Abbreviation | CAPA |
---|---|
Predecessor | N/A |
Formation | 1979 |
Headquarters | Level 1, 120 Clarendon St, Southbank, Victoria 3006. |
Location | |
Membership | 33 affiliated university student organisations representing over 440,000 students |
President | Jesse Gardner-Russell |
Vice President | Richard Lee |
Key people | Board Chair: Vacant Board Secretary: Viknash VM Board Treasurer: Vacant NATSIPA Board Appointee: Dr Sharlene Leroy-Dyer Media and Communications Officer: Taylor Broadbent Policy and Research Officer: Maxim Jon Buckley Disabilities Officer: Gemma Lucy Smart International Students Officer: Weihong Liang Regional Officer: Charlie Tran Women's Officer: Vacant Queer Officer: Vacant |
Main organ | Board of Directors |
Affiliations | Australian Council of Graduate Research Science and Technology Australia |
Website | https://www.capa.edu.au/ |
The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) is the peak representative body for postgraduate students in Australia. CAPA's members are 33 postgraduate associations and the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Postgraduate Association (NATSIPA). CAPA provides member associations with representation to the Federal government, and peak bodies such as the Australian Research Council and Universities Australia, on issues affecting postgraduate students in Australia. In 2017, Australia had over 400,000 postgraduate students, representing one quarter of all tertiary students in Australia. [1]
Recognising the dual roles of many postgraduate students, CAPA works in collaboration with the National Union of Students where matters impact on all students (such as voluntary student unionism and funding for higher education), and with the National Tertiary Education Union regarding issues of employment in the tertiary education sector, particularly on the casualisation of the academic workforce.
CAPA has an office located at the NTEU National office in Melbourne, Victoria. Its Annual Council Meeting (ACM), where organisational issues and policy directives are decided, is hosted by a different constituent organisation each year.
CAPA was founded in 1979 by a coalition of ten postgraduate organisations in order to protest taxation on postgraduate research scholarships. [2] Historically, CAPA has been concerned with lobbying around fees on postgraduate degrees.
In 1998, a separate organisation, the National Indigenous Postgraduate Association (NIPA) was formed within CAPA. [3] This association became the National Indigenous Postgraduate Association Aboriginal Corporation (NIPAAC) in 1999, and was later restructured as the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Postgraduate Association (NATSIPA) in 2015.
CAPA consists of elected representatives who sit on the Board and the National Representative Council. Board Directors are elected with terms of 2 years, and are the governing committee under the Association Incorporation Reform Act. Whereas, the National Representative Committee are elected with terms of 1 year and execute CAPA's representative and advocacy functions. Elections are held at the Annual Council Meeting by the membership, which is held in November or December.
2025 National Representative Committee [4]
Position | Name | University Campus |
---|---|---|
National President | Jesse Gardner-Russell | The University of Melbourne |
Vice President | Richard Lee | The University of Queensland |
Media & Communications Officer | Taylor Broadbent | The University of Melbourne |
NATSIPA Liaison Officer | Dr Sharlene Leroy-Dyer | The University of Melbourne |
Policy and Research Advisor | Maxim Jon Buckley | The University of Adelaide |
International Officer | Weihong Liang | The University of Sydney |
Women's Officer | Vacant | - |
Queer Officer | Vacant | - |
Disabilities Officer | Gemma Lucy Smart | The University of Sydney |
Regional Officer | Charlie Tran | Griffith University |
2025 Board of directors [5]
Position | Name | Term | Membership | University Campus |
---|---|---|---|---|
