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Australian mining projects frequently undertake cultural salvage, involving archaeological consultants and Aboriginal Elders to identify important artefacts. However, the storage conditions within shipping containers present challenges, such as weather, insects, and limited access for Traditional Owners. The author, reflecting on his experience working as a project heritage advisor in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, emphasises the need for collaborative engagement between the mining sector and Aboriginal communities to develop effective storage strategies that prioritise both scientific integrity and cultural significance. The author raises questions about the purpose and sustainability of storing cultural artefacts in containers, while highlighting the need to balance safeguarding heritage with the evolving needs of Indigenous communities. Ultimately, the author emphasises the importance of empowering Traditional Owners in decisions about artefact storage and engaging in meaningful consultation to preserve cultural heritage. The author suggests that the process should prioritise not just tangible artefacts but also intangible aspects like stories and songlines that make up the living Indigenous culture.

This opinion piece by Brye Marshall, an Aboriginal archaeologist, and Julie Nichols, an academic in architecture and digital humanities, explores the agency and authority of intangible cultural heritage [ICH], particularly from a First Nations’ perspective.

They consider how ICH is defined, valued, and supported within contemporary cultural institutions like galleries, libraries, archives, and museums [GLAM], which are custodians of Australian cultural heritage. The piece discusses the challenges of recording Indigenous arts and knowledge outside of Indigenous communities, without recognition or benefits to Indigenous people. The discussion extends to the Western-centric definition of cultural heritage and its limitation in recognising Indigenous world views. The authors acknowledge ongoing debates around best practice in acknowledging Indigenous knowledge and narratives in historical records.

This chapter concludes that redefining ICH from Indigenous perspectives could empower communities, redefine heritage definitions, and contribute to global conversations about heritage, climate change, urban development, and connection to land.

In her opinion piece, Deanne Hanchant-Nichols, a Ngarrindjeri mi:mini (woman) with diverse Aboriginal family connections, reflects on the progress of the galleries, libraries, archives, and museums [GLAM] sector in collaborating with Indigenous communities. She observes a shift from tokenistic consultation towards meaningful engagement, where Indigenous voices are authentically integrated into exhibitions and programmes. The author highlights the example of Te Papa Museum in New Zealand, which successfully partnered with Māori Peoples to create an inclusive and engaging museum experience, contrasting this with the more colonial undertones in some Australian museums.

Hanchant-Nichols explores the concept of Tarrkarri, a proposed cultural centre at Lot 14 in Adelaide, South Australia, which aims to showcase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural treasures and contemporary works. She acknowledges the challenge of creating a space that genuinely reflects Indigenous culture while operating within a Western cultural paradigm. She emphasises the need for Tarrkarri to be a living cultural centre, accommodating the diverse needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, offering educative and entertainment elements, and maintaining cultural safety.

The author underscores the importance of collaboration with local Kaurna custodians and other cultural groups, respecting their perspectives. She acknowledges the significance of the site on Kaurna Country and the potential for Tarrkarri to establish an internationally renowned cultural centre. Hanchant-Nichols believes that Tarrkarri, with its potential to showcase both heritage and contemporary Indigenous knowledge, could not only excel in the GLAM space but also become a leader in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM] field, ultimately shaping a better future for all.

In this chapter, Jared Thomas, a Nukunu person from the Southern Flinders Ranges and a Research Fellow at the South Australian Museum and University of South Australia, reflects on his efforts to enhance the Fire Exhibit within the Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery [AACG], which has not been updated in 20 years. Thomas draws from an international precedent of involving Indigenous communities in museum displays.

The author outlines the limitations of renovations in terms of budget, space, and Indigenous protocols, while considering the potential impact of the proposed Tarrkarri Centre for First Nations Culture. He emphasises the importance of fostering relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples, allowing Indigenous voices to speak for themselves.

Thomas focusses on the Fire Exhibit, discussing its significance in Aboriginal culture, the lack of contextualisation, and the need for improved representation. He proposes short-term actions such as adding QR-code-based text for context, and long-term ambitions like incorporating audio-visual and augmented reality elements. He highlights the importance of Aboriginal fire land management practices, especially in the aftermath of the 2019 Australian bushfires.

Thomas proposes strengthening the exhibit’s connection to foods, medicines, and fixatives that benefit from cultural burning. He envisions collaboration with the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and acknowledges the resource constraints faced by the museum. He concludes by envisioning a template for extending improvements across the museum and fostering better understanding and representation of Aboriginal culture.

This article will consider the various ways in which accounting can be conceptualized within Boltanski and Thévenot’s economies of worth theoretic. Drawing on two case illustrations, a not-for-profit welfare agency and a government-owned water utility, we follow the unfolding of disputes and the variety of outcomes in which accounting is implicated. We illustrate the role of accounting in justificatory actions and the ways in which it “holds things together” in compromise arrangements. We also illustrate the situations which challenge the “test” of worth and the innovative accounting responses that either facilitate coordination and agreement or become controversial and be the object of organizational and institutional dispute.