• Section 1 - Overview and Scope
• Part A - Requirements for confirmation
• Part B - Process for confirmation
• Part C - Appeals for unsuccesful application for confirmation
• Section 2 - Authority and Compliance
• Roles and responsibilities
• Section 3 - Quality Assurance

Section 1 - Overview and Scope

(1) The University of New England (UNE)strives to provide an environment that respects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, and culture. Through the Indigenous Strategy, UNE is committed to creating meaningful opportunities for people of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity, status or heritage.

(2) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity is unique and sacred. People applying for UNE opportunities identified for Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander persons are required to establish their Aboriginality and/ or Torres Strait Islander identity, status, or heritage.

(3) This Policy applies to all individuals seeking to establish their Aboriginality and/ or Torres Strait Islander identity, status, or heritage within UNE, and to all UNE Representatives involved in processes related to confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity.

(4) Within this Policy:

1. Part A outlines the requirements for confirmation
2. Part B outlines the process for confirmation
3. Part C outlines the appeal process for unsuccessful applications

Part A - Requirements for confirmation

(5) UNE adopts the working criteria to establish Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity. Individuals seeking to establish their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity must provide evidence that they:

1. are of Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent; and
2. identify as an Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person; and 
3. are accepted as such by the community in which they live or have lived.

(6) UNE Representatives must ensure when advertising or promoting relevant positions or programs the requirement for confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity is included in promotional materials.

(7) Requests for confirmation of Aboriginality and/ or Torres Strait Islander identity must only be made by the relevant UNE Representative, in the context of the specific function or role in which Confirmation of Aboriginal and/ or Torres Straight Islander identity is required, for example the Chair of a selection panel, or relevant committee.

(8) All requests for confirmation of Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander identity must be made to the applicant in writing, setting out:

1. the context in which confirmation is needed;
2. the form in which Confirmation of Aboriginality and/ or Torres Strait Islander identity is required;
3. the process by which the applicant is to submit the required information;
4. contact details for organisations that can assist applicants to obtain Confirmation of Aboriginality and/ or Torres Strait Islander identity, and access to culturally sensitive counselling services; and
5. the reasonable timeframe by which the applicant is to submit documentation.

(9) Applicants for a specified opportunity who have already provided UNE with Confirmation of Aboriginality and/ or Torres Strait Islander identity are not required to make an application for confirmation on multiple occasions. The applicant should note the date of previous Confirmation of Aboriginality and/ or Torres Strait Islander identity on their application.

Part B - Process for confirmation

(10) Applicants are required to provide evidence as outlines in Table 1, using the checklist.

(12) A Review Panel is constituted by the Director Oorala Aboriginal Centre where Confirmation of Aboriginality and/or Torres Strait Islander Identity is an inherent requirement for UNE opportunities.

(13) The Review Panel membership is as follows (members can be substituted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor if required when members are unavailable):

1. Team Leader Oorala, or Representative nominated by the Team Leader
2. People and Culture Aboriginal Employment Consultant
3. UNE Elder in Residence or Elder from the community.

(14) The Review Panel may

1. request additional information from the applicant in order to reach a decision;
2. conduct a review of evidence provided to ensure contact details and letters of support are correct and legitimate.

Part C - Appeals for unsuccesful application for confirmation

(15) Unsuccessful applicants will be advised of the outcome in writing by the Director of Oorala, who will provide guidance on evidence requirements, and advised of opportunities to address any issues.

(16) The Director of Oorala will advise the unsuccessful applicant that they may appeal to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) if the unsuccessful applicant believes that the process and/or application of this Policy has not been correctly followed.

(17) Appeals on the process and application of policy may be forwarded to the DVC by email (dvc@une.edu.au), and must be submitted within ten (10) days of the applicant being advised that their application was unsuccessful.

(18) The DVC will review the appeal and provide the appellant with a written outcome, stating the reasons for their decision, within 20 working days of receiving the appeal. Where the appeal is upheld, the DVC will notify the relevant UNE representatives who will note the applicant has the relevant Confirmation of Aboriginality and/ or Torres Strait Islander Identity, and take the necessary administrative process to record the Confirmation.

Section 2 - Authority and Compliance

(19) The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer, consistent with the Vice-Chancellor Functions Rule, makes this Policy.

(20) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, as Policy Steward, may make associated documents that support the implementation and operation of, and compliance with, this Policy.

(21) This Policy operates from the Effective Date. Previous rules and procedures relating to the confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identity are replaced and have no further operation from the Effective Date.

(22) The Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer may approve an exception to this Policy where the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer determines the application of this Policy would otherwise lead to an unfair, unreasonable or absurd outcome. Approvals by the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer under this clause must:

1. be documented in writing;
2. state the reason for the exception; and
3. be recorded in the relevant Records Management System (RMS).

(23) UNE will maintain records of all requests for Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identity and any documentation submitted to meet this requirement, in an appropriate Records Management System (RMS).

(24) Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identity documents will be treated as confidential and held by the University under current processes for the storage of identity documents.

(25) UNE Representatives responsible for managing application processes will ensure the University’s digital records are updated to reflect the applicant’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Identity.

(26) As the working definition requires Indigenous Australians to publicly identify it is assumed that individuals applying for Indigenous-specific opportunities consent to having their heritage recorded in University statistics.

Roles and responsibilities