Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights and the Victorian Charter: A Framework for Reorienting Recordkeeping and Archival Practice

Abstract

This article considers the legal framework for archival and recordkeeping institutions, archivists and recordkeeping professionals in one Australian state under the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) and the relationship with protection of Indigenous culture. It examines the underlying themes of the Victorian Charter, and considers the Charter rights to culture, privacy and family as relevant specifically to Indigenous Victorians, and to those institutions keeping records and archives relating to Indigenous Victorians. Finally it explains the way the human rights protected by the Charter are enforced, and the role of public institutions as duty bearers under the Charter.

Keywords: Indigenous Records, Indigenous Archives, Indigenous Human Rights, Victorian Charter, Indigenous Culture