Board Chair | Vacant | |||
Board Secretary | Viknash VM | 2023–2025, 1st Term | Elected | The University of Western Australia |
Board Treasurer | Vacant | |||
Board Member | Vivian Bai | 2025–2026, 1st Term | Elected | The University of Sydney |
Board Member | Dr Sharlene Leroy-Dyer | 2019 -2024, 3rd Term | Appointed by NATSIPA | The University of Melbourne |
Board Member | Mitchell Craig | 2025–2026, 1st Term | Elected | Curtin University |
Board Member | Amitabh Jeganathan | 2025–2026, 1st Term | Elected | The University of Western Australia |
Year | Name | University Campus |
---|---|---|
1979 | Andrew Pik | |
1980 | Robert Biggins | |
1981 | Suw Hatherly | |
1982 | Russel Jacobs | Monash Univerisity |
1983 | Russel Jacobs | Monash Univerisity |
1983 | Hal Swerissen | Murdoch University |
1985 | Catherine Cuthbert | |
1985 | Anne Seitz | Monash Univerisity |
1986 | Anne Seitz | Monash Univerisity |
1987 | Anne Seitz | Monash Univerisity |
1988 | Tony Ryan | |
1989 | Monica Carroll to Katw le Strange | |
1990 | Paul Dworjanyn | The University of New South Wales |
1991 | Teresa Tjia | The University of Western Australia |
1992 | Teresa Tija | The University of Western Australia |
1993 | Shane Ostenfield | |
1994 | Oliver Simmonson | |
1995 | Simon van der Aa | University of Tasmania |
1996 | Danielle Brown | |
1997 | Danielle Brown to | Queensland University of Technology |
1998 | Robert Jansen to Jill Thorpe | The Australian National University The University of Adelaide |
1999 | Tom Clark | Victoria University |
2000 | Bradley Smith | The University of Queensland |
2001 | John Byron | The University of Sydney |
2002 | Leisa Ridges | University of Wollongong |
2003 | Benjamin McKay | Charles Darwin University |
2004 | Stephen Horton | James Cook University |
2005 | Stephen Horton | James Cook University |
2006 | Jason Hart | University of Wollongong |
2007 | Nigel Palmer | Flinders University |
2008 | Nigel Palmer | Flinders University |
2009 | Nigel Palmer | Flinders University |
2010 | Tammi Jonas | The University of Melbourne |
2011 | John Nowakowski | The University of Sydney |
2012 | Chamonix Terblanche to Meghan Hopper | Curtin University Monash University |
2013 | Meghan Hopper | Monash University |
2014 | Meghan Hopper to Vino Rajandran | Monash University University of Tasmania |
2015 | Harry Rolf | University of Tasmania |
2016 | Jim Smith | The University of Melbourne |
2017 | Peter Derbyshire | The University of Western Australia |
2018 | Natasha Abrahams | Monash University |
2019 | Natasha Abrahams | Monash University |
2020 | Romana-Rea Begicivic | Curtin University |
2021 | Errol Phuah | Swinburne University of Technology |
2022 | Nidzam Shah Hussain | Swinburne University of Technology |
2023 | Nidzam Shah Hussain | Swinburne University of Technology |
2024 | Zunayed Mustafa (Resigned July 2024) to Yujia (Lucy) Zhang (Acting) to Richard Lee | Swinburne University of Technology The University of Melbourne The University of Queensland |
Vice President - National Operations Committee (Discontinued) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Name | ||
1981 - position created | Russel Jacobs | ||
1982 | Mike Lawson | ||
1983 | Hal Swerissen | ||
1984 | Katherine Ingram | ||
1985 | Gary Baker | ||
1986 | William Renfrew | ||
1987 | Willian Renfrew | ||
1988 | Adele Milne to John Frame | ||
1989 | Kate le Strange to Tracy Cross | ||
1990 | - | ||
1991 | - | ||
1992 | - | ||
1993 | Oliver Simmonson | ||
1994 | Ramona Mitussis | ||
1995 | Danielle Brown | ||
1996 | Joe Brennan & Phil Reid | ||
1997 | Bronwyn Fredericks to Sali Bache | ||
1998 | Jill Thorpe to Tom Clark | ||
1999 | Steve Warren | ||
2000 | Harriet Baillie | ||
2001 | Angela Pratt | ||
2002 | Jasmina Brankovich | ||
2003 | Svetia Petkova | ||
2004 | Benjamin McKay | ||
2005 | - | ||
2006 | - | ||
2007 | - | ||
2008 | Katherine Barnsley | ||
2009 | Tammi Jonas | ||
2010 | - | ||
2011 | Philippa Hunter | ||
2012 | Harry Rolf | ||
2013 | Harry Rolf | ||
2014 | David Nowak | ||
