Image
The publication of a comprehensive new guide has launched Natural Hazards Research Australia’s new home for the growing suite of resources for culturally sensitive research practices.
Using cultural land management principles and protocols: a guide for collaborative principles, processes and protocols for governance and research is a companion piece to the Principles and protocols for cultural land management governance and research published in November 2023 and supports agencies, organisations, researchers and government in how to apply the best-practice protocols, processes and principles. It was developed in the Cultural land management research and governance in south-east Australia project to guide more ethical and collaborative cultural land management research.
The Principles and Protocols and guide to using them were developed by the project team and steering group, including project team members: Timothy Neale, Oliver Costello, Bhiamie Eckford-Williamson, Andrea Rawluk, Michael-Shawn Fletcher, Shaun Hooper and Tasmin-Lara Dilworth; and project steering group: Matthew Shanks, Vikki Parsley, Daniel and Gabrielle Miller, Jack Pascoe and Teagan Goolmeer.
Noted by the authors as purposefully created to act as a set of guidelines for use in local conversations and a work in progress, the guide aims to evolve and grow alongside the different contexts and practices of good collaboration across Australia, as well as to ensure the open-ended nature of collaboration.
The First Nations engagement resources page provides high-level guidance and resources for non-Indigenous researchers on how to engage with First Nations peoples with respect and cultural safety. This applies to all Centre-funded research. This collection of resources is constantly growing and evolving in collaboration with the First Nations rights-holders and as the Centre develops its First Nations Strategy, which will further define expectations for the engagement with and consideration of First Nations peoples in Centre-funded research.
The launch of this page reflects the Centre’s continuing commitment to our REFLECT Reconciliation Action Plan and achieving the remaining deliverables. Critically, it reflects our vision of reconciliation of a Centre and sector that:
- will learn to value, respect, trust and represent First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians and knowledge holders of the landscapes that natural hazard research in Australia seeks to protect
- will meaningfully include First Nations peoples in the development of a national natural hazards research program and priorities that are developed with genuine partnership
- will support First Nations peoples to lead, design and conduct research that benefits communities and landscapes across their Country
- will provide First Nations peoples with the collaborative support needed to strengthen their access and connection to Country and culture in ways that benefit and align with their values and vision for a sustainable and resilient future.
The resources should be referred to regardless of whether the research has a First Nations focus or not, as all our research is on Country.
As a research funder, the Centre plays a crucial role in guiding the engagement practices of all researchers in the emergency management and disaster resilience sectors. By combining the resources in one place, it is hoped that researchers will be equipped with the tools they need to realise these principles in their engagements on Country.