How We Govern

Governance Framework

NAISAR is not a government agency, a private company, or a single person's project. It is a collaborative infrastructure — and that means its governance must be transparent, accountable, and distributed.

Principles

NAISAR's governance is built on five non-negotiable principles:

  1. Transparency. Every decision, revision, and dispute is visible. There are no back-room changes to the framework.
  2. Evidence. Changes to protocols require cited evidence. Opinion is not sufficient.
  3. Representation. No single sector (police, health, courts, NGOs) dominates decision-making.
  4. Sovereignty. First Nations organisations have veto authority over any framework element affecting Indigenous communities.
  5. Accountability. The framework is measured against outcomes — survivor safety, perpetrator accountability, system coordination.

Decision-Making Structure

NAISAR operates through three layers:

1. Working Groups (Sector-Specific)

Police, courts, health, NGOs, First Nations, disability, and CALD each have a working group. These groups propose changes, review evidence, and test integration within their sector. Any member can propose a revision.

2. Framework Council (Cross-Sector)

Each working group elects two representatives to the Framework Council. The Council reviews cross-sector implications, resolves conflicts, and approves major changes. Decisions require consensus — if consensus cannot be reached, the matter is referred to an independent mediator.

3. Independent Ethics Panel

A panel of independent researchers, survivors with lived experience, and legal experts reviews all framework changes for ethical soundness, particularly regarding perpetrator rights, survivor privacy, and data use.

Revision Authority

Not all changes require the same level of scrutiny:

  • Editorial corrections (typos, broken links) — Approved by any two reviewers.
  • Clarifying amendments (rewording for clarity, no substantive change) — Approved by working group consensus.
  • Substantive revisions (new protocols, altered risk thresholds) — Require Framework Council approval + Independent Ethics Panel sign-off.
  • First Nations content — Requires explicit approval from the First Nations Working Group. No exceptions.

Conflict of Interest

All contributors and decision-makers must declare conflicts of interest annually. This includes funding sources, organisational affiliations, and personal relationships that could influence framework content. Declarations are public.

Current Status

Phase: Foundation Building
Working Groups: Forming
Framework Council: Not yet convened — will be established once at least four working groups are active.
Independent Ethics Panel: Seeking expressions of interest.

This governance framework is itself a living document. As NAISAR grows, its governance will evolve. The first annual governance review is scheduled for Q1 2027.