Protocols For Working With Indigenous People

The following list is a limited summary of available protocol guidelines to assist local reconciliation groups, local government and the general public to help build effective partnerships with Indigenous groups and to ensure Indigenous involvement in their activities. This list includes guides from NSW, other States and for those working in the arts.

Working with Aboriginal people and communities: A practical resource
This practice resource is a guide for all Community Services and relevant non-government organisation (NGO) staff, particularly field staff. It has been developed to improve service delivery to Aboriginal people by providing staff with key facts, and information relevant to working with Aboriginal communities in NSW.

Respect, Acknowledge, Listen

This publication was produced by Community Cultural Development NSW Ltd, 2003. This guide provides practical protocols to assist everyone with ways of working and communicating with the Indigenous community of Western Sydney, but includes much useful and accessible information which is relevant for many different communities.

Other New South Wales Protocol Guides

Communicating Positively: A Guide to Appropriate Aboriginal Terminology

This guide was developed to assist NSW Health staff to communicate more effectively with their Indigenous clients. It explores the correct terminology to describe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as terms associated with Aboriginal communities and community organisations. This overview will be helpful in gaining a better understanding of the historical, political and cultural context around this terminology.

Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country Guidelines and Protocols 
For NSW Public Schools and TAFE NSW Institutes , Department of Education and the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, 2004. A good, concise introductory guide to protocols, what they mean and why they are important, including Welcome to Country. Suitable for use by teachers, students and members of the community.

Fees for Aboriginal Cultural Performances
Department of Aboriginal Affairs, NSW. These guidelines have been developed for Government Agencies when engaging Aboriginal people in cultural performances or when conducting a Welcome to Country or other Aboriginal cultural protocols. Also includes recommendations for appropriate fees to be paid.

Protocols and the Arts

Many useful protocol guides have been written specifically for those working in the arts and journalism which also give good insights for those working with Aboriginal communities more broadly.

Australian Council for Arts 
Draft code of conduct and Discussion paper.

Cultural Protocols for Indigenous Reporting in the Media
Message Stick Online, ABC, NSW

Message Stick has produced this Indigenous Protocol site hoping to assist journalists, filmmakers, producers and documentary makers to understand the importance of abiding by Indigenous Protocols. This document has been written as a guide to help bridge the gap between the needs of Television and Film makers and the Indigenous people and their customs.

Valuing Art, Respecting Culture
National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA), Sydney,

SBS Living Black Filming Protocols

Respecting Cultures, Working With the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community and Aboriginal Artists
An initiative of Arts Tasmania’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee.

A very detailed set of guidelines (106 pages), for working with the Indigenous visual art and craft sector.

Guidelines for Ethical Research in Indigenous Studies
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

These guidelines compiled by AIATSIS and is mandatory reading for those applying for Institute research grants, and useful reading for any scholar intending to conduct research in Indigenous Australia.

Responsibilities and Responses , Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols for libraries, archives and information services
National Library, Canberra
These protocols are intended to guide the institutions in such areas as the content and perspectives of collections, intellectual property issues, accessibility and use, classification of materials, handling of both secret, sacred and offensive materials, governance and management, staffing education and training and the role of agencies in developing awareness of indigenous peoples.

National Protocol for Filmmakers
urrently under development. As of November, 2004 the Indigenous Unit of the Australian Film Commission is currently developing a National Protocol for filmmakers working with Indigenous content in both drama and documentary, and this will provide a useful guidance for filmmakers. For information about the development of the protocols visit.

Prospects, protocols, progress
Erana Takuira Jumbunna: Indigenous House of Learning 20 November 2009
This report examines the recent advances of ethical guidelines for filming and working with Indigenous content in film. Completed as part of a Work Placement, a final year subject for Communications, Social Inquiry at the University of Technology Sydney. It requires students to collaborate with government or non-government organisations to achieve practical research experience. Students need to negotiate a research project that will benefit the organisation by meeting key objectives.

Resources