2015 | Jim Smith | ||
2016 | Zhao (Joe) Lu | ||
2017 | Dylan Styles | ||
2018 | Anish Saini | ||
2019 - Discontinued | - |
Vice President - Equity (Discontinued) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Name | ||
2009 - position created | Katherine Barnsley | ||
2010 | - | ||
2011 | Meghan Hopper | ||
2012 | Angelus Morningstar to Areti Metuamate | ||
2013 | Alex Chung | ||
2014 | Sadie Heckenberg & Vino Rajandran | ||
2015 | Mia Kwok | ||
2016 | Alyssa Shaw | ||
2017 | Vibol Hy | ||
2018 | Mick Fox | ||
2019 - Discontinued | - |
National Vice President | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Name | ||
2019 - position created | Rachel Brisbane | ||
2020 | Bojana Klepac to Errol Phuah | ||
2021 | Adam Scorgie (resigned May 2021) | ||
2022 | Muhammad Bilal Shaikh | ||
2023 | Anumanthram Senthilkumar | ||
2024 | Yujia (Lucy) Zhang |
General Secretary (National Secretary & Treasurer position merge in 2015) National Secretary and Treasurer position un-merge in 2025 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Name | ||
1980 - position created | Geoff Prince | ||
1981 | Paul Wormell | ||
1982 | Catherine Foley | ||
1983 | Rita Hermus | ||
1984 | Harold Thornton | ||
1985 | Brenda Biggs | ||
1986 | Paul Lewis & Rick Moore | ||
1987 | Steven Harvey | ||
1988 | David Albrecht | ||
1989 | Lorraine M Elliot | ||
1990 | Sue Weston | ||
1991 | Barbara Murray | ||
1992 | Barbara Murray | ||
1993 | Christine Beveridge | ||
1994 | Craig Meer | ||
1995 | Jane Fischer | ||
1996 | Paul Vince | ||
1997 | Steven Warren | ||
1998 | Steven Warren | ||
1999 | Alana Chinn | ||
2000 | Alana Clohesy | ||
2001 | Alister Air | ||
2002 | James Taylor | ||
2003 | Gavin Hazel | ||
2004 - | Gavin Hazel | ||
2005 - 2007 | - | ||
2008 - | Bronwyn Crowe | ||
2009 - | Bronwyn Crowe | ||
2010 - | - | ||
2011 - | Joseph Provenzano | ||
2012 | John Nowakowski | ||
2013 | James Searle | ||
2014 | Eduardo Jordan | ||
2015 | Andi Deane | ||
2016 | Peter Hurley | ||
2017 | Natasha Abrahams | ||
2018 | Dylan Styles | ||
2019 | Rachael Brisbane | ||
2020 | Bojana Klepac to Errol Phuah | ||
2021 | Saira Khan | ||
2022 | Nicholas O'Neill | ||
2023 | Muhammad Bilal Shaikh | ||
2024 | Simar Bedi (Resigned July 2024) | ||
2025 - Discontinued |
Board Secretary | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Name | ||
2019 - position created | May Majimbi | ||
2020 | Adam Scorgie | ||
2021 | Nidzam Shah Hussain to Brinda Asarpota | ||
2022 | Alan Wang | ||
2023 | Alan Wang | ||
2024 | Viknash VM |
Board Chair | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Name | ||
2019 - position created | Peter Watson | ||
2020 | Saira Khan | ||
2021 | Peter Watson to Nidzam Shah Hussain | ||
2022 | Edward Satchell to Sharlene Leroy-Dyer | ||
2023 | Radhik Rammohan to Muhammad Rana | ||
2024 | Jesse Gardner-Russell |
Treasurer (discontinued 2015-2024) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Name | ||
1981 - position created | Tim Dabbs | ||
1982 - | Ken Straham | ||
1983 - | Ken Straham | ||
1984 - | Elizabeth Kerr | ||
1985 - | Elizabeth Kerr | ||
1986 - | John Frame | ||
1987 - | John Frame | ||
1988 - | Timothy Littlejohn | ||
1989 - | Jane Murfett | ||
1990 - | Brian Jardine | ||
1991 - | David Smith | ||
1992 - | David Smith | ||
1993 - | David Smith | ||
1994 - | Richard Matejic | ||
1995 - | Ken Taylor | ||
1996 - | Andrew Grienke | ||
1997 - | Andrew Grienke | ||
1998 - | Andrew Woolf | ||
1999 - | Rod Jarman | ||
2000 - | Rod Jarman | ||
2001 - | David Coffman | ||
2002 - | David Coffman | ||
2003 - | Prem Legha | ||
2004 - | Kristen Thuy Hunyh | ||
2005 - 2007 | |||
2008 - | Nick McCarthy | ||
2009 - | Melissa Lovell | ||
2010 - | |||
2011 - | Pricilla Rogers | ||
2012 - | Adrian Soh | ||
2013 - | Sharangan Maheswaran | ||
2014 - | Arjuna Mohattala | ||
2015 - Discontinued | |||
2025 - Re-established as Board Treasurer |
Board Directors | |||
Year | Type | Name | University |
2019 - 2021 (Resigned September 2021) | Elected | Peter Watson | University of Western Australia |
