{"id":"strehlow-research-centre-act-2005","name":"Strehlow Research Centre Act 2005","slug":"strehlow-research-centre-act-2005","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":30619,"registerId":"nt-strehlow-research-centre-act-2005-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Strehlow Research Centre Act 2005","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nSTREHLOW RESEARCH CENTRE ACT 2005\nAs in force at 1 July 2014\nTable of provisions\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\n1 Short title ......................................................................................... 1\n2 Commencement .............................................................................. 1\n3 Objects ............................................................................................ 1\n4 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1\nPart 2 Strehlow Research Centre\n5 Establishment .................................................................................. 2\n6 Purposes ......................................................................................... 2\nPart 3 Minister\n7 Powers of Minister ........................................................................... 3\n8 Delegation ....................................................................................... 3\nPart 4 Strehlow Research Centre Board\n9 Establishment .................................................................................. 3\n10 Functions ......................................................................................... 3\n11 Powers............................................................................................. 4\n12 Direction of Minister ......................................................................... 4\n13 Delegation ....................................................................................... 4\n14 Membership ..................................................................................... 4\n15 Termination of appointment ............................................................. 5\n16 Disclosure of interest ....................................................................... 5\n17 Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson ............................................. 6\n18 Vacation of office ............................................................................. 6\n19 Frequency of meetings .................................................................... 6\n20 Meeting procedures ......................................................................... 6\n21 Presiding member ........................................................................... 7\n22 Chief Executive Officer may attend meeting .................................... 7\n23 Protection of members .................................................................... 7\nPart 5 Repeal and transitional matters for\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005\n24 Repeal ............................................................................................. 8\n25 Definitions ........................................................................................ 8\n26 Property etc. of former Board .......................................................... 8\n\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 ii\n27 Arrangements under repealed Act ................................................... 8\n28 Membership of Board ...................................................................... 8\nSchedule Agreement\nENDNOTES\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 1 July 2014\n____________________\nSTREHLOW RESEARCH CENTRE ACT 2005\nAn Act to establish the Strehlow Research Centre and the Strehlow\nResearch Centre Board, and for related purposes\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\n1 Short title\nThis Act may be cited as the Strehlow Research Centre Act 2005.\n2 Commencement\nThis Act comes into operation on the date fixed by the Administrator\nby notice in the Gazette.\n3 Objects\nThe objects of this Act are as follows:\n(a) to establish the Strehlow Research Centre and the Strehlow\nResearch Centre Board;\n(b) to ensure the collections are maintained and continued to be\ndeveloped;\n(c) to allow for the repatriation of objects included in the\ncollections to their traditional owners.\n4 Definitions\nIn this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\nAgreement means the agreement comprising the documents listed\nin the Schedule.\nBoard means the Strehlow Research Centre Board established by\nsection 9.\nCentre means the Strehlow Research Centre established by\nsection 5.\n\nPart 2 Strehlow Research Centre\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 2\nChairperson means the Chairperson of the Board.\ncollections has the meaning in section 6(a).\nDeputy Chairperson means the Deputy Chairperson of the Board.\nmember means a member of the Board.\nobjects includes artefacts, notes, diaries, records, films,\npublications and sound recordings.\npurposes of the Centre means the purposes referred to in\nsection 6.\nPart 2 Strehlow Research Centre\n5 Establishment\nThe Strehlow Research Centre is established.\n6 Purposes\nThe Centre is established for the following purposes:\n(a) to house, maintain and develop collections of objects of\ncultural, historical and anthropological significance owned by\nthe Territory (the collections);\n(b) to hold objects of cultural, historical and anthropological\nsignificance owned by persons other than the Territory;\n(c) to provide secure and restricted storage facilities for elements\nof the collections and objects referred to in paragraph (b) that\nare culturally sensitive;\n(d) to promote the appreciation of culture and learning by:\n(i) displaying the collections; and\n(ii) organising lectures, demonstrations and other\neducational activities; and\n(iii) publishing educational material;\n(e) to conduct, and to assist other persons to conduct, research\nrelating to the traditions and culture of Aboriginal people;\n(f) to preserve, commemorate and honour the work of the late\nProfessor TGH Strehlow.