Your gift, their knowledge, our future

Imagine a future where Indigenous knowledge helps shape health and wellbeing innovation in ways that are ethical, community-led, and grounded in respect. That future is possible — but only if Indigenous knowledge is protected, Indigenous governance is upheld, and communities remain in control of how their knowledge is used.

Dr Alana Gall

Dr Alana Gall is a Truwulway and Litamirimina woman from the E/NE coasts of Lutruwita (Tasmania), an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, and Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Traditional Medicine at the National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Southern Cross University. Her work focuses on protecting Indigenous knowledge and reshaping how research and development with Australian native plants is done in this country. Her innovation — an Indigenous-led best-practice framework for R&D with Australian native plants — was internationally recognised through the World Health Organization’s 2025 Health Heritage Innovations Open Call, where it was selected as one of 21 awardees worldwide. 

“Australia currently lacks legislation to protect Indigenous knowledge, leaving communities with legitimate fears of biopiracy and exploitation for commercial gain. As the native food and medicine industry continues to grow, it is critical that action is taken now to close the legal gap—ensuring these resources and knowledges are not used without proper community engagement, consent, and accountability.” 

Indigenous knowledge. Indigenous rights. Indigenous futures.

Across Australia, Indigenous knowledge of plants, healing, and Country has been built and sustained over millennia. Yet native plant research and commercial development have too often been shaped by systems that overlook Indigenous governance, consent, and fair benefit-sharing.

This project is developing an Indigenous-led best-practice framework to guide ethical, culturally safe, and scientifically robust research and development with Australian native plants. It will provide practical guidance across the full pipeline — from early research and testing through to regulation, commercialisation, and benefit-sharing — while embedding Indigenous leadership, accountability, and clear safeguards from the outset.

Your support, real impact

With your support, this work can help prevent exploitation, reduce the risk of harm, and create a stronger pathway for innovation that communities can trust. Your donation will directly support the development of practical guidance for researchers, industry, funders, and policymakers so that Indigenous knowledge is not taken without consent, communities are not excluded from decisions, and benefits are not separated from the people and places they come from.

A future built on respect

This is about more than research. It is about building a future where Indigenous knowledge is protected, Indigenous leadership is recognised, and the benefits of Australian native plant innovation are shared fairly and on community terms. Your gift is an investment in a more just, accountable, and community-led future.

Donate today and help build an Indigenous-led future for research and development with Australian native plants.

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