2019 (Resigned July 2019) | Elected | Naomi Hastings | Western Sydney University |
2019 | Elected | Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope | The Australian National University |
2019 - 2021 | Elected | May Majimbi | Curtin University |
2019 - 2021 | Elected | Saira Khan | Griffith University |
2020 - 2020 | Elected | Adam Scorgie | The University of Adelaide |
2020 - 2021 | Elected | Nithin Reddy | Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
2020 - 2021 | Elected | Aidan Cornelius-Bell | Flinders University |
2020 (August) - 2021 (Resigned November 2021) | Appointed | Jessica Lu | Monash University |
2020 (August) - 2021 (Resigned September 2021) | Appointed | Tiana Bastow | The University of Adelaide |
2020 (August) - 2021 (Resigned November 2021) | Appointed | Brinda Asarpota | Curtin University |
2021 (Resigned September 2021) | Elected | Jeremy Waite | The University of Melbourne |
2021 | Elected | Nidzam Shah Hussain | Swinburne University of Technology |
2021 - 2022 | Elected | Simran Kaur | Griffith University |
2022 - 2023 | Appointed | Shriya Henry | Swinburne University of Technology |
2022 - 2023 | Appointed | Karan Mehta | Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
2022 - 2023 | Appointed | Alan Wang | Deakin University |
2022 - 2023 | Appointed | Vineet Prabhakar | Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
2022 (Resigned September 2022) | Elected | Edward Satchell | The University of South Australia |
2023 (Resigned July 2023) | Elected | Radhik Rammohan | Monash University |
2023 - 2024 | Elected | Muhammad Rana | Charles Sturt University |
2024 | Elected | Jesse Gardner-Russell | The University of Melbourne |
2024 (Resigned July 2024) | Elected | Kishaun Thiruvelcham | Swinburne University of Technology |
2024 - Present | Elected | Viknash VM | University of Western Australia |
International Officer | |||
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Devendra Singh | ||
2020 | Devendra Singh | ||
2021 | |||
2022 | Vacant | ||
2023 | Hameed Mohammad | ||
2024 | Vacant |
Executive and Research Officer - Policy and Research Officer | |||
---|---|---|---|
1982 - position created | Marion Zaunbrecher | ||
1983 | Linda Barwick | ||
1984 | Jan Macintyre | ||
1985 - 1994 | |||
1995 | Mark Frankland | ||
1996 | Mark Frankland | ||
1997 | Mark Frankland | ||
1998 | Mark Frankland | ||
1999 | Mark Frankland | ||
2000 | Mark Frankland | ||
2001 | Mark Frankland & Karen Mann & Hilary Pearse | ||
2002 - 2010 | |||
2011 - re-introduced as Policy & Research Advisor | Tammi Jonas | ||
2012 | Meghan Hopper | ||
2013 | Angelus Morningstar | ||
2014 | Sharangan Maheswaran | ||
2015 | Peter Derbyshire | ||
2016 | Vikraman Selvaraja | ||
2017 | Simon Burnett | ||
2018 | Simon Burnett | ||
2019 | Owen Miles | ||
2020 | Errol Phuah | ||
2021 | Eve Walker (resigned May 2021) | ||
2022 | Vacant | ||
2023 | Vacant | ||
2024 | Saad Masood (Resigned July 2024) |
Media & Communications Officer | |||
---|---|---|---|
2015 - position created | Caitlin Bruty | ||
2016 | Natasha Abrahams | ||
2017 | Damilola ayeni | ||
2018 | Zoe Tulip | ||
2019 | Zoe Tulip | ||
2020 | Anushka Kapoor | ||
2021 | Anushka Kapoor | ||
2022 | Vacant | ||
2023 | Vacant | ||
2024 | Jordan Di Natale (Resigned July 2024) |
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) (1990–2005) was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives, established under the Hawke government in 1990. A number of Indigenous programs and organisations fell under the overall umbrella of ATSIC.
The National Union of Students (NUS) is the peak representative body for Australian higher education students. A student union is eligible for membership by its classification as a legitimate student representative body at any Australian post-secondary training provider. The NUS typically organises NUS National Conference (NatCon), NUS Education Conference (EdCon), and the Presidents' Summit each year in addition to other smaller conferences.
