GOVERNANCE COMMITTEES

Committees advising the AIATSIS Council

Audit and Assurance Committee

The Audit and Assurance Committee provides independent assurance and assistance in developing and overseeing the control, risk and compliance framework and external accountability responsibilities.

The committee comprises at least three independent members. Two of the members will be AIATSIS Council members. During 2018–19 the members were:

• Ms Karen Hogan FCPA, GAICD (independent member, Chair)
• Mr Andrew Cox (independent member)
• Mr Geoffrey Winters (AIATSIS Council member)
• Ms Donisha Duff (AIATSIS Council member)
• Mr Stephen Kinnane (AIATSIS Council member).

AIATSIS Foundation

The AIATSIS Foundation works to raise funds to secure the future of the world’s largest and most significant collection of Indigenous Australian culture, history and heritage. The Chair of the AIATSIS Foundation reports to the AIATSIS Council. During 2018–19 the members were:

• Mr Steven Kinnane (Chair) from 4 December 2018
• Ms Rachel Perkins (Chair) until 4 December 2018
• Dr Myfany Turpin (AIATSIS Council member) from 4 December 2018
• Mr Glenn Johnson (Board member)
• Ms Lisa Siganto (Board member) until 17 January 2019
• Mr Craig Ritchie (Chief Executive Officer)
• Mr Michael Ramalli (Deputy Chief Executive Officer) from 17 September 2018
• Ms Letitia Hope (Deputy Chief Executive Officer) until 10 August 2018.

AIATSIS Membership Standing Committee

The AIATSIS Membership Standing Committee provides advice to the AIATSIS Council on membership applications and engagement. During 2018–19 the members were:

• Ms Donisha Duff (Chair)
• Mr Steve Kinnane (AIATSIS Council member)
• Professor Michael McDaniel (AIATSIS Council member) until 31 March 2019
• Ms Rachel Perkins (AIATSIS Council member)
• Dr Myfany Turpin (AIATSIS Council member)
• Mr Michael Ramalli (Deputy Chief Executive Officer) from 17 September 2019
• Ms Letitia Hope (Deputy Chief Executive Officer) until 10 August 2018.

Research Ethics Committee

The AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee is a registered Human Research Ethics Committee that provides independent review of the ethical aspects of research projects, against the National Statement on Human Research Ethics and the AIATSIS Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies. The committee receives internal and external applications.

Members of the committee are in line with categories established by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Membership must include at least five Indigenous members and, as far as practicable, should reflect a gender and age balance. Members normally serve for three-year terms. Members may be reappointed by the AIATSIS Council. During 2018–19 the members were:

• Ms Kerry Sculthorpe (Chair)
• Dr Andrew Crowden
• Mr Rob Clifton-Steele
• Dr Lorraine Muller
• Dr Margaret Raven
• Reverend Karen Kime, until November 2018
• Ms Melanie Gentgall
• Ms Caroline Marsh
• Dr Jillian Marsh, until September 2018

Committees advising the CEO

Senior Executive Board

The Senior Executive Board supports the CEO in the leadership and strategic management of AIATSIS’ operations. During 2018–19 the members were:

• Mr Craig Ritchie (Chair, Chief Executive Officer)
• Mr Michael Ramalli (Deputy Chief Executive Officer) from 17 September 2018
• Ms Letitia Hope (Deputy Chief Executive Officer) until 10 August 2018
• Dr Lisa Strelein (Executive Director Research and Education)
• Mr Leonard Hill (Executive Director Collections) from 10 September 2018
• Ms Lyndall Ley (Executive Director Return of Cultural Heritage Project).

Collections Advisory Committee

The Collections Advisory Committee was established to provide advice to the AIATSIS CEO and the Executive Directors of Collections on matters in relation to collection development, management and access. This includes providing advice on proposals for major donations or deposits, policy development, risks to the collections, major projects and strategic issues.

The committee did not meet in 2018–19. It will be re-formed in 2019–20 with terms of reference, a work program and membership to better reflect contemporary issues affecting the AIATSIS Collection.

Native Title Research Advisory Committee

The Native Title Research Advisory Committee provides advice to the CEO on AIATSIS native title activities. During 2018–19 the members were:

• Mr Craig Ritchie (Chair, Chief Executive Officer)
• Dr Lisa Strelein (Executive Director, Research and Education)
• Wayne Beswick (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet representative)
• Natalie Rotumah
• Dr Valerie Cooms
• Ms Melissa George
• Mr Jason Behrendt.
• Kaylene Malthouse
• Debra Pigram.

Publishing Advisory Committee

The Publishing Advisory Committee (PAC) is an independent advisory group that reports to the AIATSIS CEO, who is also the PAC Chairperson. The PAC evaluates all manuscripts submitted and assessed and makes publishing recommendations to the PAC Chairperson.

In 2018–19 the PAC Charter and Constitution was revised with new PAC membership. The committee meet twice in the financial year. The first meeting of the committee in its current form was in January 2019. The PAC comprises:

• Mr Craig Ritchie, PAC Chairperson (Chief Executive Officer)
• Dr Lisa Strelein (Executive Director, AIATSIS Research and Education)
• Dr Sandy O’Sullivan (University of the Sunshine Coast)
• Associate Professor Tess Lea (University of Sydney)
• Dr Shino Konishi (University of Western Australia)
• Ms Marie Ferris (Director, AIATSIS Communications, Product and Publishing)
• Ms Frances Glavimans (Publishing Manager, Aboriginal Studies Press).

Research Advisory Committee

The Research Advisory Committee provides advice to the CEO on strategic research matters and research priorities. During 2018–19 the members were:

• Mr Craig Ritchie (Chair, Chief Executive Officer)
• Dr Lisa Strelein (Executive Director, Research and Education)
• Mr Ian Anderson (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet representative)
• Professor Bronwyn Fredericks
• Professor Shane Houston, until November 2018
• Professor Maggie Walter
• Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker, until November 2018
• Colleen Hayward, from November 2018
• Professor Peter Anderson, from November 2018.

Indigenous Research Exchange Advisory Board

The Indigenous Research Exchange was established to build the evidence base to support policy and practice that improves outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Its advisory board comprises:

• Mr Craig Ritchie (Chair, Chief Executive Officer)
• Dr Lisa Strelein (Executive Director, Research and Education)
• Professor Ian Anderson (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet representative)
• Professor Bronwyn Fredericks
• Professor Maggie Walter
• Colleen Hayward
• Professor Peter Anderson
• Mr Kenny Bedford.

Indigenous Caucus

The Indigenous Caucus consists of a voluntary membership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members. It is an energetic, supportive, and cohesive network whose key roles are to:

• promote and monitor progress towards cultural competency within AIATSIS
• promote and monitor recruitment at all levels
• provide advice to management on tender and consultancy appointments
• participate in AIATSIS planning workshops
• lead relevant AIATSIS policy and procedure development
• promote AIATSIS in relevant forums
• where required, broker cultural knowledge on issues such as artefacts and their storage
• coordinate a range of public forums.

Consultative Committee

The Consultative Committee is a joint employee, management and union committee established under the AIATSIS Enterprise Agreement (EA). The purpose of the committee is to discuss matters affecting employment. It works within the framework of the EA to progress employment matters for AIATSIS employees, exercise functions under the EA, and address such matters as are agreed to at the request of the CEO.

The committee comprises employee, management and union representatives. There are up to four employee representatives elected by AIATSIS employees, including one representative from the AIATSIS Indigenous Caucus.