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Research Advisory Committees

The quality, independence and ethics of AIATSIS research activities and research grants are subject to oversight by the statutory Research Advisory Committee, the Native Title Research Advisory Committee and the Research Ethics Committee, which make recommendations to the AIATSIS Council. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a major role to play as members of these and other committees.

The Research Advisory Committee assesses applications made to the Institute for research grants, and makes recommendations to the Council in relation to research matters and applications for membership of the Institute. The committee comprises three members of the Council appointed by the Council; eight members of the Institute, elected by members of the Institute in accordance with the Institute’s rules. The Principal is ex-officio chair.

In 2007–08, the eight elected members of the committee and their areas of expertise were:

• Mr Kim Akerman – archaeology
• Ms Jeannie Bell – linguistics
• Dr Gaynor Macdonald – social anthropology
• Dr Colin Pardoe – health and biological sciences
• Dr Kaye Price – history
• Associate Professor Lester-Irabinna Rigney – education and cultural transmission
• Mr Russell Taylor – public policy, politics and law
• Ms Christine Watson – arts
• Council representatives on the committee were Mr Bedford, Ms Marika and Mr Williams.

The Native Title Research Advisory Committee provides advice to the Principal on the NTRU’s research program. Committee members are appointed by the Council for terms of two years.
The members of the committee at 30 June 2008 were:

• Professor Michael Dodson, AM
• Mr Michael Williams
• Mr Steve Larkin (Principal)
• Dr Luke Taylor (Deputy-Principal, Research and Information)
• Dr Gaye Sculthorpe, AM (Member, National Native Title Tribunal)
• Mr Wayne Bergmann (CEO, Kimberley Land Council)
• Dr Kingsley Palmer (Consultant anthropologist)
• Mr Robert Blowes (Barrister)
• Mr Greg Roche (Manager, Land Branch, FaHCSIA)

The Research Ethics Committee is concerned with the clearance of ethical aspects of community-based research proposed by the Institute’s staff and by grantees, as well as external collaborative research projects to be carried out with AIATSIS staff under the auspices of the Institute. Members of the committee are appointed by the Council in line with categories established by the National Health and Medical Research Council. Current members of the committee:

• Ms Christine Grant – Chair
• Mr Bunja Smith – minister of religion, or Aboriginal Elder or equivalent
• Mr Graeme Evans – layperson
• Ms Vivienne Holmes – lawyer
• Mr Mark McMillan – person with knowledge of, and current experience in, areas of research regularly considered by the committee
• Dr John Thompson – person with knowledge of, and current experience in, the care, counselling or treatment of people
• Dr Laga Van Beek – layperson