Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (WAAHEC)

The Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (WAAHEC) is the Aboriginal-specific Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) responsible for the independent ethical review of health and wellbeing research involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Western Australia. WAAHEC is one of only three Aboriginal-specific health research ethics committees in Australia and is registered with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Throughout this website and related documentation, the term “Aboriginal Peoples” is used, reflecting terminology commonly used in the Western Australian context, and is inclusive of Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

WAAHEC was established almost 30 years ago in response to growing concerns about the volume and conduct of research being carried out in Aboriginal communities without adequate ethical oversight or community control. This history underpins WAAHEC’s role in providing Aboriginal-led ethical oversight of research involving Aboriginal Peoples.

WAAHEC’s role is to promote and support high-quality research that reflects the needs, priorities, and values of Aboriginal Peoples. The Committee’s core objectives are to ensure that research is ethically sound, culturally appropriate, aligned with community priorities, and directly beneficial to Aboriginal Peoples and communities.

In fulfilling this role, WAAHEC independently assesses both individual and collective risks in Aboriginal health and wellbeing research, ensuring these risks are evaluated through Aboriginal-led ethical processes.

WAAHEC Requirements

When projects must be referred to WAAHEC

All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing research conducted in Western Australia must be submitted to WAAHEC for review and written approval prior to commencement, regardless of any institutional risk classification applied under the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2025).

WAAHEC review determines whether the proposed research demonstrates Aboriginal-led governance, meaningful and ongoing engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants and communities, appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data governance, and alignment with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community priorities. WAAHEC maintains a full HREC pathway and has no alternatives outside the full HREC pathway.

Projects must be referred to WAAHEC for review and determination where the research relates to one or more of the following:

• the health and/or wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• a topic identified as being of specific benefit for, or identified as a priority by, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities
• the research cohort, either through targeted, likely or foreseeable, or incidental recruitment, includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
• the geographic location or recruitment strategy of the research is such that it is likely to involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities
• the data gathered in the research includes analysis that identifies Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities, including through secondary data, data linkage, aggregation, or derived variables
• the research outcomes may have a direct or indirect impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities

Where there is uncertainty about whether a project requires an independent Aboriginal-specific ethics review, including quality improvement, audit, evaluation, modelling, or artificial intelligence activities, researchers must contact WAAHEC for guidance and determination prior to commencement by emailing ethics@ahcwa.org with their query.

Download Ethics Research Project Forms Below