The Public Health Association of Australia voted almost unanimously to establish an Indigenous voice to guide the organisation's work.
The association's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander vice president Summer May Finlay said the voice would advise on how to better include Indigenous perspectives in public health agendas, amplifying the voices of communities.
She said in turn, this would lead to better health outcomes for First Nations people.
"We've had 230 years plus of colonisation, which has seen, quite frankly, poor health outcomes for our mob," the Yorta Yorta woman told AAP.
"What this (voice) means is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are going to be front and centre on matters that impact us."
The voice, known as the First Nations Collective, was approved by the association's membership following a two-year consultation process.
The consultation was led by the association's former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander vice president, Alana Gall, a Truwulway woman who said its almost unanimous acceptance made the hard work worth it.
Almost two years after Australians voted down a national voice to parliament, Associate Professor Finlay said the support for this First Nations Collective gave her hope.
"After the failed referendum, I have to say I was feeling very disheartened that the vast majority of Australians didn't understand or support the need for Aboriginal voices on matters that impacted us," she said.
"But what this shows me is that the vast majority of public health professionals recognise the need and the value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices."
Assoc Prof Finlay said she hoped other peak organisations would follow the example set by the public health association.
"It shows what other organisations could and should be doing," she said.
"It role models what can be done by non-government organisations, given the voice to parliament wasn't successful."
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