Dr Robert Blackley is a Bwgcolman man from Palm Island. He has over twenty years in public administration and public policy. He is a former Mayor of Palm Island and has worked as a Ministerial policy advisor and Community development leader.
Working as a paramedic reignited his passion for studying medicine and he graduated as a Doctor of Medicine with the Sydney Medical Program in 2019. After his initial medical training at Royal Darwin Hospital, he gained an AGPT position with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and moved to Sydney to do a year of sexual health and addiction medicine at the Kirketon Road Centre.
Dr Blackley has since returned home to Palm Island, where he now works as a Senior Medical Officer at the Joyce Palmer Health Service, while continuing his training with ACRRM.
He has been actively involved in men’s, youth and charity groups. He is committed to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Dr Blackley returned to AIDA as a Board Director in 2024.