This article will aim to demonstrate how we applied a collaborative dialogical research approach to understand perspectives of an Aboriginal wellbeing program by extending Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action to respect Australian Aboriginal ways of knowing, being and doing. This process aims to disrupt the colonizing discourse by bridging the disconnect between Indigenous decolonizing methods and Western knowledges, toward a dialogical, respectful, appropriate and reciprocally beneficial research project. We discuss how layers of reflexivity (self, interpersonal and collective) have a role in communicative relationality (trust and shared decision making). We propose cross-cultural communicative relationality is strengthened by three key researcher actions; inner listening, relational actions beyond discourse and collective knowledge, along with Habermas criteria for discerning the motivations of action (communicative vs strategic). This article provides researchers from a variety of disciplines a way to respectively research in the critical paradigm while considering Aboriginal ways toward building a relationship that is mutually beneficial.

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Objective To describe the development of and key factors for sustaining a rural‐based research team focussed on nutrition and dietetics. Design A longitudinal embedded case study approach with data sourced from publicly available records and observations. Case study sub‐units were developed into 3 phases with analysis using theoretical propositions and pattern matching. Quantitative data were descriptively analysed. Setting University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health across 4 rural sites. Participants Publicly available data sources from existing team members. Main outcome measures Staffing levels, research supervision, internal and external grant outcomes and peer‐reviewed journal publications. Result Academic staffing has increased by 4 full‐time equivalent positions over 18 years, with 6 current higher‐degree research students. Key factors identified in the development of a discipline‐specific research workforce included staff higher degree by research completions, longevity of staff in research‐active roles, immersive rural placements with a research component and collaborations with nationally competitive researchers. Rural pilot research projects, community connections, understanding of the local context and research networks were fundamental to establishing a viable team. Conclusion Systematically investing in research that is embedded in local communities will ensure sustainability and relevance, capacity building of existing staff and an ability to problem solve at the local level. Sustained and focussed investment is needed if the current rural research workforce is to develop towards a capacity that meets current demand.

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AimTo develop and pilot a tool to evaluate Australian dietitians' and student dietitians' ethical and professional practice using social media.MethodsA Social Media Evaluation Checklist was developed based on checklist development literature with a four‐staged process. Stage one included a literature review and input from an expert panel to ensure content validity. Stages two and three were to ensure face validity by categorising the checklist and pilot testing the tool. Instagram profiles and posts were audited by two authors using the checklist in the final stage to analyse ethical and professional use. An account purposely created for this study was used, and the first 25 dietitian and first 25 student dietitian profiles identified using the key words ‘dietitian’, ‘student dietitian’ and ‘dietitian student’ and the hashtag ‘#australiandietitian’ were reviewed.ResultsA total of 50 Instagram profiles and 250 posts were audited based on seven categories; (1) financial disclosure, (2) cultural awareness, (3) evidence‐based information, (4) transparency, (5) privacy/confidentiality, (6) professionalism and (7) justifiability. Areas for improvement included advertising transparency which was met in only 12% of dietitian posts, and the provision of evidence‐based information, which was met in 56% of dietitian posts and 72% of student dietitian posts.ConclusionsThis study provides insight into the ethical and professional use of social media by Australian dietitians and dietetics students. With the evolving nature of social media, guidance is required. This will ensure dietitians remain, now and in the future, the credible source of nutrition information for the public.