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Editorial style guide for content on Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander health
June 2024
This style guide is specific to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
Web content on health.gov.au uses
plain English and usual y follows the style choices of the
Australian Government Style Manual. The Style Manual has a specific section
on Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples. When creating this guidance we reviewed several guides and then consulted with the
department’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff Network.
The final guidance
differs in places from other style guides, but is approved usage for the department.
In all content, aim to us
e strengths-based language rather than focusing on ‘problems’.
by the
Referring to people
Use
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – Use this as first choice in most cases. Refers to
a collective of individual people from dif erent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations across
Australia.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples – Refers to the collective of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Nations across Australia.
First Nations people – While ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’ is first choice, ‘First Nations’
is interchangeable and can be used when space is limited (for example, in website navigation
menus). Take care with substituting ‘First Nations’ if could lead to confusion (because First
and Aged Care administratively.
Nations can be used to describe Indigenous peoples from across the world). For example, if a
health service is only available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (such as the MBS
item 715 – Health Assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People), changing this to
‘First Nations’ could imply that it is available to other First Nations peoples (such as Māori
people).
First Nations Peoples
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people – Use in contexts wher
This document has been released e it is important to
acknowledge people who identify with both unique cultures.
non-Indigenous Australians
Avoid
Indigenous people (see notes on use of
‘Indi
Department of Health genous’)
Indigenous Australians
First Australians
First Nations Australians
Do not use
Aborigine, Aborigines
Islander, Islanders
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acronyms like ‘ATSI’ or ‘TSI’
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent
our – in the context of sentences such as ‘our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff’.
This can make staff feel as if they are ‘owned’ by the department.
Terms and phrases
Non-Indigenous people should not use these words without permission
mob
the
blackfulla/s
yarn
by
walkabout
These words have been used throughout history to demean and describe Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people in a derogatory way. While Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
administratively.
people are reclaiming these words for their own use, non-Indigenous people should not use
them without permission.
released
Care
Acknowledgement of Country
See the intranet page
Acknowledging and celebrating First Nations people for up-to-date
been
guidance. As of June 2024, the approved Acknowledgement of Country for departmental
websites is:
Aged
The Department of Health and Aged C
has are acknowledges the Traditional Owners and
Custodians of Country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land,
and
sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders
both past and present.
First Nations
Health
Note that not all Aboriginal and/or Torr
document es Strait Islander people agree with this terminology.
More widespread use in governm
of ent was introduced in 2022 by the Minister for Indigenous
Australians, but without consultation.
This
Indigenous
Avoid using ‘Indigenous’ to describe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people.
You cannot avoid it if it forms part of a program name, such as Indigenous Australians’ Health
Programme.
Department
You can use Indigenous to refer to organisations (for example, the Indigenous health sector).
Can be used in:
• Indigenous beliefs and knowledge
• Indigenous data sovereignty
• Indigenous wellbeing methods and practices
• Indigenous languages.
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2
Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs)
Now preferred over Aboriginal Community Control ed Health Organisations (ACCHOs). No
hyphen between community and control ed. Lower case s at end of initialism to indicate plural. Do
not use an apostrophe.
Aboriginal Medical Services (AMSs)
Use in preference to Aboriginal Health Services (AHS) or Remote Area Aboriginal Health
Services (RAAHS).
Capitalisation
T
he Style Manual notes that ‘There are few firm rules for capitalisation, as dif erent peoples have
their own preferences. Always ask the relevant community’s preferences and usag
the es, and follow
their advice.’
by
Given that we are a federal government department, this localised approach may not always be
possible in our writ en materials. In general, we follow the Style Manual’s convention of minimal
capitalisation. For the terms Country, Elders, Traditional Custodians and Traditional Owners, we
now capitalise to align with Reconciliation Australia.
administratively.
Term
Notes
released
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Lower case for ‘health worker’ (similar to doctor,
Islander health worker
physiotherapist etc) Care
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Lower case for ‘health practitioner’ (similar to doctor,
Islander health practitioner
physiotherapist etc
been )
Acknowledgement of Country
Capitalised as per
Style Manual
Aged
community/communities
Lower case
has
Country
Upper case to align with Reconciliation Australia
culture
Lower case
and
cultural determinants of health
Lower case
social determinants of health
Lower case
Elders
Upper case to align with Reconciliation Australia
document
Health
Traditional Custodians
Upper case to align with Reconciliation Australia
of
Traditional Owners
Upper case to align with Reconciliation Australia
This
Health Plan
Cap when using as a shortened version of the full name
(National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
Plan)
Indigenous
Capitalised, unless referring to many indigenous
peoples internationally
Department
Welcome to Country
Capitalised as per
Style Manual
Content warnings
Images or voices of deceased people
If your content includes the name, voice or photo of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
person who has died, provide the following warning at the beginning. Modify the parts in
italics as required for your content:
June 2024
3
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this
website/document/video contains
images, voices and names of
a person/people who
has/have died.
Sensitive content
If your content could cause distress, consider including a content warning. Adjust the wording
to suit the content. An example is:
Content warning: This piece discusses sensitive topics around trauma and racism.
Consent
If you are using an image or recording, ensure that consent to use it has been obtained
(including for promotional material/social media channels).
the
by
administratively.
released
Care
been
has Aged
and
document
Health
of
This
Department
June 2024
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Document Outline
