The ANU National Centre for Indigenous Studies and Australian Centre for Indigenous History are working closely with partner organisations to develop an ambitious Linkage application exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Defence participation.

The Australian War Memorial, National Archives of Australia, National Library of Australia, AIATSIS, the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans Association were all represented at the second Adivisory Group meeting in August.

The Linkage grant application is due in November 2011, and if it proves successful the research would begin in July 2012.

NCIS Director Mick Dodson chaired the meeting ahead of his departure to take up a position as Chair of Australian Studies at Harvard University.

Image: L to R  Ann McGrath (ACIH), Donna Boulton (Defence) and Mick Dodson (NCIS) after the Second Advisory Group Meeting, 3 August 2011.