Informed, engaged communities for health
This publication includes four feature articles on First Nations knowledge translation, with stories from Canada and across Australia. The publication was produced by Croakey Professional Services for the Lowitja Institute. It was edited by Associate Professor Megan Williams.
This publication brings together stories, podcasts and artwork from #JusticeCOVID, a social journalism project investigating the health and wellbeing of prisoners and their families during the COVID19-pandemic. #JusticeCOVID has put the spotlight on issues such as institutional racism, human rights abuses, and a lack of transparency and accountability by governments and others involved in the prison-industrial complex. It also showcases the leadership provided by many community members and organisations. This series was supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
On 28 January, when we published our first article about the new respiratory infection, “Catch up with useful news and sources on the new coronavirus”, 107 deaths had been reported globally. At that time, the pace of developments was so rapid, our priority was to connect our readers with useful sources of updates. We publish this analysis of our first four months of covering the pandemic to acknowledge and thank all those who have contributed to our coverage and wider public debate. We also thank those organisations and individuals whose funding support enables this work at such a critical time.
On 8 May, more than 40 health advocates contributed to an 11-hour #AusVotesHealth Twitter Festival that profiled critical health matters ahead of the 2019 Federal election. The #AusVotesHealth Twitter Festival sought to provide an open platform for wide-ranging discussions that centred health equity concerns, with a focus on moving beyond the silos that so often plague the sector, policy and service delivery.
To mark the historic occasion of Professor Sir Michael Marmot delivering the Boyer Lectures and putting a renewed public focus on the social determinants of health and health inequalities, Croakey released an e-publication featuring 25 key #SDOH articles, out of more than 1,000 we have published over the past several years.
This e-books compiles a series of columns where Dr Tim Senior investigated the health impacts of policies (including within the health sector but mainly outside of the health sector). Our thanks to all who supported the crowdfunded #WonkyHealth project – read more here.
Croakey is an outstanding achievement and an absolutely essential part of the public health scene. It’s required reading for anyone who wants to know what’s happening, why, and what should be happening. Croakey is produced by an exceptional team of editors, authors and other contributors. Always a top read.
Emeritus Professor Mike Daube
Curtin University
Croakey gives me the best independent and most relevant public health news and views.
Dr Mark Wenitong
Public Health Medical Advisor, Apunipima Cape York Health Council , Associate Professor (Adjunct) School of Public Health,Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences James Cook University, Cairns.
Croakey is terrific. Thought provoking, well researched information….and easy to read. A great combination.
Professor Kate Conigrave
Professor Addiction Medicine, The University of Sydney
Croakey is a must read for anyone who craves the public health stories that no one else reports. A truly independent and critical voice that both exposes health injustices and champions smart solutions to health inequalities.
Dr Becky Freeman
Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney
Mental Health Victoria – Croakey Conference News Service coverage of #Lived Experience online forum
Mental Health Victoria, in partnership with the Victorian Healthcare Association, ran an online forum on the importance of embedding the voice of lived experience in mental health system reform.
Croakey journalist Marie McInerney did an exceptional job of covering the event through both real-time social media posts and a written article summarising the discussion and themes that arose during the forum.
Her regular Twitter posts throughout the event generated lively discussion and helped emphasise and elevate the important contributions from the consumer voices.
The article that Marie wrote on the event, titled “Imagine a mental health system that meets the needs of consumers and carers” took the reader on a journey through the forum’s key themes along with images and other media to supplement the discussion. It received very positive feedback from all involved.
Larissa Taylor
Director, Policy, Mental Health Victoria
If you care about a public health issue, or want others to care, get it online and get it on Croakey.
Professor Tarun Weeramanthri
Public health physician
One of my favourite things about Croakey is the active engagement of so many people with a passion for equity and public health.
Dr Melissa Sweet
public health journalist and Croakey founder
The future of health care is too important to leave to the mainstream media. Croakey provides a platform for robust, respectful and inclusive debate on the health issues that really matter.
Jennifer Doggett
Croakey editor and health policy analyst
Croakey is the platform where health issues are dissected from every angle – from the complex impact on health arising from social, economic and environmental policies, to the influence of vested interests on public health, and insightful analysis of health care policies. It is a place where I can read the viewpoints of those who don’t often get heard in the mainstream media alongside prominent experts, learn about the lived experiences of diverse Australians, and see opportunities and fresh approaches to tackle our most challenging health issues.
Marita Hefler
Researcher, News Editor, BMJ Tobacco Control
Croakey provides an informed voice to the health, equity and environmental debates, and is helping mobilise the necessary political and popular support for a radical break from the complacent and compartmentalized attitude that still dominates much of the political agenda.
Professor Sharon Friel
Australian National University
We are working very hard to ensure Croakey Health Media becomes sustainable into the future. Every donation helps! No amount is too small to make a difference. You can choose to make a one-off donation or become a regular donor. Please donate here.
Please also consider registering at our Patreon account that supports public interest journalism on the climate crisis and health – it’s an easy way to support us through regular donations. Every dollar helps.
Public interest journalism is an important determinant of health, due to its roles in accountability and holding power to account, empowering communities, and contributing to health literacy. A strong public interest journalism sector contributes to planetary health and health equity, as well as healthier people, communities, societies, and systems of governance.
Croakey has a mixed revenue stream that includes support from members of our funding consortium. There are four tiers of funding consortia:-
The details of each tier can be found here and a list of current consortium members can be found here.
If you would like to be part of one of the Consortia, please contact us at: laurell@croakey.org.
You can also support Croakey by subscribing to our weekly email bulletin or by making a donation.
With a health system that is facing unprecedented challenges we need all the courage and all the insight we can get our hands on. Croakey is a space that invites us to to challenge and interrogate our practice and our policy. Croakey’s journalism and activism inspires me to remain optimistic.
Mary Freer
Change Day Australia
