2019 seminar series
Indigenous Australia and Digital Futures
The Indigenous Data Network: Restoring Community Control over an Intangible Asset

The Indigenous Data Network: Restoring Community Control over an Intangible Asset

This event was streamed live on 29 May 2019 and was part of the Indigenous Australia and Digital Futures seminars series.

Australia's national trade in Indigenous data lacks a centralised governance structure. Stockpiles of information about Indigenous peoples, harvested over 231 years of colonial administration, remain distributed across a nationwide archipelago of disconnected archives, libraries, and government warehouses. The value of this information to Indigenous communities and individuals is amplified by the vast quantities of data that it contains, regarding health, education, employment, justice, and cultural heritage. Based at the Indigenous Studies Unit, University of Melbourne, the Indigenous Data Network (IDN) has been established to link together and audit these orphaned datasets, and to establish a national federation of Indigenous-controlled organisations to govern access, storage, and distribution. This seminar outlined the founding principles informing the IDN's objectives and strategies.

Presenter

Dr James Rose
Indigenous Studies Unit, University of Melbourne

James is a Senior Research Fellow with the Indigenous Studies Unit, University of Melbourne. Led by Professor Marcia Langton and overseen by a steering committee of senior Indigenous academics and health researchers, Dr Rose is employed by the Indigenous Data Network as a non-Indigenous technical coordinator.

The Indigenous Data Network (IDN) assists Indigenous communities in developing the technical capability and resources to enable them to manage their data for community advancement. By strengthening communities' agency in their data, the network empowers them to make informed decisions about their own development.

Visit the Indigenous Data Network