Associate Professor Peter James Malouf

Dr Peter Malouf is a proud Wakka Wakka and Wuli Wuli descendant from Central Queensland, he is an Associate Professor at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW. and Adjunct Associate Professor in Public Health and Tropical Medicine, at James Cook University, Townsville Queensland, and Board of Director of the Cancer Institute of NSW and Observer on the Audit and Risk Commitee of CINSW and a Board of Director the Indigenous Wellbeing Centre, Bundaberg 

Dr Malouf has been a health executive with over 25 years’ experience. His previous executive roles have included Executive Director, Operations at the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council for NSW, Chief Executive Officer of the Townsville Aboriginal & Islander Health Service, and General Manager, Organisational Development at Kalwun Development Corporation, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled organisation delivering access to health, family, and community support services.  Dr Malouf completed his PhD in 2017 examining alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms in university students and presented findings of his work at the Indigenous Speaker Series at NHMRC and Poche Centre Research Series at University of Sydney. Dr Malouf continues to engage in research with a distinctive focus on utilising Indigenous research methodologies that uphold the principles of Indigenous sovereignty. Furthermore, his research interests encompass suicide prevention and mental health, addressing critical facets of public health.

Dr Malouf's research focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and their health outcomes. Dr Malouf's current program examine intervention to address cannabis dependence, a randomised controlled trial of cannabidiol (CBD) in the treatment of cannabis dependence (CIH, NHMRC, APP2014980 $2,120,137). Previously, Dr Malouf was a CIB on place-based pandemic response to the strengths and vulnerabilities of Aboriginal communities in south-eastern New South Wales (NSW Ministry COVID-19 Research Grants ($750K) and Indigenous Led Evaluation of Aboriginal Programs (MRF2009568, AI, $1,499,251) and he has collaborated on a capacity building of Indigenous researcher's project (AI, NHMRC 431504, $2,500,000). Dr Malouf has worked in the primary health networks in collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Queensland in co-designing and commissioning AOD and Mental Health Services ($10M~)

Dr Malouf has led curriculum design and implementation of Indigenous Health teaching and learning. His efforts have spanned three distinct universities, adhering to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health standards set forth by the Australian Medical Council's Primary Medical School accreditation. Dr. Malouf's unique approach is marked by collaboration with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, co-designing learning frameworks that prioritise their voices and experiences to guide the cultivation of culturally safe practices and cultural competency. Furthermore, his work extends to decolonising medical curricula and devising strategies to foster asset-based learning and teaching, promoting inclusivity and awareness.

In addition to his academic contributions, Dr Malouf has demonstrated exceptional leadership abilities in steering a major health service organisation in North Queensland through transformative change management and strategic expansion initiatives. His acumen in this context is noteworthy and vast executive experience working in primary and acute health settings. 

Dr Malouf was crucial in spearheading the COVID-19 response with the New South Wales Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. Dr Malouf was a member of the Commonwealth Department of Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 (the Taskforce). Dr Malouf is an Expert Member of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test Guideline Review, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group, with Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.