The Common Access Guidelines (CAG) project responds to recommendation 1 of the wilam naling report, which called for the establishment of a new recordkeeping access framework for records affecting Indigenous people. The new framework would propose to incorporate all government and non-government recordkeeping agencies in Victoria that hold records related to the removal of Aboriginal children from their families and cultural heritage.

In recent years, several major reports have identified issues related to access to records as central to the health and welfare of Aboriginal people. Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) has long recognised that access to records is critical in assisting Indigenous individuals separated from their parents to discover their true identity, locate family members and begin the process of healing and reunion.

The CAG protocols will be carried out in two phases.
Phase 1:
• Research and scope current access standards of key stakeholders
• Establish the commitment of key stakeholders to implement proposed CAG protocols
• Present a preliminary finding to the Victorian Koorie Records Taskforce (VKRT) and engage taskforce members in the establishment of best practice for the establishment of CAG

Phase 2:
• Implement the CAG protocols
• Develop Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between record holding agencies and service providers

Stolen Generations Victoria (SGV) will be the central agency for the MOU process as outlined in recommendation 3.1.3 of the wilam naling report.

CAG Current Progress

The purpose of CAG is to implement guidelines to formalise standard access to records across a number of record agencies and enable Stolen Generations members to have easier access to records.

At present individual researchers are required to fill in different forms and documentation to gain access to records at different locations. Under the CAG proposal researchers would be able to complete one form that will be accepted by a number of recordkeeping agencies and organisations. This will dramatically improve access to records for those affected by removal policies and the wider Victorian Aboriginal community.

A huge step has been taken in the development of the CAG project, with Stolen Generations Victoria (SGV) officially committing to be the central organisation through which CAG Memorandums of Understanding will be established. This is a great achievement as without SGV involvement the CAG project was unlikely to succeed. Over the next 12 months PROV and SGV will be working together with the aim of officially launching the CAG in 2009.

Once implemented CAG will help Victoria to continue to be a leader in Aboriginal recordkeeping, through demonstrating our commitment to improving recordkeeping standards across the board, enabling Victorian Aboriginal people to easily access records that can help them reunite with family, community and culture.

CAG Proposed Structure

Eight draft guidelines for the establishment of CAG were recommended in section 3.1.2 of the wilam naling report. These guidelines also formed part of recommendation 25 of the Bringing Them Home report, the 1997 National Inquiry into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.

View a powerpoint presentation of the proposed CAG structure.

Further Information

Tsari Anderson
Project Officer
Koorie Records Unit
Tel: 03 9348 5735
tsari.anderson@prov.vic.gov.au

Back to top