Your research ethics application will be considered and assessed by the Aboriginal Ethics Sub Committee one week prior to the Human Research Ethics Committee.

Upon receipt of a research ethics application, an email acknowledging receipt of the application by this office and notification of the research ethics application file reference number will be sent to the principal investigator of the research ethics application.

Please use this file reference number in all future correspondence with the Ethics Office. You will be notified of the Human Research Ethics Committee’s decision within 10 working days from the Human Research Ethics Committee’s meeting date.

You are required to lodge the following hardcopy documents to this office:

  • One signed, single-sided and paper-clipped original research application plus all associated documents attached as one document
  • Clinical trials: please provide clinical trial protocol, clinical trial notification and certificate of insurance liability
  • One electronic copy of the research ethics application plus associated documents forwarded to ethics administration. Please ensure that the attachments to the research ethics application is scanned and emailed through as one document only, not an email with multiple attachments.
Research involving Australian Defence members:

Researchers conducting research that involves Australian Defence members are required to obtain ethics approval through the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Northern Territory Department of Health and Menzies School of Health Research as well as through the Australian Defence Human Research Ethics Committee prior to the commencement of any research activity.

Contact details for the Australian Defence Human Research Ethics Committee are:

Australian Defence Human Research Ethics Committee
Department of Defence
CP2-7-101
PO Box 7911
Canberra BC ACT 2610

Other possible supporting documentation that may be required:
  • From 1 March 2011, a Working With Children Clearance Notice is required for all who are working with or who will potentially be in contact with children in the Northern Territory (NT) in accordance to section 187 of the NT Care and Protection of Children Act. Research undertaken in other states or territories will have a similar requirement
  • Participant information sheets, next of kin/guardian information sheets, consent forms, guardian consent forms, assent forms
  • Letters of support from communities, government departments or agencies involved in the research study
  • Letter of support from the director, Department of Health Remote Health Services. Click here to download application.
  • Letters of support from Aboriginal health boards/corporations
  • Interview guides
  • Surveys or questionnaires
  • Letters of approval from ethics committees in other jurisdictions
  • Approval to access Department of Health data, data sets or medical records. Click here to download form.

Important:
Please note the following prior to submission of research ethics application:

  • The closing time of submissions is at 4:00pm (GMT +9:30 Darwin). Unfortunately, research ethics applications received after this time will not be accepted
  • Research ethics applications will not be accepted without complete signatures
  • Please refer to the construction guide for participant information sheet to ensure that it is correct.