The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) has developed new pathways for protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) and enabling Indigenous Data Sovereignty. Our approach is founded on the AIATSIS Code of Ethics but uses a novel approach to ensure that science partnerships genuinely respect the rights of Tasmanian Aboriginal people. Our approach involves ensuring that the collective rights of Tasmanian Aboriginal people are respected and that all persons working with us understand their obligations to respect the rights of the community.
This has been achieved through the TAC developing a Palawa Country Statement and Acknowledgement Forms for scientists to sign to record their understanding of the terms of collaborative research agreements. This unpacks the inequity implicit in conventional approaches as Aboriginal people are not the party signing paperwork to give rights to others, but rather scientists are acknowledging their understanding of the community’s rights.
Critically it also recognises that representative community-controlled organisations are best placed to work with their people to give practical and appropriate protection to the community’s rights to ICIP and Indigenous Data Sovereignty. This enables the community to be appropriately informed about the risks and benefits of research, consistent with cultural protocols and community governance arrangements.