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THE CLIENT SERVICE CHARTER OF AICA
2007 & BEYOND
Objectives and Strategies
The objectives and strategies for implementation of AICA Client Service Charter and Strategic Plan are based on AICA being the elected national peak body which aims to represent all unique elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media and communications through advocacy, training and the formulation of policy and service support to and on behalf of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders sector members.
AICA coordinates the national activities of its Indigenous sector members and integrates and promotes national policies and strategic initiatives within the media and communications industries.
Long held desire
Although it has been a long held desire for Indigenous people to recognised the right for self regulating under the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth) AICA does not have operational roles in the management or delivery of broadcast, communications or other aspects of regulation in the industry.
Working Objectives
The working Objectives of AICA are to provide practical training support, advocate and represent the various Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sector members in their respective roles in the MEIT industry and to ensure effective training programs are coordinated and developed by the sector members for the sector members.
OUR VISION
For AICA to act with cultural integrity and professionalism in enabling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media and communications sector organisations to establish, utilise, expand and promote our unique common identity shared within the Australian Media, Entertainment, Information and Telecommunications industry for the overall benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and that of wider Australians and other international audiences.
AICA CLIENT SERVICE CHARTER
The service charter highlights:
· what services we can provide
· the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander values and standards embedded into those services
· the sector members responsibilities with AICA to assist with how AICA can deliver those services
· sector members feedback to AICA
OUR PURPOSE
Our purpose is to provide services that are:
· practical
· culturally appropriate
· efficient and effective
· relevant and supported by our sector members
· good governance practices
· sustainable
WHAT WE DO
AICA has the peak Indigenous representative body responsibility in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media technologies and communications to ensure that our sector members are genuinely considered and structured into processes such as legislative reforms, and proposed diversity of media ownership to ensure real Indigenous content diversity is not sacrificed.
Issues of public interest and debate that have to include consideration of the necessity to ensure the cultural media and communications space of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The cultural space should not be either overlooked due to funding resources, some obscure policy reasons or just not satisfactorily taken into account, or any other non-justifiable reason.
THE ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PERSPECTIVE
AICA has timely emerged from the thirty years of MEIT industry participation and related history, such as in Indigenous music, performance art and cultural festivals. The nature and value to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of the Broadcast, Film, Television, Print, Communications and Information industry sectors have been understood and the opportunities welcomed, have been pursued by Indigenous peoples with much success.
Out of The Silent Land 1984
Since the publication of the 1984 Out of Silent Land Report of the Task Force on Aboriginal and Islander Broadcasting and Communications, individual and community efforts, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, talent and overall achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their organisations in the media and communications industry, have played and continue to play a major role in the work and objective of turning the tide of colonial history and cultural silence for the betterment of the nation.
Grant funds
The valuable contribution of government and other Australians to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media and communication success have not gone unnoticed and has been acknowledged and welcomed by Indigenous peoples. AICA is supported in its operations by grant funds mainly from the responsible department and CBF.
Importantly, the success has provided a broader public understanding and insights to how media and communications interact with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander diverse cultures and heritage.
Social Justice
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media and communications organisations, apart from being entertaining and informative, also have further crucial cultural responsibilities; using media and communications to promote awareness of social justice objectives around improved wellbeing and cultural survival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This has historically been and remains in contemporary times, a unifying and constant thematic driving force in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MEIT industry and guides AICA in all its dealing with government and other bodies/agencies on behalf of our sector members in the media and communications industry.
Corporate Governance
The ongoing commercial requirements of running successful Indigenous media and communications enterprises and productions require good corporate governance that accommodates itself with cultural issues. Although these approaches have been problematic, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations are continually seeking ways of re structuring and improving.
AICA is established to play a major role with individual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sector members in progressing structural reforms and support services to its members to further the guidance and advancement of the Indigenous media and communications industry; either from a community or individual AICA Indigenous member sector into the future.
