Informing the Agenda Project - About the Project (Participant Information Sheet)

Project Overview / Privacy Collection Statement

The Australian Human Rights Commission invites you to contribute to the Informing the Agenda Project. 

1. What is the Project about?   

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner is inviting surveys and submissions as well as engaging in face-to-face and two online engagements to contribute to the Informing the Agenda Project (Project).  The Project seeks to collate and communicate the perspectives of First Nations Peoples across Australia on the key issues affecting their lives and ensure that their voices are elevated in order to give full effect to the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities. 

The Informing the Agenda Project will inform the key priorities of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner (Social Justice Commissioner), by offering input on the key challenges they consider are worth pursuing over the five-year period; as well sharing success stories, to inform transformative change in the Indigenous policy and legislative landscape. 

It will also provide an opportunity for the broader Australian community to provide input into key focus areas that: 

• promote better engagement with First Nations Peoples 

• create the conditions for better outcomes 

• progress a reframed relationship between First Nations and the Australian community. 

As a starting point, six high-level focus areas or goals have been identified that will help to frame this work:  

1. To promote the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples  

2. To provide advocacy and guidance on the implementation of the three pillars of the Uluru Statement from the Heart—Voice, Treaty, Truth  

3. To increase Access to Justice for First Nations communities  

4. To support the realisation of First Nations health equality  

5. To provide advocacy and guidance to progress Land Justice Reform 

6. To build the capacity of the First Nations Human Rights Network 

2. How can I participate in the Project? 

The survey will open on 1st August 2024 and close on 23rd September 2024 and the submission process will open on 1st August 2024 and close on 16th September 2024. Face-to-face and online engagements (yet to be confirmed) will take place across Australia approximately within a four-month period. This will be followed by the release of a Discussion Paper based on the findings, and subsequently by a Social Justice report which will be informed by this process. The information collected as part of this Project may also be used for other reports and resources published by the Commission. 

3. Who is conducting this Project?  

This Project is being carried out by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice team from the Australian Human Rights Commission. 

4. Do I have to take part in this Project? 

You do not have to participate in the Project if you do not want to. Participation in the Project is voluntary. 

5. Who can participate in the Project? 

Participation is open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals who are 18 years of age or older, as well as groups, organisations and communities representing Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples across Australia. 

6. What are the possible benefits of participating in the Project? 

By contributing your knowledge to the Informing the Agenda Project you will inform the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss on important matters facing First Nations individuals, groups, communities and organisations. This will assist in developing and refining priority goals for the Commissioner's five-year term. Your voice will help inform the agenda and build the momentum for advocacy on substantive structural changes.  

Commissioner Kiss and the Australian Human Rights Commission acknowledge that you are giving your time and energy to contribute to long-term change by offering your knowledge and experience. We also acknowledge that there are many such asks of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We are sincerely grateful for your contributions. 

7. What will happen to the information I provide? 

By participating in the Project, you consent to the Australian Human Rights Commission collecting and using the information you provide to us, including your personal information and sensitive information, for the purposes of the Project and to develop resources, reports and other published documents aimed at communicating the perspectives of First Nations Peoples and driving transformative change for First Nations communities. This includes setting Commissioner Kiss’ five-year agenda goals, advocating for human rights considerations, analysing key themes, and publishing other Commission resources and reports.  

Face-to-face and online engagements will be recorded. By participating in these engagements, you consent to us recording the sessions and using the information you provide for these purposes. If you provide any additional materials as part of your submission, such as photographs, drawings or other creative works, you consent to us using that material for these purposes and grant us a non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free licence for us to use that material.  

The information you provide may be quoted or referred to in documents or other materials, such as social media posts, created and published by the Commission. If the information you provide is used by the Commission, it will be published under a Creative Commons license and the contents of the document will be able to be used freely for other purposes.  

The information collected will be stored and handled by the Commission in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), Archives Act 1983 (Cth) and our Privacy Policy.  

Disclosure of Personal Information 

The Commission may disclose your personal information to third parties to assist us in administering the Project. The survey is conducted through Qualtrics on behalf of the Commission. Audio and video recordings of face-to-face engagements and online engagements will be shared with a third party transcription service provider on terms of confidentiality.  

When you provide a submission to us, you are given the option of having your submission published with your name and other personal information or having your submission published without your name. If you choose for your submission to be published with your personal information, your name and personal information may be published on the Commission’s website.  

The Commission may also disclose your personal information if it is required to do so by law, including under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth). We may also disclose information to make a voluntary report or under our mandatory reporting obligations. For example, if you describe instances of child abuse or neglect, threats of self-harm and/or harm to others that are currently happening. 

Our Privacy Policy sets out how you can make a complaint about how we have handled your information and how we will deal with your complaint. 

8. How and when will I find out what the results of the Project are? 

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner intends to launch a Discussion Paper before the end of 2024. After the launch, the Discussion Paper will be publicly and freely available via the Australian Human Rights Commission’s website.  

The information you provide may also be referenced in related future Commission work.  

You can find information on the Project on the Australian Human Rights Commission’s website: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Website 

9. What if I want to withdraw from the Project? 

Participation is optional for all participants. Due to the timeframes on this Project, once the survey and submissions are submitted or you participate in face-to-face and online engagements, you will be unable to withdraw the content you have submitted to the Project.  

10. What should I do if I have further questions about my involvement in the Project? 

If you want further information about this Project or if you have any concerns related to your participation in the Project, you can contact the following member/s of the Commission’s team: 

Name Nick Devereaux or Libby Gunn 

Position Australian Human Rights Commission 

Telephone (02) 9284 9600  

Email  informingtheagenda@humanrights.gov.au 

11. Support Services Contact Details  

If at any stage during this Project you become distressed or require additional support from someone not involved in the Project please call:

Organisation	Area	Telephone
1800RESPECT	National sexual assault, domestic and  family violence counselling service.	1800 737 732
Beyondblue	Depression and Anxiety support services.	1300 224 636
Lifeline	Crisis support and suicide prevention.	13 11 14
Headspace	Supports young people 12- 25 years old.	1800 650 890
Kids Helpline	Counselling service 5 – 25 year old.	1800 55 180
13 Yarn	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.	1800 435 799
Brother to Brother	Crisis line for Aboriginal men.	1800 435 799
QLife	Chat Line for LGBTIQ+ People and Supports.	1800 184 527
After Suicide Support	Aboriginal Support Advocates Line.	1800 805 801