Code Administration Committee
The Code Administration Committee is the industry body with the authority to deal with complaints and issue sanctions under the Code. The Committee will:
- implement and oversee the application of the Code;
- maintain an online register of signatories to the Code;
- investigate complaints that a signatory has breached the Code; and
- issue sanctions for non-compliance of signatories to the Code.
The Committee is supported by the Australian Government through the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts which is providing Secretariat services and limited operational funding.
Code Administration Committee Membership
Committee Structure
The structure of the Committee comprises:
- 4 members who are signatories to the Code and are elected by Code signatories.
- 3 Indigenous artists who are appointed by the Committee.
- 2 Artists resource organisation representatives who are appointed by the Committee.
- 2 non-arts representatives with legal and/or business and/or art consumer knowledge and experience who are appointed by the Committee.
The structure of the Code Administration Committee has been developed in consultation with the Industry Alliance Group which was formed to provide guidance on the development of the Code and has been designed to achieve participation across the breadth of the Indigenous visual arts industry. Members include commercial dealers, not‑for‑profit organisations and – importantly – strong representation by Indigenous artists and supporting organisations. Independent expertise is also included.
To ensure all major signatory groups are represented, the four elected signatory positions include 1 signatory who is a member of the Australian Commercial Galleries Association; 1 signatory who is a member of the Australian Indigenous Art Trade Association (Art Trade); 1 signatory who represents an Indigenous Art Centre and 1 signatory who is an independent dealer.
Terms for Committee members will be staggered to ensure that the Committee remains dynamic and that new and fresh ideas and perspectives are introduced regularly.
The inaugural Committee
The inaugural Committee will have the critical task of setting up the processes and protocols to regulate the code.
As the code is in the implementation phase and signatories are not yet available, the four positions were filled in consultation with the Industry Alliance Group. In future Committees, the four signatory positions will be filled through a vote of all Code signatories.
The Committee appointed positions were finalised via a call for nominations to fill vacant positions or where appropriate, a direct appointment drawn from the Industry Alliance Group.
While the full formal registration of members is not yet finalised, the following people have accepted the invitation to sit on the inaugural Committee. The Committee has elected Ron Merkel as Committee Chair and Richard England as Deputy Chair.
Signatory positions
- Cecilia Alfonso, Manager, Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation
- Beverley Knight, Director, Alcaston Gallery
- Martin Wardrop, Director, Aboriginal Art Online
- Ian Plunkett, Director, Japingka Gallery
Appointed Positions
Indigenous Artists
- Julie Gough
- Terry Murray
- Alick Tipoti
Artists Resource Organisations
- John Oster, CEO, DESART
- Elizabeth Tregenza, general manager, Ananguku Arts
Non-arts independent expertise
- Ron Merkel, QC (Committee Chair)
- Richard England, Director, Healthscope Limited. (Committee Deputy Chair)
Biographies on Committee members will be available soon.