The Client Sector Members
The AICA Client Service Charter and Strategic Plan outline of Objectives and Strategies is mindful of government policy and programs and of the evolving industry environment for our sector members. The AICA Client Service Charter plan also takes primary account of the interaction between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MEIT industry and the values, needs and aspirations of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and wider societies; and the practical service support that AICA can provide to our sector members.
Individual Responsibility
AICA acknowledges the different components of a convergent broad industry and that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander industry organisations may operate in more than one of the identified industry sectors. The organisational members of AICA pursue their interests and objectives separately and are encouraged to act jointly through AICA as their elected national representative peak body and promote individual responsibility.
Coordination
AICA develops and pursues policy, training and strategic objectives on behalf of the different industry sectors and their organisations. AICA coordinates the joint strategic activities of its members and integrates the recognition and pursuit of the aspirations and requirements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders MEIT industry as a whole.
National Interest
The AICA Board members act in the national interests of all sector member organisations in their decisions and with their participation in the work of AICA. AICA sector members are involved in an industry that seeks to educate, inform and entertain, through broadcasting, print, screen and film and new emerging media and communication technologies.
Regulatory Compliance & Training
The ultimate purpose of AICA from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media and
communication perspective is to secure regulatory compliance involvement and coordination control of the training and cultural transmission of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to culturally enrich the wider Australian society through the recognition and understanding of Indigenous histories and unique cultures; the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
Peak Body
The AICA role is distinguished by being the only peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative voice of the multi-sectoral industry in which its Indigenous members are active. The changing commercial and regulatory environment can provide the opportunity for the Australian Indigenous players in these industries to realise their planned objectives.
The priorities of the different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander industry participants vary between and within the industry sectors. The AICA sector membership have clear priorities on:
· Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander broadcasting as one of the four tiers of the Australian broadcasting industry;
· Legislated establishment of an Indigenous Communications Corporation (or similarly named body) that operates nationally on a partnership basis between local and regional Indigenous players;
· Maintaining the Indigenous community broadcast sector Training and Employment of Indigenous people;
· Government recognition of AICA as the national Indigenous policy and representational body for all sectors of the industry and the industry as a whole
AICA OBJECTIVES
The initial objects for which the Association was
established and continues to follow are:
· To promote, foster and advance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture, music, voice, story, dance, artistic expression and social welfare through the medium of radio broadcasting:
· To recognise and promote the contribution that Independent Indigenous Broadcasters make in the promotion and acceptance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, culture, music, history, voice, story, dance, artistic expression and welfare, throughout the wider Australian community;
· To assist regulation and support association’s sector members working on Non-Indigenous Community Radio Stations and;
· To advise on available grant and funding opportunities, advise on their rights as an independent broadcaster, assist in setting-up networking facilities and;
· To act as a National Advisory Advocate for the association’s sector members;
· Educate the wider Australian community of the cultural, social, economic and political issues affecting Indigenous Australians and Torres Straight Island people through the medium of community radio broadcasting.
· The association will act with cultural and professional integrity, accountability, transparency and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage and rights.
CLIENT SERVICE CHARTER SUPPORT
The following are the support services provided by AICA:
1. ADVOCACY
AICA is empowered by both its sector members and its legal incorporation entity to act and advocate as the peak representative body on behalf and for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander media and communications industry.
2. MEMBERSHIP REPRESENTATION
· CBF
- Indigenous Grants Advisory Committee (IGAC)
- Training Advisory Group (TAG)
- Training Grants Advisory Committee
- Qualitative Audience Research Advisory Committee
- Indigenous Remote Radio Roll-Out
· National Indigenous Television Service (NITV)
3. POLICY AND RESEARCH
AICA formulates national policy and research on behalf of its sector members through:
· Definite course of action provided by the AICA Board
· Course of action adopted by sector members input
· Actions or procedures mindful of Government policies
· AICA Constitution
· AICA Strategic Plan
· Other considerations
4. SECTOR MEMBER SUPPORT
AICA provides as a priority sector members support in the following areas of regulatory compliance assistance:
- Understanding new corporate governance Acts such as the Corporation (Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander) Act 2005 (Cth) for all our sector members who are currently incorporated under the now repealed Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976 (Cth) and compliance of Broadcasting Services Act 1992
- Sector members licenses renewals
- ACMA issues and developments
- CBF issues and developments
- Training support services
· Representation to Minister for Department of Communications, Information Technology and the ARTS
· Representation to other Ministers and government Department identified by the AICA Board and sector members
· Representation of sector members on government media and communications inquires and conferences
· Assist government Departments such as DCITA on sector members issues with the consent, if applicable, of the sector members.
