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Welcome
Rhodanthe Lipsett’s dream is for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to have improved pregnancy and birth outcomes by having the benefit of care from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander midwives.
By establishing Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund (“The Fund”) we aim to make a contribution to both ‘a better start in life’ and ‘Closing the Gap’ for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and babies.
The fund is inspired by the stories from Indigenous women in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, where Indigenous midwives provide culturally appropriate care in the same language as that of the women accessing care.


Scholarship
Cherisse Buzzacot and RLIMCT co-chair Leona McGrath at the 17th Annual CATSINaM Conference 2015.

Graduates
Scholarship recipients Cherisse Buzzacot and Shari Pilkington at the 17th Annual CATSINaM Conference 2015.

Events
RLIMCT board members Donna Hartz and Leona McGrath at the 17th Annual CATSINaM Conference 2015.
2020 Scholarship Winners
The Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund is proud to announce the recipients of the 2020 scholarships:
Category A ($5000)
Brittney Campbell
Casey Smith
Kady Colman
Katie Squires
Kiara Burns
Monique Mennie
Additional Scholarships ($2000)
Naomi Notting
Sheree Martin
Tyra McEwen
Well done to all the winners!
A Special Thank You

Audrey Martin – President and Marney Perna – Secretary (pictured left and right).
We have received a wonderful donation from Soroptimist International Moreton North INC.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
“Your support will help improve the birth and early parenting outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families”
Announcements
RLIMCF Scholarship Awardees 2019
2019 Scholarship Recipients
The Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund is proud to announce the recipients of the 2019 scholarships.
Announcing New Chair of the Trust
We are very proud to introduce the new Chair of the RLIMCF, Cherisse Buzzacott.
Funeral Notice – Vale Rhodanthe Lipsett
2018 Scholarship Recipients
The Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund is proud to announce the recipients of the 2018 scholarships.
Celebration of Ruth J Inall OAM
RLIMCF Scholarship Awardees – 2017
Upcoming Events
ACM 2020 National Conference
Tuesday, 13 October 2020 to Thursday, 15 October 2020
Luna Park, 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, New South Wales 2061
ACM are proud to announce the 23rd National Conference in Sydney on 13th – 15th, October 2020. As the leading national annual midwifery event the program is designed to inspire with our keynote speakers, invigorate your practice with cutting edge presentations, inform you about leading research and give you the opportunity to hear from industry leaders and technology experts.
CRANAplus Annual Conference
Wednesday, 14 October 2020 to Friday, 16 October 2020
QT Canberra, 1 London Circuit, Canberra
The CRANAplus Annual Conference has served as both a professional and social resource for the remote health Workforce of Australia for over three decades.
CATSINaM National Professional Development Conference
Tuesday, 20 October to Thursday, 22 October 2020
The Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) is the peak representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses and midwives in Australia. CATSINaM’s primary function is to implement strategies to embed Cultural Safety in health care and education and the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples into nursing and midwifery professions.
Past Events
ICM Triennial Congress
Sunday, 21 June 2020 to Thursday, 25 June 2020
Bali, Indonesia
The latest, 31st Triennial Congress took place in Toronto, Canada from 18-22 June. Over 4,000 midwives, partners, stakeholders in midwifery, and civil society organizations attended the Congress, which was a lightining rod for education, information-sharing, networking and strategiziation of the role that midwives will play over the coming years in the sexual, reproductive,maternal and newborn health space.
ACM QLD State Conference 2020
Midwives: Now and into the future
Tuesday, 5 May 2020 to Wednesday 6 May 2020
Figs on Sylvan, 65 Sylan Road, Toowong, Queensland
ACM WA State Conference 2020
Saturday, 4 April 2020, 8.30am to 5.00pm
Curtin University, Kent Street Building 405, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine – Ground Floor, Bentley, Western Australia
Come and join your midwifery colleagues in the WHO International Year of the Nurse and Midwife to celebrate everything midwifery, our past and our future.
ACM NSW State Conference 2020
Shining the light on midwifery
Friday, 3 April 2020 to Saturday, 4 April 2020
Mantra on Salt Beach Kingscliff, Gunnamatta Avenue, Kingscliff, New South Wales
We are excited to announce we will be welcoming Pat Brodie, Hazel Keedle and Allison Cummins as our keynote speakers.
Koori Maternity Services (KMS) – Maternity Update Program
Saturday, 29 February 2020 to Saturday, 17 July 2021
Across Victoria – Venues to be Confirmed
The Koori Maternity Services (KMS) – Maternity Update Program provides Aboriginal Health Workers and midwives with the latest information, research, policies and guidelines influencing Victorian maternity care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers, babies and families.
CATSINaM National Professional Development Conference
CATSINaM National Professional Development Conference
Tuesday the 24th to Thursday the 26th September 2019
The 2019 CATSINaM National Professional Development Conference will be held in Sydney, 24th – 26th September 2019. Make sure you save the dates in your calendar.
ACM Live Webinar: Birthing on Country
ACM Live Webinar: Birthing on Country
Thursday, 4 July, 2019
This month’s webinar promises to inspire and transform your understanding of the Birthing on Country Project, as Cherisse and Mel explore why this project is so important and how it will improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes. This is your opportunity to hear about the latest research and evidence on the Birthing on Country model of care, as well as to ask any questions that you might like answered.
Performance Management Workshop: A legal perspective for midwives
erformance Management Workshop: A legal perspective for midwives
Wednesday, 29 May, 2019
Healthcare is a complicated industry, often characterised by high stakes and limited resources. Although there are systems in place to help things run according to standards, sometimes the reality of the work is that things can go wrong.
International Day of the Midwife – 2019
International Day of the Midwive – 2019
Sunday, 5 May, 2019
International Day of the Midwife on May 5 is an important day of celebration. It’s an occasion to honour all midwives and what they do for mothers, babies and families around the world. It is a day for us to show appreciation for midwives and help them feel valued, respected and important. This year’s theme is Midwives: Defenders of Women’s Rights; highlighting the important work midwives do working ‘with woman’, imparting strength and empowerment and protecting her right to choose the maternity care she wants for herself and her baby.
NSW STATE CONFERENCE 2019
NSW STATE CONFERENCE 2019
Friday, 17th & Saturday, 18th May 2019
Save the date for the ACM NSW State Conference on 17th and 18th of May 2019. Wagga RSL Club, NSW. Call for abstracts opening soon!
News & Media
ANMJ – April to June 2020
How an Indigenous cadetship in NSW is helping close the gap
A Maternal Health Clinic for Indigenous Women
Birthing on Country Project Aims to Improve Outcomes for Indigenous Families
Cultural Competence
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework (HPF)
Birthing on Country Position Statement
Media Release – Indigenous Midwives Trust Brings Welcome Support
Janine Mohamed: Cultural Safety Matters – the Conversation we Need to Keep Having
Bringing Them Home Report (1997)

