FeesandConduct Guidelines

forRegisteredAboriginalParties

Liketoknowmore?

Ifyouwouldlike toknowmoreabouttheseGuidelinesorthe

AboriginalHeritageAct,pleasecontactAboriginal Affairs Victoriaon:

1800762 003, email visit

Introduction

TheseGuidelineshavebeenproducedby theDepartmentofPlanningand Community Development (DPCD),andon advicefromtheVictorianAboriginal HeritageCouncil.

TheGuidelineswillassist Registered Aboriginal Parties(RAPs)andproject sponsorsto:

1.Workoutsuitablefeesforthe participationofRAPsin the cultural heritageassessment process;and

2.Understandthestandardof conduct expectedofRAPsas professionalorganisations.

InpreparingtheseGuidelines,the Department hastaken intoaccountinput fromdevelopers, heritageconsultantsand Aboriginal groupsaswell as reviewing existingarrangements forthepaymentof Aboriginal groupsin Victoriaandelsewhere forundertakingcultural heritage-related work. Rateschargedforcomparable servicesin otherindustries,andstandardsof conduct withincomparableAustralian organisations,werealso reviewed.

FeeGuidelines

Theaim oftheFeeGuidelinesis to ensurethatRAPsareappropriatelyrecompensedforparticipating in culturalheritageassessments, and tocreate certaintyandtransparency

inrelation toRAPfees.

WhileSponsorsandRAPsare encouragedtousethese Guidelines, theyareunder

noobligationtodoso.

Activitiescoveredbythe

Guidelines

Sponsorsarerequiredtonotify therelevantRAPswhen they intendtoprepareacultural heritagemanagement plan. This providesanopportunity

fortheRAPtobeinvolved in the actual developmentoftheplan.

Someoftheways RAPsmay participatein thedevelopment

ofculturalheritagemanagement plans include:

•consultingwiththesponsor about theassessment of

theareatobeincludedin theplan (e.g.in relation

tohowtheassessment is to becarriedout,potential modificationstothe assessment toaddress

anyissuesraisedbytheRAP, andhowtheRAPintendsto participatein theconductofthe assessment);

•participatingin the

conductoftheassessment (eg. attendanceatfieldwork);and

•consultingwiththe sponsor about therecommendationsto beincludedin theplan.

Theseactivitiesarecoveredby thefeessetoutin thetable1.1.

Eachfeeschedule coversarange ofrates. Theappropriaterate to chargewithinthatrangewill dependonanyexpenses expected tobeincurredbythe RAP’s representativesandtheir skillandexpertise level.Thehourly rates arealsoinclusive

ofall reasonableexpenses suchastraveland accommodationcosts.

1.1FeesforRegisteredAboriginalParties

Activity / Hourlyrate(inclusiveof all reasonable expenses:traveland accommodationand GST)
7amto5pm,MontoFri / Allothertimes
Consultwithsponsoronthe assessment oftheareaforthe purposes oftheplan
Consultwithsponsorin relation
totherecommendationstobeincludedin theplan / $80to$100 / $120to$150
Participationin theconductofthe assessment / $50to$80
(chargedhourly but withaminimumof
5hours) / $75to$120
(chargedhourly but withaminimumof
5hours)

TheGuidelinesgroupactivitiesintotwo separatesetsoffees:

• Consultationwork–thiswould

attractahigherhourly rate astheRAP representative/swouldgenerallyhave moreseniority andexpertise; and

• Participationwork–particularlyin

theconductofassessments through,for example, sitevisits,attractsalower hourly rate (chargedhourly butata minimumoffivehours toreflectthe natureofthework).

TheAboriginalHeritage Regulations setout other fees that RAPscancharge

RAPsareentitledtobeapaidafeefor evaluatingaculturalheritagemanagement plan (oncetheplan hasbeenprepared)

aswell asafeeforconsideringpermit applications. Thesefeesaresetoutin the Aboriginal HeritageRegulations2007.

ConductGuidelines

Likeallprofessionalorganisations, RegisteredAboriginal Parties(RAPs) areexpectedtooperatewith certainstandardsofconductwhen consultingwithsponsorsand participatingin assessments. These guidelines outlinethestandardsof conductexpectedfromallRAPs. Theguidelines drawontheexisting conductstandardsforAboriginal sitemonitorsandarchaeologists.

Standardsof conduct expectedfromRAPs

Itis expectedthatrepresentatives ofRAPswilladheretothe followinggeneralstandardsofconduct:

•atalltimesbehavein away that upholdstheRAP’svalues, integrityandgoodreputation;

•takecaretoknowandcomply withall relevantlegal requirements;

•ensurethattheyhave,and maintain, theexpectedlevelof knowledgeconcerningthe legislation andheritage management issues;

•maintain appropriate confidentiality;

•actwithcareanddiligence;

•haveappropriateclothingand equipment, andcomplywithany andalloccupational

healthandsafety requirements thatmay bein placein the

fieldoronaworksite;

•treateveryonewith

respect,courtesyandwithout harassment; and

•ensurethattheyhaveand maintain theexpectedlevelof knowledgeconcerningthe legislation andheritage management issues.

StandardsofConduct forRAPs-ExpectedKnowledge

Activity / Actions / Expected knowledge / Expected outcome
Consultwithsponsor ontheassessment of theareaforthe purposeoftheplan. / Fordesktopassessment, meetingmay notberequired.
Forstandardandcomplex assessments, attendanceat meetingwithsponsor,before the fieldwork.
Meetingwoulddiscuss:
•howtheassessment is to be carriedout;
•potentialmodificationsto proposedassessment to address anyissuesraisedby RAP;
•howtheRAPintendsto participatein theconductof the assessment. / Thorough understanding
ofthelegislation and heritagemanagement issues.
Abilitytodiscuss management options.
Authoritytospeak fortheRAP. / Sponsoris fully awareoftheviews of theRAPonthe assessment and takes thoseviews intoaccount.
Participatein the conductofthe assessment. / Fordesktopassessment, notapplicable.
Forstandardorcomplex assessment, attendanceat fieldwork.
Attendancewouldinvolvethe
RAP:
•liaisingwiththeheritage advisorontheconductof theassessment; and
•offeringinputand assistance as required. / Basic understanding of Aboriginal site identificationandtheir likelihoodin a particularlandscape.
Basic understanding of thelegislation. / Conductofground surveyor excavationwith participationand/ or inputfromthe RAP.
Consultwiththe sponsorin relation tothe recommendations to beincludedin the plan. / Attendanceatmeeting/swith sponsor.
Meetings/swouldinvolve discussionof:
•howrecommendations managetheactivity’s impactsonheritage;
•potentialmodificationstorecommendationssuggested byRAPtobettermanage impactonheritage. / Thorough understanding
ofthelegislation and heritagemanagement issues.
Abilitytodiscuss management options.
Authoritytospeak fortheRAP. / Sponsoris fully awareoftheviews of theRAPonthe recommendations, andtakes those views into
account.

Accessibility

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Thispublicationis alsopublishedin PDFandWordformats on

PublishedbyAboriginal AffairsVictoria

DepartmentofPlanningandCommunityDevelopment

1SpringStreetMelbourneVictoria3000

Telephone(03)9208 3799

March2008

©CopyrightState GovernmentofVictoria2008

Thispublicationis copyright.Nopartmay bereproduced

byanyprocessexceptin accordancewithprovisionsofthe

CopyrightAct1968.

AuthorisedbyYehudiBlacher, Secretary, Departmentof

PlanningandCommunityDevelopment.

1SpringStreet,Melbourne. DesignedbyDeadlyDesign Printed on50%recycledpaper

ISBN978-1-921331-20-6