· Representation of sector members with ACAM
· Representation of sector members with CBF matters
· Provide support, advice and submissions on the current Review of Indigenous Broadcasting Program 2006
· Representing sector members on the identified CBF committees
· Providing feed back to sector members on the workings and decisions of those committees
· Representing sector member feed back to government agencies and others
· Provide avenues for sector members governance support from the Indigenous Community Volunteers Program
· In partnership with ORAC assist new governance structure issues to relevant sector members
· Identity and research other governance structural reforms more beneficial to sector members
· Provide Discussion Papers on governance issues for sector members
· Provide up to date information on all new relevant developments in the media and communications industry to sector members
· Provide unique mediation of internal Indigenous community disputes to sector members in the operations of services
· Encourage new and emerging sector members to join AICA
· Encourage non-Indigenous associate memberships with AICA
· Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander broadcasters working in non-Indigenous radio stations or other media and communications outlets.
· Encourage non-Indigenous radio stations to develop Indigenous Radio program Development for the benefit of their community
· Provide a unique mediation services on dispute issues involving Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander broadcasters in non-Indigenous radio stations.
· Provide regular feed back to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander broadcasters working in a non-Indigenous radio station or other media or communication outlets.
5. SECTOR MEMBER SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL INDIGENOUS TELEVISION SERVICE
AICA is one of the founding members of NITV,
incorporated in 2006 as NITV Limited and have supported the establishment of NITV from the beginning.
· AICA will provide regular feed back to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sector members on NITV issues.
6. SECTOR MEMBERS PRIVACY
AICA will ensure that sector members’ privacy, cultural knowledge and intellectual property will be fully respected and protected wherever possible as required by either law or by direct negotiations with government
Departments and all others.
7. ACCOUNTABILITY
AICA commits our Service Charter to always treat each individual sector member or others in a manner that:
· Treats you with respect and courtesy
· Acknowledges any cultural respect or protocols
· Will listen and respond
· Provide correct information
· Act professional and be fair
· Be mindful of our Elders
· Respect the confidentiality of our sector members.
8. HOW YOU CAN ASSIST US
AICA can only be effective with the active involvement from all our sector members and other supporters. You can
assist us by becoming involved in partnership with the goals of AICA.
· Let us know when you have a problem that AICA may be able to assist with
· Let AICA know of the problem if you can before it becomes too big a problem
· Provide us with correct information
· Let us know how we can improve our services or do something else better.
· Keep in regular contact with the AICA office
9. COMPLAINTS ABOUT AICA
If you feel that you have a complaint about any of the services of AICA you can complain by:
· Written complaint
· All complaints will be formally acknowledged and placed before the AICA Board at their next meeting or before.
· Telephone (these will also be formally acknowledged by written response by AICA)
· In person at the AICA office
· Email or fax (these will be formally acknowledged by written response by AICA)
10. COMPLAINTS NOT RESOLVED
If a complaint about services by AICA cannot be resolved, AICA will provide advice on how a sector member can raise their complaint through either the AICA Constitution or refer to another process that ensures the sector member is satisfied of both the complaint resolving process and outcome of the complaint.
11. CONTACTS
Australian Indigenous Communications Association (AICA)
PO BOX 4235 Ainslie, ACT 2602
Tel: 02 62 62 8699
(Complaints) :
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Fax: 02 6230 4456
www.aicainc.org.au
Business address:
Level One
15 Edgar Street, Ainslie 2602
Download the THE CLIENT SERVICE CHARTER OF AICA.doc
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