About the Webinar

At Virtus Heritage, we put disclaimers on every report we produce which are professional protections for our expert knowledge. But we never thought to offer Knowledge Holders the same protection over theirs for so long. This webinar is the story of why we built our Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) Form and how.

Founded on the principle that heritage is a value to understand rather than a risk to manage, Virtus Heritage has always placed community relationships at the centre of its practice. Dr Mary-Jean Sutton opens the webinar by challenging the mindset that too often drives First Nations engagement in our sector and framing the philosophy that underpins the form.

Associate Director Kelly Kent then shares a personal story and growing up with a sense of First Nations heritage that was never spoken about and how that connection speaks directly to why Knowledge Holders are so important. There are many ways to be Aboriginal today, but those who carry the custodianship of Country, story and cultural lore are rare and irreplaceable. This form is their disclaimer.

Senior anthropologist Anya Graubard maps the existing FPIC frameworks and the gap between policy intent and field reality, before walking through how Virtus Heritage distilled those frameworks into a plain-language, two-page consent tool built around Indigenous Data Sovereignty principles and the realities of practice on the ground.

Following the webinar, the FPIC form will be released as a free resource for the sector.

Who should attend?

Heritage consultants, environmental practitioners, project managers and anyone involved in Aboriginal community consultation - particularly those working under NSW heritage legislation or engaging with First Nations communities in the renewables, infrastructure and resources sectors.

What attendees will take away

A clear understanding of FPIC principles, practical insight into building a best-practice consent tool, and a free, adaptable form ready to use in their own projects.

Meet the Speakers

Dr Mary-Jean Sutton | Director/Principal Archaeologist @ Virtus HeritageMary-Jean is the founder and director of Virtus Heritage, bringing over two decades of experience in Aboriginal heritage management, archaeology and community engagement. She holds a BA (Hons) in Archaeology from the University of Sydney and a PhD in Archaeology from the University of Queensland, and is a member of AACAI and EIANZ, a Fellow of the Australian Archaeological Association, and holds Certified Environmental Practitioner — Heritage and SEAC — Heritage accreditations. Mary-Jean founded Virtus Heritage on the belief that meaningful, community-centred practice produces better outcomes for Country, for communities and for clients.

Kelly Kent | Associate Director at Virtus Heritage
Kelly is associate director of Virtus Heritage, leading the practice's Indigenous engagement, education and grants work. With a First Nations heritage of her own and currently completing business studies, Kelly brings a deeply personal understanding of why protecting the knowledge and voices of Aboriginal communities matters — and a practical, people-first approach to making that happen in the field.

Anya Graubard | Senior Anthropologist
Anya is a Senior Anthropologist at Virtus Heritage, holding a BA (Hons) in Anthropology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She brings a grounded anthropological lens to Indigenous engagement, community consultation, and education — leading Connecting with Country and co-design processes, coordinating consultation under DECCW 2010 requirements, and embedding cultural knowledge into planning and design outcomes. She has built respectful, long-term relationships with Local Aboriginal Land Councils, Elders, and community representatives across her career.

Anya believes that doing the right thing in heritage consultation requires more than good intentions — it requires the right tools. Her development of Virtus Heritage's FPIC form draws on that field experience alongside UNDRIP, the AIATSIS Code of Ethics, and emerging principles of Indigenous Data Sovereignty and ICIP. The result is a resource designed from the ground up to be plain language, field-ready, and genuinely Knowledge Holder-first — closing the gap between policy and practice, and ensuring the communities at the centre of heritage work are informed, protected, and in control.

This webinar will run off Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and will be recorded. A link to the recording will be sent to all registered delegates in the days post the event.

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