA have been shaped by:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and lived experience
• community consultation and ongoing feedback
• partnerships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and sector stakeholders
• creative approaches including music, storytelling, art and community champions

An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led creative agency, Gilimbaa, was engaged to support the development of both campaigns, ensuring the visual identity and messaging were culturally strong, engaging and grounded in community.

Resources have been designed to be adaptable, supporting local ownership through co-branding, language and community-specific versions.

CTST and ENEA have achieved strong national reach, to date:

• approximately 4,000 resources distributed annually across Australia
• widely used by ACCHOs, primary health care services, schools and community programs
• strong demand across urban, regional and remote settings
• over 80,000 views/plays of multimedia content
• more than 30 local adaptations, supporting community-led use

The transition of these eye health promotion campaigns to FNEHA includes:

• Campaign strategy and intent
• Health promotion resources and creative assets
• Design files and intellectual property, with appropriate acknowledgements

All materials are being provided as part of a structured handover, with future decisions sitting with FNEHA.

FNEHA will lead the ongoing delivery and future direction of CTST and ENEA from July 2026. This transition ensures that these campaigns will continue to be available to support communities and the health workforce, while strengthening First Nations leadership at a national level.

Further information
For enquiries, please contact:
FNEHA: heyyoumob@fneha.com.au
Minum Barreng: Indigenous-EyeHealth@unimelb.edu.au

Visit FNEHA website:
www.fneha.com.au

Partnerships and Collaborations

Details to come.