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), established as the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies (AIAS) in 1964, is an independent Australian Government statutory authority. It is a collecting, publishing, and research institute and is considered to be Australia's premier resource for information about the cultures and societies of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The University of Technology, Sydney, Students' Association is the representative body for students at the University of Technology, Sydney. It is based on level 3 of building 1 at UTS. It publishes the student magazine Vertigo. The association has departments which have previously worked collaboratively with the university to achieve practical outcomes for students, as well as ensuring that the university is held to account over its handling of student issues. Historically, this has resulted in numerous successful campaigns which have won rights for students in the university.
The YouX Students Representatives Council, formerly the Adelaide University Union Students' Representatives Council, is the student representative body at University of Adelaide. Until a restructure in 2007, the students' representative council had been named Students' Association of the University of Adelaide (SAUA).
The NAISDA Dance College is a performing arts training college based in Kariong, New South Wales for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia. It was established as the Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Scheme (AISDS) in 1975, which became the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) in 1988. The date of establishment of the college is usually cited as 1976, although some sources report it as 1975.
The Australian National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Policy (AEP) is a national policy adopted by the Government of Australia by each State and Territory government. The policy was first introduced in 1989 and is the foundation of education programs for all Indigenous Australians.
Indigenous Australian self-determination, also known as Aboriginal Australian self-determination, is the power relating to self-governance by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. It is the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to determine their own political status and pursue their own economic, social and cultural interests. Self-determination asserts that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should direct and implement Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy formulation and provision of services. Self-determination encompasses both Aboriginal land rights and self-governance, and may also be supported by a treaty between a government and an Indigenous group in Australia.
The Australian Indigenous Communications Association (AICA) is the peak body for Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander broadcasters. It is the successor to the National Indigenous Media Association of Australia (NIMAA).
The Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA) is the peak body of elected representatives who campaign on behalf of the Research and Coursework Students at The University of Sydney, alongside the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council.
The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, formerly National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Clearinghouse, is an internet resource that collects, collates, interprets, and presents evidence-derived knowledge on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in Australia.
The National Congress of Australia's First Peoples was the national representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians from 2009 to 2019.
The Closing the Gap framework is a strategy by the Commonwealth and state and territory governments of Australia that aims to reduce disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians on key health, education and economic opportunity targets. The strategy was launched in 2008 in response to the Close the Gap social justice movement, and revised in 2020 with additional targets and a refreshed strategy.
The Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI), founded in Adelaide, South Australia, as the Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement (FCAA) on 16 February 1958, was a civil rights organisation which campaigned for the welfare of Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, and the first national body representing Aboriginal interests. It was influential in lobbying in favour of the 1967 Referendum on Aboriginal Australians. It was renamed to National Aboriginal and Islander Liberation Movement (NAILM) in the early to mid 1970s, before disbanding in 1978.
MaryAnn Bin-Sallik is a Djaru Elder and Australian academic, specialising in Indigenous studies and culture. She was the first Indigenous Australian to gain a doctorate from Harvard University.
Pat Turner is an Aboriginal Australian of Gudanji-Arrernte heritage who has worked as a civil administrator for policies which guarantee the right to self-determination for Indigenous people. She was awarded the Order of Australia in 1990 for her service.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, also known as the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the First Nations Voice or simply the Voice, was a proposed Australian federal advisory body to comprise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, intended to represent the views of Indigenous communities. The Voice as proposed by the Albanese government would have had the power to make representations to the Parliament of Australia and executive government on matters relating to Indigenous Australians. The specific form of the Voice was to be determined by legislation passed by Parliament had the referendum succeeded.
The Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Bodies, usually known as the Coalition of Peaks is an Australian community-controlled peak body whose members comprise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations. Its main purpose is to negotiate with the various Australian governments regarding a national agreement on the Closing the Gap framework. Closing the Gap is a government strategy that aims to reduce disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians on key health, education, and economic opportunity targets.
Constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians refers to various proposals for changes to the Australian Constitution to recognise Indigenous Australians in the document. Various proposals have been suggested to symbolically recognise the special place Indigenous Australians have as the first peoples of Australia, along with substantial changes, such as prohibitions on racial discrimination, the protection of languages and the addition of new institutions. In 2017, the Uluru Statement from the Heart was released by Indigenous leaders, which called for the establishment of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament as their preferred form of recognition. When submitted to a national referendum in 2023 by the Albanese government, the proposal was heavily defeated.
Vanessa Lee-AhMat is an Australian scholar who was the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PhD graduate from Griffith University School of Medicine. In 2005, Lee-AhMat was recognised by the Parliament of Australia for her dedication and commitment to Thursday Island community, in the Torres Strait.