Her research interests include Indigenous history, Indigenous art, contemporary visual arts, museology and social justice issues. Anna brings to her research her personal experiences of Aboriginal community life through marriage and work.

Her most recent books are Spinning the Dream: Assimilation in Australia 1950-1970 (Fremantle, 2008) and the multi-award winning book Broken Circles: Fragmenting Indigenous Families 1800-2000 (Fremantle, 2000), Australia's first national history of the Stolen Generations.