Overarching Principles

The overarching Dhawura Ngilan Principles are a set of twenty standards which collectively illustrate the expectations of First Nations peoples for how the private sector will interact with First Nations Cultural Heritage. These Principles are intertwined and should be read holistically. Together, they signify leading practice in First Nations cultural heritage management by businesses and for prospective investments. In order to demonstrate alignment with the Dhawura Ngilan Vision, businesses and investors must implement all of the Principles.

By aligning their business operations and strategy with the Dhawura Ngilan Principles, businesses with operations in Australia are demonstrating a positive intent and commitment to supporting First Nations-led standards for cultural heritage management in Australia.

It is recognised that some Principles will be more relevant to some sectors than others, but others can be implemented by actors in any field. Where a Principle touches the value chain of a business, that business has a responsibility to ensure that it is not doing harm. It is a core element of these Principles that good practice does not offset bad practice. Adherence to ten, or twelve, or fifteen principles does not excuse negligence of the remainder.