AIFS Human Research Ethics Committee
Role of the Ethics Committee
The AIFS Human Research Ethics Committee ensures that compliance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2023) and the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research is integral to AIFS operations.
The role of the AIFS Ethics Committee is to:
- provide independent, competent and timely ethical review in line with National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines and relevant legislation
- oversee, monitor and advise on ethical aspects of human research
- receive and respond to ethical complaints from research participants and other parties.
Ethics Application Submission Criteria
The AIFS Ethics Committee is registered with the National Health and Medical Research Council.
The committee is an institutional human research ethics committee and the appropriate review body for:
- research funded from AIFS’s sources
- research funded under contract with external bodies
- collaborative research with external people or bodies for which AIFS has primary responsibility for data collection.
The AIFS Ethics Committee will ordinarily not consider applications from researchers with no affiliation to AIFS. The committee may consider ethical review of research from external agencies where there is a strategic relationship, depending on the committee’s capacity.
Ethics Committee Members
| Category | Member | Qualifications |
|---|---|---|
| The Chair | Emeritus Professor David de Vaus (Chair) | DPhil (La Trobe Uni), BA of Socio and Edu (La Trobe) |
| Current research experience | Dr Joel Anderson | BA Communication (Monash), BA Psychology (ACU), Post Grad of Psychology (ACU), PhD (ACU), GCHE (ACU) |
| Current research experience | Dr Tim Calabria | BA (UTas), Honours (La Trobe), PhD Candidate (La Trobe) |
| Person with knowledge of and current experience in areas of research regularly considered by the committee (First Nations) | Kristy Clancy | BA of Econms (Hons)(James Cook Uni), Master of Social Work (James Cook), Prof Cert in Indigenous Research (Melb Uni) |
| Current research experience | Dr Karena Jessup | BA (UTas), BTeach (Hons) (UTas), PhD (UTas) |
| Person performing a pastoral care role in a community | Rev John Lamont | BA (La Trobe); BTheol (United Faculty of Theology, Ormond College) |
| General community attitudes representative | Sonia Lewis | Bachelor of Nursing Science (Hons), Diploma of Applied Science (La Trobe) |
| Person with knowledge of and current experience in the professional care, counselling or treatment of people | Jinny McGrath | BA Social Work (Monash), Master of Social Work (Monash), Master of Research Candidate (RMIT) |
| General community attitudes representative | Carol Solof | BSc (Hons) (ANU) |
| General community attitudes representative | Victoria Triggs | BSciEd (Melb), Grad Dip Ed Admin (Melb) Grad Dip (AICD) |
| A qualified lawyer, who may or may not be currently practicing | Kathryn Thomas | BA of Arts, BA of Laws (Hons) (Uni of Qld), Grad Dip of Legal Practice (ANU), PhD candidate (Uni Syd) |
Meetings
Meetings are held at least 5 times a year at intervals determined by project needs. Proposed meeting dates are tentatively set in December for the following year and confirmed closer to each date as the year progresses. Ordinarily, meetings are held in February, April, July, October and December.
Terms of Reference
These Terms of Reference guide the committee in meeting its obligations under the National Statement and the Code of Conduct.
Make a compliant
Complaints about researchers, the conduct of research or the conduct of the AIFS Ethics Committee can be addressed to the Ethics Committee Secretariat: [email protected]
Complaints will be handled promptly and sensitively, in accordance with chapter 5.6 of the National Statement. Once a complaint has been submitted, the Research Director or the Chair of the Committee will investigate the allegations.
When making complaint:
- Provide all relevant information so that an initial assessment of the complaint can be made. Complaints lodged by a third party or on behalf of an anonymous person will be more difficult to assess, investigate and resolve.
- Please note, a final decision to reject an ethics application cannot be appealed, as outlined in chapter 5.6 of the National Statement.
- The NHMRC Guide to Managing and Investigating Potential Breaches of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research outlines that there may be multiple processes for managing a complaint depending on the type of concern. For example, conduct that may amount to a breach of the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct may be handled under other organisational policies instead of the NHMRC mechanism. Similarly, complaints about a potential data or privacy breach may be handled through established internal procedures or through the Australian Privacy Commissioner.
Contact
AIFS Ethics Secretariat contact details: [email protected]