Our vision

The vision statement of the report, Dhawura Ngilan (Remembering Country), is to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are recognised as the custodians of their heritage. It envisions a future where this heritage is protected, celebrated, and valued as central to Australia’s national identity. The report also advocates for consistent heritage management across jurisdictions and recognition of the global significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.

Connection to country

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ connection to Country is deeply spiritual and practical, encompassing land, waters, and seas. This connection is a living one, flowing through heritage places and giving custodians rights and responsibilities. The report emphasises that heritage is not limited to ancient sites but also includes places of lived experience in urban areas.

Working together

The report proposes key focus areas to achieve its vision. It suggests that all jurisdictions adopt the Best Practice Standards in Indigenous Cultural Heritage Management and Legislation, ensuring consistent and high-quality protection across Australia. Heritage Councils are encouraged to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to identify and protect heritage places, ensuring better representation on statutory lists. The report also stresses the urgency of recording and digitising place-based traditional knowledge, including Songlines and place names, to prevent its loss.

Key focus area: Vision 1

The first vision focuses on the protection and celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage for its intrinsic worth and cultural benefits. The report recommends that all jurisdictions adopt the Best Practice Standards in Indigenous Cultural Heritage Management and Legislation, ensuring the free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous people in heritage protection. It also calls for greater recognition of intangible cultural heritage and suggests ratifying the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 2003. Additionally, the report proposes that Heritage Councils work with Indigenous people to identify and protect heritage places, achieving better equity on statutory lists. It emphasises the importance of recording and digitising place-based traditional knowledge to prevent its loss.

Key focus area: Vision 2

The second vision aims to acknowledge and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage as central to Australia’s national heritage. The report recommends adopting dual or sole naming of Indigenous places across Australia, embracing truth-telling about heritage, and ensuring heritage lists reflect this truth. It also suggests that jurisdictions engage with the Australian Curriculum to promote Indigenous heritage and consider recognising and protecting Culturally Significant Species.

Key focus area: Vision 3

The third vision focuses on managing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage consistently across jurisdictions, according to community ownership. The report recommends working towards standardising heritage registers to support community access and developing a national portal. It also suggests that jurisdictions collaborate to recognise, protect, and celebrate sites and stories that cross borders. The report further recommends establishing a National Resting Place for unprovenanced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ancestral Remains, amending the policy on Indigenous Repatriation of cultural materials, and working with Australian collecting institutions to return ancestors to Indigenous communities. Additionally, it calls for recognising and prioritising the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access and repatriate secret sacred materials and reviewing the National Heritage Protocol Statement of Roles and Responsibilities.

Key focus area: Vision 4

The fourth vision seeks to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage for its global significance. The report recommends that Heritage Chairs support increased focus on identifying and nominating Indigenous heritage places for inscription on the World Heritage List. It also suggests supporting significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement in the international heritage space and positioning Australian heritage as a global leader in preserving, protecting, celebrating, and promoting Indigenous heritage. The report also calls for developing international partnerships to tell the rich global heritage narrative.

Statutory framework
The statutory framework section of the report outlines the division of legislative responsibility for protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage between state/territory governments and the Commonwealth. It notes that current legislation is inconsistent and sometimes inadequate. The report highlights the need for a refreshed framework centred on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and mentions various pieces of legislation relevant to Indigenous heritage protection.

Best practice standards in Indigenous cultural heritage management and legislation

This section details best practice standards for Indigenous cultural heritage management and legislation. It emphasises the importance of upholding the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), particularly the principle of self-determination. The standards cover various aspects, including definitions, basic structures, Indigenous self-determination, process, resourcing, Indigenous Ancestral Remains, secret and sacred objects, and national legislation for intangible Indigenous cultural heritage. These standards aim to guide the development and implementation of legislation and policies that effectively protect and preserve Indigenous cultural heritage.