ICIP & IDSov Project Update
The Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) and Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) project led by Terri Janke and Company (TJC) is progressing well with the establishment of an Indigenous Expert Working Group (Working Group) to support this important work.
Drawing on expertise across ICIP, Indigenous research, cultural governance, Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov), archives and media, the Working Group provides independent cultural, strategic, and technical advice to the TJC team as they develop a draft ICIP and IDSov Guide for Wikimedia Australia. The group meets regularly and brings experience working with Indigenous knowledge, data, and content across sectors including archives, education, policy, and journalism.
Wikimedia Australia is pleased to confirm the following members of the Expert Working Group:
- Leonard Hill - Chief Executive Officer of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), bringing national leadership in Indigenous research, collections management, and cultural governance.
- Dr Jessica Russ-Smith - Academic at Australian Catholic University with expertise in Indigenous research methodologies, governance, and policy.
- Dr Kirsten Thorpe - Researcher at University of Technology Sydney specialising in Indigenous archives, digital collections, and community-led data governance.
- Dr Tamika Worrell - Academic at Macquarie University whose work focuses on Indigenous data sovereignty, governance frameworks, and ethical research practice.
- Yanti Ropeyarn - Master of Research in Arts Student at Macquarie University, Representative of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Data Archive (ATSIDA) at University of Technology Sydney and member of the Executive Committee of Open Access Australasia, contributing expertise in Indigenous data stewardship and open access policy.
- Miriam Corowa - Journalist with Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and SBS, bringing experience in Indigenous media representation and public communication.
Some members of the Working Group will attend WikiCon Australia 2026 in Canberra, providing an opportunity for Wikimedia Australia’s editing community to meet with them and participate in discussions about the project, the draft Guide and broader implications.
The WikiCon Canberra program highlights include:
- Friday 10 April: Pre-conference First Nations panel at AIATSIS, open to both Wikimedians and the local GLAM community.
- Saturday 11 April: Dr Janke’s keynote presentation on the draft ICIP & IDSov Guide and its key themes.
- Sunday: 1.5-hour workshop with Dr Janke and her team to explore practical examples and gather community feedback.
We invite Wikimedians to take part in a special workshop with Dr Janke and her team on Sunday, where you will have a rare opportunity to work through case studies that will directly shape the draft Guidelines and contribute to this important work.
As an attendee to WikiCon, you will also gain an exclusive preview of the working document for the Guidelines and hear about its development from Dr Janke, her team and the members of the Working Group. The Guidelines will be circulated to all registered WikiCon participants in April and a full public draft alongside a White Paper will be released from July 2026.