Prof Pat Dudgeon will deliver the Opening Keynote presentation at the Rural & Remote Mental Health Conference.

Prof Dudgeon is acknowledged as Australia's first Indigenous Psychologist. From the Bardi people of the Kimberley, Pat is known for her passionate work in psychology and Indigenous issues and her leadership in Indigenous higher education.

Pat serves on the Australian Govt's National Mental Health Commission, is the Chair of Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA), a member of the Indigenous Strategies Working Group, a Research Fellow and Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia and a member of the Mental Health Expert Working Group.

The 5th Australian Rural and Remote Mental Health Symposium being held from 14th to 16th October 2013 at the Mecure Geelong, VIC and will explore the challenges and effectiveness of alliances  between government, NGO’s , and communities through presentations and  evaluations of partnership initiatives .  It will also examine  “diagnosable mild to moderate mental illness” in regional, rural and remote  Australia.

Authors or organisations interested in submitting a paper or presenting a workshop are invited to submit an abstract of no more than 300 words outlining the aims, contents and conclusions of their paper or presentation; or about their intended role in a workshop. ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS CLOSES FRIDAY 12th July.