\n\nPart 4 Strehlow Research Centre Board\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 3\nPart 3 Minister\n7 Powers of Minister\n(1) The Minister has power to do all things necessary or convenient for\nthe purposes of the Centre.\n(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Minister may for the purposes of\nthe Centre do any of the following:\n(a) acquire objects for, and dispose of objects from, the\ncollections;\n(b) lend any part of the collections;\n(c) borrow objects;\n(d) determine charges for the viewing or any other use of the\ncollections;\n(e) produce, publish and sell reproductions, replicas, photographs\nand other publications;\n(f) grant rights over the reproduction of intellectual property.\n(3) However, the Minister may dispose of an object from the collections\nonly if the Board has approved the proposed disposal in\naccordance with section 20(3).\n8 Delegation\nThe Minister may delegate in writing to a person any of his or her\npowers under section 7(1).\nPart 4 Strehlow Research Centre Board\n9 Establishment\nThe Strehlow Research Centre Board is established.\n10 Functions\nThe Board has the following functions:\n(a) to provide advice to the Minister in relation to the acquisition of\nobjects to be included in the collections;\n(b) to consider requests for the repatriation of objects from the\ncollections to their traditional owners;\n\nPart 4 Strehlow Research Centre Board\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 4\n(c) to provide advice to the Minister in relation to the disposal of\nobjects from the collections;\n(d) to promote community involvement in the activities of the\nCentre;\n(e) to provide advice to the Minister in relation to the activities of\nthe Centre;\n(f) any other functions conferred on the Board by the Minister for\nthis Act.\n11 Powers\n(1) The Board has the following powers:\n(a) to approve the disposal of objects from the collections in\naccordance with section 20(3);\n(b) to authorise access to elements of the collections.\n(2) In the exercise of its powers, the Board must have regard to:\n(a) the Agreement; and\n(b) the objects of this Act; and\n(c) the purposes of the Centre.\n12 Direction of Minister\n(1) The Board must comply with a request from the Minister for advice\nin relation to the purposes of the Centre but is not subject to the\ndirection of the Minister in relation to the content of the advice.\n(2) The Board is not subject to the direction of the Minister in relation to\nthe exercise of its powers under section 11(1).\n13 Delegation\nThe Board may, with the approval of the Minister, delegate in\nwriting to a person its power under section 11(1)(b).\n14 Membership\n(1) The Board consists of Kathleen Stuart Strehlow or her nominee,\nwhile Kathleen Stuart Strehlow lives, and 6 other members\nappointed by the Minister of whom:\n(a) one must be appointed to represent the interests of Aboriginal\npeople; and\n\nPart 4 Strehlow Research Centre Board\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 5\n(b) one must be nominated by the Council of the Charles Darwin\nUniversity; and\n(c) one must be nominated by the Commonwealth Minister who is\nresponsible for Aboriginal affairs; and\n(d) one must be nominated by the minister administering the\nMuseum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Act 2014.\n(2) A member appointed by the Minister:\n(a) holds office for a specified period (not exceeding 3 years); and\n(b) is eligible for re-appointment; and\n(c) may resign from the Board by writing signed by the member\nand delivered to the Minister.\n15 Termination of appointment\n(1) The Minister may terminate the appointment of a member at any\ntime.\n(2) The Minister must terminate the appointment of a member if the\nmember is found guilty, in the Territory or elsewhere, of an offence\npunishable by imprisonment for 12 months or longer.\n(3) This section does not apply to Kathleen Stuart Strehlow or her\nnominee.\n16 Disclosure of interest\n(1) If a member has a direct or indirect interest in a matter being\nconsidered or about to be considered by the Board, the member\nmust disclose the nature of the interest at a Board meeting as soon\nas practicable after the relevant facts come to the member's\nknowledge.\n(2) The disclosure must be recorded in the Board's minutes.\n(3) The member must not, while having that interest:\n(a) take part in any deliberation or decision of the Board relating\nto that matter; or\n(b) form part of the quorum of the Board in any deliberation or\ndecision of the Board relating to that matter.\n(4) However, subsection (3) does not apply if the Board resolves that\nthe subsection does not apply to the member.\n\nPart 4 Strehlow Research Centre Board\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 6\n(5) Despite such a resolution, the member may refuse to take part in\nany deliberation or decision of the Board relating to that matter.\n17 Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson\n(1) One member must be the Chairperson and another the Deputy\nChairperson of the Board.\n(2) If either office becomes vacant, the Board must elect a member to\nthe office at the first meeting of the Board after the vacancy occurs.\n18 Vacation of office\n(1) The offices of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson both become\nvacant immediately before the first meeting of the Board of each\nfinancial year.\n(2) Either office becomes vacant if the member:\n(a) resigns the office under subsection (3); or\n(b) is removed from the office under subsection (4); or\n(c) ceases to be a member.