An image from Heide Smith's 'Tiwi Children' calendar, which is available in the shop.

Starting points Since ancient times Aboriginal people have been engaged in trade, within Australia and offshore. Aboriginal Australia provides another extension to this activity. We begin from a position that recognises and respects Aboriginal traditions. We act on Aboriginal advice that says in a clear way that Aboriginal people want to develop financial independence and to be in a position to manage and control their own affairs.

Aboriginal Australia enables Indigenous organisations and individual producers to come together to trade, tell stories, engage in song and dance, and to do all of those activities Aboriginal people have been doing for many many centuries.

As a customer you can be an integral part of these activities. It is our endeavour for this site to be comprehensive with a national focus. The site provides information on aspects of Aboriginal societies covering a broad range of disciplines. This information is being reviewed on a regular basis and greater Aboriginal contribution is encouraged on site content.

We believe that Aboriginal traditions and values have relevance in every respect to modern society. The corporate arrangement set up to enable this initiative to take place is enhanced by substantial Aboriginal input to ensure the arrangement upholds those traditions and values.

Each aspect of the total operation is constantly being revised to ensure its continuing effectiveness. We welcome your patronage and invite your input.

Corporate Arrangement
The key features to the corporate arrangement are as follows:

The ownership of Aboriginal Australia Holdings Limited (AAH) is shared equally between Aboriginal people and the founder, Mr. John Whiting.

The Board of Director's of Aboriginal Australia Holdings Limited currently consists of three Board members:

• Ribgna Green, Aboriginal lawyer and company director
  
  
• Paul Ah Chee, Chairman of CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association) Manager,Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre, Alice Springs
  
  
• John Whiting, founder

Net profits derived from the commercial activities of AAH will be split on a 50:50 basis with an Aboriginal trust entity established to apply the funds to benefit Aboriginal people. Comprehensive trust deeds have been settled in accordance with Australian law. A primary commitment of Aboriginal Australia is to enhance the prospects of Aboriginal people who wish to pursue commercial activities leading to economic independence.

For people and organisations wishing to sell products via the Aboriginal Australia site, several forms of agreements are possible. The standard agreement with Aboriginal community art centres will be on the basis of 90% going directly to the community concerned after deduction of 10% commission by AAH.

For our customers, we say that we have worked hard to provide a service that is sensitive to the needs of Aboriginal people while at the same time responding to the demands as we hear them from you. We are taking every step to ensure that we are in tune with industry standards, particularly in relation to the authenticity of the product.

Implementing Corporate Values
To ensure that we do implement and maintain the standards we set for our operations, we have in place Cultural Approval Protocols and Quality Assurance checks. In summary, the Cultural Approval Protocol sets out a number of principles to ensure we commence from the most effective starting point. In relation to Quality Assurance checks, we adopt internationally recognised guidelines, and with the assistance of Akkermans Corporate Development are proceeding to ASA 9002.

Cultural Approval Protocols
Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd recognises that Aboriginal culture deserves the highest level of respect under Australian law. Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd recognises that even under current Australian law there are many aspects of Indigenous culture that are still the subject of inadequate protective measures. It is noted that there is an intention by government to make appropriate amendments to the law.

Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd recognises that over time a number of cultural protocols have emerged amongst Aboriginal communities as they assert their place in modern Australia. This document cannot pronounce upon these with any degree of authority but as part of its responsibility as a corporate entity in modern Australia, Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd commits itself to seeking out and implementing such protocols as they relate to commercial transactions affecting our business. A number of principles will underpin the protocols.

In order to maintain the highest possible standard of integrity and trust in our dealings with Indigenous people and their culture, Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd commits itself to working toward implementing the following principles:

• Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd supports the empowerment of Aboriginal peoples and communities particularly in relation to ownership and control of their cultural heritage. The manner in which we engage with users of the site will reflect our commitment to this principle.

• Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd will actively seek out best practices where the commercial sector makes contact with Aboriginal people and issues, for example the proposal to establish labels to authenticate Indigenous production of art work.

• Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd acknowledges the emerging importance of Indigenous Intellectual Property Rights and will make every endeavour to ensure that best practices are incorporated into its conduct of business.

• The final arbiter on cultural appropriateness can only be Aboriginal people themselves. Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd recognises that amongst Indigenous nations there have been, since time immemorial, firmly established procedures to determine who might be vested with what responsibility.

• Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd cannot and will not set itself up as the final arbiter on issues of cultural sensitivity – this is a task that only Indigenous leaders themselves can determine. We acknowledge the important first principle that only people from country can speak for country.

• Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd recognises that there are variations in Aboriginal cultural values across the continent, which stems from the fact that there were many hundreds of Aboriginal nations in existence at the time of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.

• In the past, there was much expropriation of Aboriginal culture often by people in key positions of authority. In our work, there will be no expropriation of Aboriginal culture and Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd will not be the means by which this might occur.

• Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd recognises that within the structure of Indigenous societies, the concept of the community occupies a central position. Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd will also engage with individual Indigenous persons who may have no connections with established communities or organisations - we believe that Indigenous traditions and values are sufficiently flexible in modern Australia to accommodate and welcome people in such circumstances.

• Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd respects the right of Indigenous parties to negotiate suitable terms to ensure adequate protection of their cultural heritage and will therefore encourage access to professional and expert advice to ensure equity in the bargaining process.

• Aboriginal culture does change in form and practice over time as Aboriginal leaders determine new and appropriate ways of addressing issues that arise in their country. Aboriginal laws that underpin the culture never change. Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd will be mindful of this position as it incorporates appropriate best practice into its conduct of business.

As Aboriginal aspirations change over time, implementation of each of these principles will be revised to ensure their continuing relevance to the variety of work being undertaken by Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd. We welcome your contribution to this initiative.

This document must be read subject to other formal documents that have a binding legal effect upon Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd.

Acknowledgments
Aboriginal Australia Pty Ltd acknowledges the contribution of a number of key people in the development of site content. Particular reference must be made to the Director of the SA Museum and his staff, especially Kate Alport.

We also wish to acknowledge the contribution of Kathryn Wells to early drafts of the Cultural Approval Protocol.

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