marra ngarrgoo, marra goorri
The Victorian Aboriginal Health, Medical and Wellbeing Research Accord
marra ngarrgoo, marra goori is an innovative framework designed to guide and govern all health and wellbeing research impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at the local level in Victoria.
A genuine partnership for change
marra ngarrgoo, marra goori brings together Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, the Victorian Government, and health and medical research organisations in Victoria to collaboratively centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s cultures, worldviews, belief systems, and governance at the centre of the research process.
Guiding Principles
In addition to observing NHMRC and AIATSIS National Research Guidelines, researchers must follow these guiding principles when conducting health and wellbeing research that impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria:
1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership
2. Trust and Equity
3. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Priorities
4. Cultural Safety and Humility
5. Knowledge Equity and Recognition
6. Data Governance and Sovereignty.
Translating principles into practice
marra ngarrgoo, marra goori will implement the following initiatives:
• Monitoring Mechanism
• Research Organisations Institutional Reform
• Research Ethics Mechanism
• Research Capability Building
• Research Network
• Research Partnerships
• Research Funding
• Research Translation
• Data Governance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of Research under the Accord?
The Accord adopts the AIATSIS definition that considers research as “‘investigation undertaken to gain knowledge and understanding’ and casts a wide net in terms of what constitutes research.” This definition is extended to reference the entire continuum of research, starting from research design through to the translation of research findings, including sharing the findings with Community.
The definition of ‘research’ under the Accord is not limited to published research. It applies to all research outcomes or outputs.
Who can participate in the Accord?
The Accord is designed for Victorian organisations that conduct health, medical and wellbeing research that impacts Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria. Health, medical, and wellbeing service providers that do not conduct research do not fall within the ambit of the Accord. Interstate organisations that conduct health, medical and wellbeing research in Victoria must observe the principles and instructions of the Accord.
What does participation in the Accord entail?
There are three ways that organisations can participate:
- Development stage: participation in the various engagement opportunities to inform Accord implementation actions.
- Operational phase: taking part in and/or making use of the mechanisms/processes established under the Accord. Importantly, it must be noted that participation in the Accord is voluntary.
- Resources: Sharing resources with the VACCHO Research Team that can assist in the implementation of the Accord
How do organisations express their interest in participating in the Accord?
The Accord Administrator has emailed research organisations across the state asking them to provide a letter of support for the Accord. If your organisation has not received this email correspondence, you can reach out to the Research Team (varap@vaccho.org.au) to express your interest and we can send you a template letter of support for you to sign and return.
Is signing the letter of support the same as signing up to the Accord?
The letter of support expresses your organisation’s interest to participate in Accord actions and processes and signing up to the Accord shows your organisations commitment to observe the principles and guidelines of the Accord.
However, we are still in the process of developing Accord implementation actions and chalking out the structure of these components. Once this is complete, we will reassess if there are any additional steps that organisations need to take in addition to providing this letter for them to be considered to have signed up to the Accord.
What are the next steps for organisations that have signed a Letter of Support?
• Participation in advertised engagements to inform and develop specific implementation actions under the Accord
• Schedule time for the VACCHO Research Team to come and present on the Accord and how its principles ought to be applied in research
What implementation actions will be prioritised in the first phase?
The Implementation Actions envisioned under the Accord include:
• Ethics Mechanism
• Institutional Reforms
• Capability Building
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Network
• Research Partnerships
• Research Funding Reform
• Research Translation
• Data Governance
The first 2 implementation actions, i.e., Ethics Mechanism and Institutional Reform are the main areas of focus for this financial year. Implementation updates will be posted on this page.
Are there any resources to assist researchers to apply Accord principles in their research?
The Research Team is in the process of developing exemplars of how the Accord principles have effectively and successfully been adopted into research projects here in Victoria.
In the meantime, we recommend you follow existing ethical guidelines relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research, as listed below:
- National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, NHMRC (2007 [updated 2025])
- Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research, NHMRC (2018)
- Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Communities: Guidelines for Researchers and Stakeholders, NHMRC (2018)
- Keeping Research on Track II, NHMRC (2018)
- AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, AIATSIS (2020)
- A Guide to applying the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research, AIATSIS (2020)
Does the Accord apply broadly to all health, medical, and wellbeing research or is it limited to research impacting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
The principles of the Accord are intended for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research.
However, the principles centre a Community-led/participant driven approach that is broadly applicable to all research.
Can the Research Team at VACCHO assist with reviewing research projects to ensure compliance with the principles of the Accord?
Presently, the VACCHO Research Team does not have the capacity to review, comment or advise researchers on how to apply principles of the Accord to their individual research projects. However, the VACCHO Research Team is happy to make a presentation or conduct a workshop for your organisation on the application of the Accord principles into your research work.
We strongly encourage that all research projects follow the principles of the Accord.
Can VACCHO connect researchers with potential Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants, Communities or ACCOs?
VACCHO’s Research Team does not have the capacity to connect researchers directly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants, Communities or ACCOs.
Researchers may contact VACCHO here to seek guidance from a specific VACCHO team relevant to their research focus. When getting in touch, please clearly request to speak with one of the following teams:
- Population Health
- Social & Emotional Wellbeing
- Corporate Services
- Education and Training Unit
Researchers are expected to undertake meaningful engagement and build genuine relationships with Community members and organisations prior to the commencement of any research activity.
How can organisations learn more about the Accord?
We are happy to come present at your university or organisation if you would like to learn more about the Accord.
History of marra ngarrgoo, marra goori
Long-standing calls for agency
For over 35 years, our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Victoria have been advocating to have agency over how health, medical and wellbeing research that impacts us, is conducted.
Development process
The Victorian Aboriginal Research Accord was developed through a staged, Community-led process that centred ethics, engagement and Aboriginal decision-making throughout.
Jan 2021 → project development and background engagement commenced.
Aug 2021 → AIATSIS ethics approval was received
Sep 2021 → literature and national ethics reviews were completed, and two focus groups were held with senior research managers from research organisation
Oct 2021 to Mar 2022 → Community conversations
May 2022 → an Aboriginal-led Decision Making meeting held to guide final directions.
Attempts for change
Since colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people inappropriate and unsafe health and medical research, some of which fails to translate into meaningful benefits for us.
Our Community in Victoria has long been attempting to change the way health research is conducted to make it ethical and respect our cultures, knowledges, needs and aspirations.
marra ngarrgoo, marra goorri launched
marra ngarrgoo, marra goorri was officially launched in October 2023 and is a key action under the Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Partnership Agreement between VACCHO and the Victorian Government.
The Partnership Agreement was endorsed by Cabinet in May 2023, embedding the Accord as a shared commitment to changing how health, medical and wellbeing research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria is undertaken.
Government commitment
In 2018, the Victorian Government responded to these long-standing calls by committing to the development of a Victorian Aboriginal Research Accord.
Initial funding was provided to VACCHO to lead this work, recognising the importance of Aboriginal leadership in shaping how research involving our Communities should be governed. The Victorian Aboriginal Research Accord Project (VARAP) was led by VACCHO under the leadership of Jill Gallagher AO (HonLLD).
Governance and ongoing implementation
Achieving the vision and objectives of marra ngarrgoo, marra goorri requires strong, culturally appropriate leadership.
An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Accord Governance Group (AGG) has been established to oversee the implementation of the Accord, including monitoring, evaluation and accountability. This ensures that Community leadership remains central as the Accord moves from commitment into practice.
Enquiries
For more information on the Victorian Aboriginal Research Accord Project, submit and enquiry form below.