15 April 2025
HTQ’s work advocating for and supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination and sovereignty in health and medical research has continued through several projects—from our review of HTQ’s Research Passport Agreement to the co-design of education and training workshops to practical support for Indigenous health research projects.
HTQ Senior Manager for Research Facilitation Dr Helen Breathnach explains how the development of the next generation HTQ Research Passport Agreement used a First Nations lens.
“The internal and external legal reviews of the HTQ Research Passport Agreement have had a specific focus on Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP). This work has been undertaken in consultation with First Nations experts Terri Janke and Company and with input from a HTQ working group with legal representatives from across the partnership,” Helen says. “Both reviews emphasised best practice approaches.”
“Embedding the recognition of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights and Indigenous Data Sovereignty within a contracting framework builds a foundation for respecting First Nations' knowledge systems. By including these obligations, organisations can ensure that First Nations voices are heard, their contributions are valued, and cultural protocols are upheld. This approach fosters equitable partnerships, promotes mutual trust, and empowers the self-determination of First Nations people.” Neane Carter, Senior Solicitor, Terri Janke & Co
Following requests from members of our HREG Collaborative Group and Research Integrity Collaborative Group, the HTQ team is developing template contract clauses for ICIP and IDSov and a researcher guide. The aim is to facilitate respectful research with First Nations people and communities, empowering stakeholders to engage meaningfully with best practices in all contractual arrangements.
In 2023-24, HTQ also provided practical support through the CCI microgrants scheme to encourage the appropriate integration of First Nations perspectives into health and medical research. In the assessment of microgrants applications, criteria are weighted to benefit projects that involve First Nations, primary care and underserved communities.
One project example is Mind Your Body: A student-centred teaching guide on menstrual health written by and for Queensland’s Indigenous and remote primary and secondary school students.
University of Queensland Associate Professor Nina Lansbury and Kaiwalagal, Umaii and Kiwai woman, Ms Minnie King led the project. Through locally led health research, the team had identified a lack of menstrual health education in remote communities. They developed a free resource about menstruation, puberty, consent and period products using these findings.
The researchers applied for a HTQ microgrant to finalise and launch the Mind Your Body teaching guide to remote and Indigenous communities. HTQ’s microgrant covered the costs of the guide’s review by First Nations students in Western Cape York and research assistance to revise, print and distribute the guide to schools.
The guide is now being adopted by some teachers and school-based nurses in schools across Queensland. Although parents can opt out, the education program has about a 99% uptake.
"Mind Your Body was designed by the students, for the students, on Country, in a diverse classroom. The ongoing value is to upskill, and provide knowledge and information to teachers, to give back to the students.” Minnie King—Kaiwalagal, Umaii and Kiwai woman
This story was originally published in the HTQ Impact Report 2024.
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Health Translation Queensland acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which we live, work, and play. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their Descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country. We recognise their valuable contributions to Australian and global society.
