13 July 2018
The Turnbull Government has appointed Ms Leitha Assan, Ms Rebecca Richards, and Mr Shaun Angeles, and reappointed Dr Lyndon Ormond-Parker, as members of the Advisory Committee for Indigenous Repatriation for three year terms.
Ms Assan is a Bahdu yoepkazz woman, with bloodlines to Badu, Saibai, Mer and Erub from the Torres Strait Islands and a Wuthathi tribal descendant. She is the Exhibitions and Public Program Manager at the Torres Strait Regional Authority’s Gab Titui Cultural Centre.
Ms Richards is an Adnyamathanha and Barngarla woman from the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. She is an Early Career Researcher at the South Australian Museum and is currently completing her PhD in Anthropology.
Mr Angeles is a Kungarakany/Arrernte man from Ayampe and Alkwepetye country, located to the north of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). Mr Angeles is the Artwe-kenhe (Men’s) Collection Researcher at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
Dr Ormond-Parker is of Alyawarre descent from the Barkly Tableland region in the Northern Territory. He is an Australian Research Council Research Fellow in the Indigenous Studies Unit of the University of Melbourne’s School of Population and Global Health.
These appointments will ensure the Committee has the diversity of expertise to support the repatriation of Australian Indigenous ancestral remains and secret sacred objects.
Established under the Indigenous Repatriation Policy, the all-Indigenous committee works in partnership with the Australian Government to provide strategic advice on issues affecting Indigenous repatriation, including on complex negotiations for the repatriation of ancestral remains that have limited provenance and have no identified community of origin.
Committee members provide a strong collective voice for Australia’s Indigenous people and are appointed based on their understanding of Indigenous cultures and traditions, and experience in repatriation or cultural heritage work.
For more information about the Committee visit: www.arts.gov.au/acir