All guides: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives: Ethics in Indigenous research

Getting started

Do you know what country you live and work on? Visit AIATSIS to explore a Map of Indigenous Australia representing language groups across the continent. An understanding of your local context is critical to good engagement with Indigenous knowledge.

Researchers from other diverse cultures need to stop conducting research ‘on’ First Nations communities and instead work ‘with’ them to gain knowledge. The following article published in The Conversation explains how researchers from other diverse cultures can best establish relationships with First Nations people when conducting research in their communities.

‘You can’t just show up and start asking questions’: why researchers need to understand the importance of yarning for First Nations
An article from The Conversation by Robyn Ober, Rhonda Oliver and Sender Dovchin posted August 23, 2022.

Ethics and guidelines

AIATSIS

The AIATSIS Act (1989) mandates the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) to provide leadership in the field of ethics and protocols for research related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and collections.

Code of Ethics (AIATSIS)
The AIATSIS Code sets national standards for the ethical and responsible conduct of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, across all disciplines and methodologies. It is for use by all undertaking, reviewing or funding research, including individuals, universities, governments, industry and community organisations.
Principles for engagement in projects concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (AIATSIS)
The guide is written for people from other diverse cultures providing foundational principles for engagement in projects concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Engaging with Traditional Owners (AIATSIS)
A guide to engaging with Traditional Owners using the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

NHMRC

Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities (NHMRC)
Guidelines for researchers and stakeholders provides a set of principles to ensure research is safe, respectful, responsible, high quality and of benefit to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
Keeping research on track II (NHMRC)
A companion guideline that provides advice on how the values and principles of Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities can be put into practice.

Australia Council for the Arts

Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts
This guide provides protocols to prevent the misuse of tangible and intangible First Nations cultural heritage, which are not specifically protected under Australian copyright law. The protocols create pathways for collaborations and creations of new Indigenous works.

Indigenous Evaluation Strategy

Indigenous Evaluation Strategy
The strategy provides a whole-of-government framework for Australian Government agencies to use when selecting, planning, conducting and using evaluations of policies and programs affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Lowitja Institute

Pathways into Research Toolkit
The Pathways into Research tools aim to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to pursue pathways into research and for our people, organisations and communities to engage with and lead health research.

Teaching and Research guides

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives