Data Sovereignty
Putting data back in the hands of community
Why Data Sovereignty Matters
Data tells a story. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, that story is deeply connected to culture, Country, identity, and lived experience. But too often, data about our people is collected, stored, and used without our consent, understanding, or control.
Data sovereignty is the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to govern the data that relates to our communities, cultures, and knowledge systems. It ensures that we own our stories and that they are used in ways that support, not harm, our people.
Justice Our Way recognises that data is a powerful tool — and that self-determination includes the right to decide how our data is collected, who accesses it, and what it’s used for. By upholding data sovereignty, we ensure that information about our communities stays in community hands and reflects our values.
Our Commitments
Justice Our Way is committed to ethical, transparent, and culturally safe data practices. Our approach is guided by the CARE Principles for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Data Governance:
Collective Benefit — Data must benefit communities socially, culturally, and economically.
Authority to Control — Communities must govern how their data is collected, accessed, and used.
Responsibility — Data practices must be accountable and informed by cultural protocols.
Ethics — Data must be used respectfully and in ways that align with community values.
We embed these principles into every part of our work and ensure that Elders have a key role in reviewing culturally sensitive data. We seek informed consent, prioritise cultural safety, and actively avoid any practice that misrepresents, exploits, or marginalises our people.
Our organisation follows strict processes to ensure that data is handled responsibly at every stage:
Collection and Storage — We only collect what is necessary and store it securely with access controls in place.
Access and Use — Only authorised staff or partners can access data, and only for approved purposes.
Classification — All data is classified based on sensitivity (Public, Internal, Confidential, Restricted).
Third-Party Agreements — External service providers must meet our cultural safety, privacy, and security standards.
Retention and Disposal — Data is kept in line with Queensland archival requirements and securely deleted when no longer needed.
Ongoing Review — Elders for Change and internal audits ensure all data use aligns with cultural and legal expectations.
How We Handle Data
Protecting Community Information
We respect the rights of individuals and communities to control their information. This includes:
The right to access and correct personal or community-held data
The right to give or withdraw consent at any time
The right to request deletion of data, where appropriate and legally possible
If a data breach occurs, we take it seriously. We act quickly to:
Identify and contain the breach
Assess the risk within 72 hours
Notify any affected individuals
Inform the appropriate authorities
Apply corrective action and review what went wrong
Our processes ensure transparency, accountability, and trust — with culture and care at the centre of everything we do.
We want to hear from you. Our community surveys are open to anyone who wants to share their thoughts, stories, or ideas about what justice should look like for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Your voice helps guide the work we do and ensures that real solutions come from community — not from the top down. Whether you’ve had direct experience with the justice system or care about building a stronger future, your perspective matters.
Take the survey today and be part of shaping a justice system that reflects us.