Aboriginal Waterways Assessment program

The research methodology
Aboriginal Waterways Assessment — Part B The program 17
PART B
This section describes the research
method and resulting research
strategy used to explore whether
a Cultural Health Index for cultural
assessment of rivers and wetlands
in the Murray–Darling Basin was
possible — and if so, what it would
look like and how it would work.
How to protect cultural
knowledge: consent protocols
in research practice
The MDBA’s Aboriginal engagement
principles guided the research team’s
activities. These require that people’s
‘free, prior and informed consent’ be
confirmed before proceeding with
the strategy. This is consistent with
the Australian Institute of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Studies’
recommendations for good practice
research with Aboriginal communities
(AIATSIS, 2012).
NBAN and MLDRIN have longestablished
community networks
and working relationships with the
Aboriginal Partnerships team of the
MDBA (as well as other aspects of
the MDBA’s operations). These
sustained relationships enable
initiatives such as the AWA
research strategy to continually build
on an established history of respect
and trust, as well as increasing crosscultural
understanding of how to work
well together.
All Aboriginal participation in this
pilot program was funded by the
MDBA. This was in recognition of
the level of risk associated with
unsure outcomes and no guarantee of
benefits for the participants or their
Nations. There is no obligation on
any party to continue funding in the
rollout of the AWA.
The MDBA ensured that the placespecific
assessment reports and the
data on which they are based remain
the intellectual property of each
Nation. This practice of recognising
Aboriginal intellectual property will
continue for the rollout of the AWA.
Staged introduction
The staged approach to introducing
the project began with MLDRIN
and NBAN delegates visiting New
Zealand in 2013, and learning from
Māori researchers and community
members about how cultural
assessment of rivers and wetlands
was developed in their Country. This
was followed by presentations and
deliberations at MLDRIN and NBAN
delegates’ meetings in early 2014.
The deliberations authorised the
research strategy, and were part and
parcel of the way in which the inquiry
was grounded in cultural and local
legitimacy.
Once MLDRIN, NBAN and the MDBA
gave authority to proceed, the
principles of ‘free, prior and informed
consent’ were carried out at carefullytimed
local meetings. These were held
with Aboriginal leadership at potential
pilot places, which had been put
forward by MLDRIN and NBAN.
At the meetings participants
considered the purpose of the
research, how it would be done, and
what the potential consequences of
engaging Traditional Owners in cultural
assessments of rivers and wetlands
would be for a specific Nation.
Months elapsed between the
meetings, (interspersed with many
informal conversations), to allow local
communities to make an informed
decision before progressing to the
next stage of information delivery.
Once the decision to proceed was made,