\n(3) The Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson may resign the office by\nwriting signed by him or her and delivered to the Board.\n(4) The Board may remove from office the Chairperson or Deputy\nChairperson at any time.\n19 Frequency of meetings\n(1) The Chairperson may call as many meetings of the Board as are\nnecessary to enable the Board to perform its functions and exercise\nits powers.\n(2) At least 2 meetings must be called each financial year.\n(3) The Chairperson must call a meeting if requested to do so by at\nleast 4 members.\n20 Meeting procedures\n(1) Subject to this Part, the Board may determine the procedures to be\nfollowed at or in connection with a meeting.\n(2) At a meeting:\n(a) 4 members constitute a quorum; and\n\nPart 4 Strehlow Research Centre Board\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 7\n(b) questions, including the election of the Chairperson and\nDeputy Chairperson, must be decided by a majority of the\nvotes of the members present and voting; and\n(c) in the event of an equality of votes – the person presiding at\nthe meeting has a casting vote in addition to a deliberative\nvote.\n(3) However, the Board may approve the disposal of an object from the\ncollections only if:\n(a) each member has been given notice of the proposal to\ndispose of the object at least 3 months before the meeting at\nwhich the proposal is to be decided; and\n(b) at least 6 members vote in favour of the approval at the\nmeeting.\n21 Presiding member\n(1) The Chairperson must preside at all meetings of the Board at which\nhe or she is present.\n(2) If the Chairperson is absent from a meeting, the Deputy\nChairperson must preside.\n(3) If the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson are absent from a\nmeeting, the members present must elect a member to preside.\n22 Chief Executive Officer may attend meeting\nThe Chief Executive Officer, or a person authorised by the Chief\nExecutive Officer, may attend a meeting of the Board to provide the\nBoard with information and advice.\n23 Protection of members\n(1) This section applies to a person who is or has been a member of\nthe Board.\n(2) The person is not civilly or criminally liable for an act done or\nomitted to be done by the person in good faith in the exercise or\npurported exercise of a power, or the performance or purported\nperformance of a function, under this Act.\n(3) Subsection (2) does not affect any liability the Territory would, apart\nfrom that subsection, have for the act or omission.\n\nPart 5 Repeal and transitional matters for Strehlow Research Centre Act 2005\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 8\nPart 5 Repeal and transitional matters for Strehlow\nResearch Centre Act 2005\n24 Repeal\nThe Strehlow Research Centre Act 1988 (Act No. 63 of 1988) is\nrepealed.\n25 Definitions\nIn this Part:\ncommencement date means the date on which this Act comes into\noperation.\nformer Board means the Strehlow Centre Board established by\nsection 4 of the Strehlow Research Centre Act 1988.\n26 Property etc. of former Board\nThe property, rights and liabilities of the former Board existing\nimmediately before the commencement date vest in the Territory on\nthat date.\n27 Arrangements under repealed Act\n(1) An arrangement of which the former Board was a party has effect\nas if the Territory were the former Board for the purposes of the\narrangement.\n(2) Without limiting subsection (1), an arrangement referred to in\nsubsection (1) includes any agreement under which a party to the\nagreement is obliged to give an undertaking or to provide a\nguarantee or a security.\n28 Membership of Board\n(1) Each person who held an appointment as a member of the former\nBoard immediately before the commencement date is a member of\nthe Board until the expiration of 6 months after that date or until the\nperson ceases to be a member, whichever occurs sooner.\n(2) The person who was the Chairman of the former Board immediately\nbefore the commencement date is the Chairperson of the Board\nuntil the expiration of 6 months after that date or until the person\nvacates the office, whichever occurs sooner.\n\nSchedule Agreement\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 9\nSchedule Agreement\nsection 4, definition of Agreement\n1. The letter dated 11 August 1986 from the Crown Solicitor, Department\nof Law, Darwin to Sydney G. Maidment, Solicitor, 133 Rundle Street,\nKent Town, South Australia (Crown Solicitor's reference\nJO'R:ns 86/6/4) and referred to in the deed described in item 4 of this\nSchedule as \"JBOR1\".\n2. The agreement made on 20 February 1987 between the Northern\nTerritory of Australia, Kathleen Stuart Strehlow and the Strehlow\nFoundation Incorporated, together with its accompanying schedules\nand attachments.\n3. The letter dated 23 February 1987 from Sydney G. Maidment, Solicitor,\nto the Deputy Crown Counsel for the Northern Territory (Solicitor's\nreference PAE:0338) and referred to in the deed described in item 4 of\nthis Schedule as \"SM1\".\n4. The deed made on 11 September 1987 between the Northern Territory\nof Australia of the first part, Kathleen Stuart Strehlow of the second part\nand The Strehlow Research Foundation Incorporated, a body\nincorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act (SA) of the third\npart.\n5. The deed made on 8 June 1995 between Kathleen Stuart Strehlow of\nthe first part, the Northern Territory of Australia of the second part and\nthe Strehlow Centre Board of the third part.\n\nENDNOTES\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 10\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nStrehlow Research Centre Act 2005 (Act No. 45, 2005)\nAssent date 14 December 2005\nCommenced 18 January 2006 (Gaz G3, 18 January 2006, p 4)\nMuseum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Act 2014 (Act No. 6, 2014)\nAssent date 20 March 2014\nCommenced 1 July 2014 (s 2)\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: ss 1 and 14.