McLellan R2, Langton M1, Smith K1
1University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, 2University of Queensland , St Lucia, Australia
Biography:
Laureate Professor Marcia Langton AO
Professor Marcia Langton AO, FASSA, AFTSE, is a Yiman and Bidjara woman from Queensland. She is an anthropologist and geographer, and currently serves as the Associate Provost, Melbourne Laureate Professor, Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne, and Director of the Indigenous Studies Unit at Onemda, within the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health.
A highly published scholar and public intellectual, Professor Langton continues to shape policy and public discourse across a wide range of areas, including Indigenous health, domestic and family violence, and Indigenous data sovereignty.
An acclaimed author and editor, her recent publications include Welcome to Country: A Guide to Indigenous Australia(2021); Law: The Way of the Ancestors (2023, with Professor Aaron Corn); Dhoombak Goobgoowana: A History of Indigenous Australia and the University of Melbourne – Volume 1: Truth (2024), and Volume 2: Voice (2025); 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art (2024, co-edited with Judith Ryan AM); and Indigenous Knowledge: Australian Perspectives (2024, co-edited with Professor Aaron Corn and Dr Samuel Curkpatrick). The second volume of Dhoombak Goobgoowana – Voice, will be published in 2025.
Professor Langton brings a deeply informed and generous perspective to this event, grounded in decades of cultural, academic, and community leadership.
Robert McLellan
Robert, a Gureng Gureng descendant from the Wide Bay region, is a community researcher, director and governance practitioner. He is an Industry Fellow at the University of QLD and Senior Program Manager for Language Data Commons of Australia (LDaCA), and a strong advocate for truth telling and speaking up for Aboriginal rights, justice, and economic advancement. Dedicated to authentic inclusion of First Nations voices, Robert is passionate about revitalising Indigenous languages, cultures and building culturally inclusive, honourable and cohesive communities.
Associate Professor Kristen Smith
Associate Professor Kristen Smith is a medical anthropologist and Principal Research Fellow in the Indigenous Studies Unit at Onemda, University of Melbourne. Her work focuses on Indigenous data governance, health equity, and alcohol-related family violence, including major national research examining the intersections of alcohol use, violence, and structural inequality. As a co-founder of the Indigenous Data Network, she has contributed to national research infrastructure, including the Indigenous Data Commons, and initiatives supporting Closing the Gap Priority Reform 4. She works with Aboriginal community-controlled organisations and advises government to address systemic racism in data, health systems, and policy design.
Abstract:
In research in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS), the Indigenous representation is vital yet has often been undervalued. As the Improving Indigenous Research Capabilities (IIRC) and the Language Data Commons of Australia (LDaCA) navigate the complexities of data governance and collaboration, we have developed an approach for the recognition, respect and formal acknowledgement of Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural protocols. In this paper, we will present the newly published Framework for the Governance of Indigenous Data that establishes minimum standards for data management within the HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons at the Australian Research Data Commons.
Drawing on principles of Indigenous research, community engagement, and Indigenous data governance, the Framework aims to uphold the rights and interests of Indigenous knowledge holders, their communities and peoples while also supporting and fostering meaningful partnerships with non-Indigenous researchers. Central to this endeavour is the recognition of Indigenous knowledge as inherently valuable and deserving of protection and recognition, particularly against exploitation and misappropriation. The recognition of Indigenous knowledge holders as authors, research collaborators and sources of knowledge is also a key aim.
This presentation will introduce the Framework, its guidelines and the implementation matrix. By embracing Indigenous perspectives on data governance and cultural heritage, our initiative seeks to foster a more inclusive and ethical research environment within the HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons to assist in bridging the gap between academic institutions and Indigenous knowledge systems and advance shared goals of knowledge production, preservation, and social justice.
