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Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance

First Peoples will need to give the Treaty Authority certain information and knowledge (data) if they want to participate in the Treaty process.

The Treaty Authority recognises First Peoples’ data as a valuable cultural resource that should be used to enable their self-determined priorities and aspirations, in line with their values and worldviews.  

The Treaty Authority asserts the individual and collective rights of First Peoples to control, own, access and possess data that is about, connected to or may affect them.  

What is Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Data Governance?

Indigenous Data Sovereignty is about First Peoples’ rights to exercise ownership. Indigenous Data Governance is about First Peoples’ practices of ownership.  

What’s our commitment?

As required by the Treaty Authority Agreement, the Treaty Authority will uphold and respect Australia's Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Data Governance principles to the fullest extent possible having regard to applicable laws (see Maiam nayri Wingara 2018; 2023).

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How will the Treaty Authority work?

We will work in ways that build First Peoples’ trust that we are securely storing and safeguarding their information and knowledge.  

First Peoples’ control is built into each stage of the ‘data lifecycle’ – when data is created, managed and applied.  
We will be upfront and transparent about our practices. Our practices will be accountable to First Peoples. 
Our practices will protect First Peoples’ cultures and knowledges and enable First Peoples’ self-determination and community benefit. 

Want to know more?

Read the Treaty Authority’s First Peoples Data Sovereignty and Governance Framework.

Read Framework

If you want to talk to the Treaty Authority about your information or knowledge, get in touch at [email protected] or 1300 133 033.

The Treaty Authority acknowledges First Peoples as sovereign peoples throughout the lands and waters now known as Victoria and across Australia. We pay deep respect to all Traditional Owners, their lands, waters and skies, their Elders and ancestors, languages, family and clan groups, and their Lore, Law, customs, traditions and spiritual connections.

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