An Indigenous Knowledge Partnership, comprising First Nations experts and Government representatives, will support the development of new stand-alone legislation to protect First Nations traditional knowledge and cultural expressions, also known as Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP).

The development of new stand-alone legislation was announced on 30 January 2023 as part of the Australian Government’s 5-year National Cultural Policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place.

The first principle guiding all actions in Revive, including the development of the stand-alone legislation, is that First Nations arts and culture must be First Nations-led. This approach aligns with the strong partnership principles to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, Priority Reform One (formal partnerships and shared decision-making). The Office for the Arts is committed to ensuring that First Nations peoples are partners in the development of the stand-alone legislation.

The Australian Government has provided $13.4 million over 4 years to support the development of the new legislation, including for grants and training.

Applications to join our First Nations expert working group—a component of the Indigenous Knowledge Partnership—are now open and close on 20 September 2024. For information about the opportunity and how to apply, visit the First Nations Expert Working Group on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property page.