\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\ns 14 amd No. 6, 2014, s 43","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This Act largely re-establishes and updates the governance framework for the Strehlow Research Centre that previously existed under the 1988 Act: it repeals the 1988 Act, vests the former Board’s property and obligations in the Territory, and sets out governance, decision-making and transitional arrangements (ss 24–28). The core purposes—housing, maintaining and developing the Strehlow collections and providing for repatriation—remain the same (s 3; s 6). The principal changes are structural and procedural (membership composition, clearer delegation rules, and a formal Schedule of earlier agreements) rather than a material expansion of policy scope."},"complexity_factors":["Short Act (28 sections plus Schedule) — limited length","Few defined terms (Agreement, Board, Centre, Chairperson, collections, objects, purposes)","Clear split of powers between Minister and Board with limited cross-references (ss 7, 10–11)","Special membership rule (named individual or nominee) plus 6 appointed members with specific nominators (s 14)","Super-majority and notice condition for disposal of collection items (s 20(3)) — a nested conditional requirement","Transitional provisions vesting former Board property in the Territory and preserving membership for up to 6 months (ss 24–28)","Reference to an external multi-document Agreement in the Schedule that the Board must regard (s 4; Schedule)"],"plain_english_summary":"The Act creates the Strehlow Research Centre and Board to house and manage cultural, historical and anthropological collections, giving the Minister broad operational powers (acquire, dispose, charge, reproduce) while requiring Board approval for disposals. It guarantees Kathleen Stuart Strehlow (or her nominee) a continuing Board seat.\n\nIt affects the NT government, the Minister, the Board and specified nominating bodies, traditional owners, researchers and the public. It matters because it formalises custody, decision‑making and repatriation pathways, but concentrates certain powers and can impose access costs and procedural hurdles."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose: establishing and governing the Strehlow Research Centre. The 2005 Act is a re-enactment/replacement of the 1988 Act (repealed by section 24) with updated governance structures. The scope has not expanded beyond managing the specific Strehlow collections and related repatriation processes."},"complexity_factors":["Short statute (only 28 sections plus Schedule)","Minimal defined terms (only 10 definitions in section 4)","Limited cross-referencing (primarily internal references to sections 6, 9, 11, 20)","Straightforward governance structure with standard meeting procedures","One notable complexity: the layered approval process for disposing of objects requiring Board super-majority (section 20(3)) and Ministerial action (section 7(3))","Transitional provisions for repealing the 1988 Act are standard and time-limited","Schedule incorporates external historical agreements by reference, creating some external complexity regarding the 'Agreement' defined in section 4"],"plain_english_summary":"This law creates the **Strehlow Research Centre** in the Northern Territory — a special facility that houses and protects important cultural items, particularly Aboriginal cultural materials collected by the late Professor TGH Strehlow.\n\n**What it does:**\n- **Establishes the Centre** to store, maintain, and develop collections of culturally significant objects (artefacts, films, recordings, diaries, etc.)\n- **Creates a governing Board** with 7 members, including a guaranteed seat for Kathleen Stuart Strehlow (the professor's widow) or her nominee for life, plus representatives for Aboriginal interests, Charles Darwin University, the Commonwealth government, and the NT Museum\n- **Sets rules for repatriation** — the Board must consider requests to return objects to their traditional Aboriginal owners\n- **Gives the Minister broad powers** to acquire, lend, borrow, and sell items from the collections, but with a key restriction: the Board must approve any disposal by a special super-majority vote (6 out of 7 members) after 3 months' notice\n- **Protects Board members** from personal legal liability when acting in good faith\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Aboriginal communities seeking return of cultural materials\n- Researchers studying Aboriginal traditions and culture\n- The Strehlow family (through guaranteed Board representation)\n- The Northern Territory Government (which owns the collections)\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis law tries to balance three competing interests: preserving an important anthropological collection, respecting Aboriginal cultural ownership and repatriation rights, and honouring the Strehlow family's connection to the material. The special voting rules for disposing of items (6 of 7 members required) make it deliberately difficult to sell or give away collection items, protecting them from political or financial pressure."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/strehlow-research-centre-act-2005","history":"/api/acts/strehlow-research-centre-act-2005/history","analysis":"/api/acts/strehlow-research-centre-act-2005/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/strehlow-research-centre-act-2005/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/strehlow-research-centre-act-2005/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/strehlow-research-centre-act-2005/documents"}}