Article
December 12, 2025
Message from the TIS National Coordinator, Prof Tom Calma AO
When I look back on this year, I’m incredibly proud of what our Tackling Indigenous Smoking network has achieved together. From community barbecues and school visits through to keynote addresses and national policy forums, you have shown again that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lead the work, we see real change.
One of the most significant milestones was securing stronger, more stable funding for TIS. From 1 July, the program is now supported through the National Tobacco Excise Fund, alongside the new National Lung Cancer Screening Program. That shift, combined with indexation, gives our sector the certainty to plan ahead, invest in staff and design the kind of long-term campaigns that save lives. It is a clear recognition that tobacco control remains one of the most effective public health investments in the country, and that TIS is leading that work.
Right across the year, you have demonstrated why that confidence is well placed. The 2025 National TIS Workers Workshop in Darwin and the CEO Workshop in Sydney were standout moments. In Darwin, the energy in the room showed how far this program has come: strong regional leadership, creative youth engagement, bold anti-vaping campaigns and a workforce that knows its communities and is trusted by them. In Sydney, CEOs and senior leaders dug into the detail of performance, risk and preparation for the 2027–31 funding round bid, with a clear message from me and from you: we intend to keep growing this program and strengthening its impact.
Our National Reach and Priority Projects (NRPP) funding rounds have been another important highlight. The strong interest and high-quality tenders show the appetite for innovation, especially in regional, remote and very remote communities, and among young people and pregnant women. The Which Way? team’s $4.7 million MRFF grant to expand their program nationally is a powerful example of how projects can grow into major, Aboriginal-led initiatives that shift practice across the country.
This year has also seen TIS and our allies influencing national and international conversations. I spoke at the Public Health Association of Australia’s Preventive Health Conference, the International Life Course Conference, and delivered the Deakin University Indigenous Oration at Federation Square. In each of these spaces, I highlighted the TIS model, Indigenous lead and supported, community empowerment and leadership, grounded in culture and driven by evidence. The TIS model of practice is a live example of how all First Nations programs should be designed and funded if we are serious about closing the gap. Our published research and commentary on eradicating commercial tobacco and tackling vaping have carried that message to global audiences.
On the ground, your work has remained the heart of the story. From Mapoon’s Breathe In Breathe Out hip hop project, to local World No Tobacco Day events, to councils and health services ramping up efforts on responsible vape disposal, TIS teams have continued to lead practical, community-owned solutions. The development of the TIS Workforce Development Framework, and the strong participation in social media and digital engagement sessions, show that we are not standing still. We are building a skilled, confident workforce that can meet young people where they are, online, in schools, in workplaces and on Country.
Alongside these program achievements, I have been deeply honoured by personal recognitions that are, in truth, a reflection of our collective efforts. The naming of rooms and centres, the Deakin Oration, the Tom Calma Medal and inclusion in The Art of Humanity have each provided opportunities to bring TIS, and the work of our communities, into the spotlight. The scholarship fund for veterans and reservists at the University of Canberra, supported through that recognition, is one way of giving back and supporting healing in another part of our community.
Through all of this, the core facts remain stark and motivating. Smoking still causes around one third of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths. At the same time, the TIS program has contributed to tens of thousands fewer daily smokers, thousands of lives saved and greater awareness and action at the community level and especially with children and youth. That combination, the scale of the challenge and the evidence of our success, is exactly why this work matters and why we keep pushing.
I want to thank every TIS worker, coordinator, CEO, community partner and ally for your efforts this year. Whether you are running a small local event or contributing to national policy, you are part of a program that is proving, every day, that when communities are trusted, empowered, resourced and genuinely partnered, they deliver.
We go into the next year with stronger funding arrangements, a growing evidence base and a national workforce that knows its purpose. Let’s keep using that platform to innovate, to speak truth to power and to support our mob to live longer, healthier lives, smoke-free and vape-free.
Enjoy time with your loved ones over the festive break and stay safe and healthy. Remember you can stay up to date with national events and days of interest by downloading our 2026 NBPU TIS Calendar here.
Professor Tom Calma AO
National Coordinator Tackling Indigenous Smoking