My name is Brittney, my Aboriginal name is “Jarrak” which means red ochre, given to me to by grandfather. I am a proud Kamu and Gurindji woman from Katherine, NT. This scholarship will assist me with financial difficulties I face as a full-time student such as; transportation fees, midwifery uniforms and equipment, rural placement accommodation, and stationery for my studies.
Brittney Campbell - Category A ($5,000) Scholarship Recipient, 2020

I am a proud Kamilaroi women from St George, Qld. I am in my first year of a Bachelor of Midwifery at the Australian Catholic University through the Indigenous Away from Base Midwifery Program. This scholarship will support me to complete my studies by helping with the financial costs that are associated with University such as; textbooks, uniforms, travel and clinical placement.
I am very appreciative of being successful in receiving this scholarship and look forward to the next two and half years of my degree with the support of the Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund.
Casey Smith - Category A ($5,000) Scholarship Recipient, 2020

I am currently studying the Indigenous Bachelor of Midwifery through the Australian Catholic University. I am a proud Gomeroi woman and I have 6 beautiful girls. My ultimate goals for achieving Midwifery is so that I can work with women and their families during moments of profound transition and change, I want to be able to empower women to make choices about their bodies that bring them health, confidence and strengths.
The scholarship will assist me financially with purchasing the required textbooks for my current and future units while studying Midwifery. The scholarship will also help me with travel and equipment to complete my Course. The scholarship will reduce the stress and burden on my family by allowing me to keep my financial income being spent where it needs to be while using my scholarship for my studies.
Katie-Jane Squires - Category A ($5,000) Scholarship Recipient, 2020

My name is Kiara Burns, I am a proud Gimuy Wullaburra Yidinji woman from Cairns, Far North Queensland. I grew up in both Yarrabah and Cairns as a child but spent the rest of my schooling years in Cairns with my Mum. Currently I work as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker at a large Aboriginal Medical Service and this year I have finally set out to complete a degree in Midwifery.
This scholarship will assist me by easing the financial pressure of childcare and educational supplies such as textbooks and medical equipment I will require for clinical placements.
Kiara Burns - Category A ($5,000) Scholarship Recipient, 2020

My name is Monique Mennie and I am a Bundjalung woman, but I was born and raised in Newcastle on Awabakal Country. I am a single mother of two children who are 11 and 4, both boys. I always thought I was not smart enough to attend University, but I have been given the opportunity to fulfil my dream and passion of becoming a midwife through the Australian Catholic University.
The Rhodanthe Lipsett Scholarship will assist me so I can focus completely on my midwifery studies and it will help in many other areas including rental relief, general living expenses, help with university fees, textbooks, internet and childcare bills. By receiving the scholarship, it will ease the financial stress that is involved in attending University.
Monique Mennie - Category A ($5,000) Scholarship Recipient, 2020

My name is Naomi Notting, I am an energetic, ambitious individual who keen a passion for women’s rights in pregnancy, birth and postpartum. I am a mum of three and a proud Gubbi Gubbi women from the Duungidjawu country. I am currently in my first year of my Bachelor of Midwifery at the University of Canberra.
Receiving this scholarship will help reduce my financial stress around affording essentials to continue my degree, such as textbooks, equipment and uniforms.
Naomi Notting - Additional Scholarship, 2020

My name is Sheree Martin. I am a proud Anaiwan woman. I am currently in my 2nd year of the Away from Base Bachelor of Midwifery through the Australian Catholic University based in Brisbane. This scholarship will assist me with childcare fees as well as purchasing some new office supplies to assist with my students.
Sheree Martin - Additional Scholarship, 2020

My name is Tyra, I am a proud Bundjalung woman currently living in Sydney to undertake a Bachelor of Midwifery at UTS. I am passionate about being able to make a different to the lives of many, in particular Aboriginal families and becoming a registered Midwife will allow me to do that.
This scholarship will provide financial assistance that will go towards purchasing textbooks, uniforms and other essential items to complete my degree. This will be greatly beneficial as a full time student living away from home and allow me to focus on my studies with less financial pressure.
Tyra McEwen - Additional Scholarship, 2020