Learn about our ethics process
We use an ethics approval process to ensure we produce high-quality research while respecting the rights of participants. These standards, established through our registered independent Human Research Ethics Committee, are at the core of our commitment to research rigour.
External applications
We are reviewing our policy regarding external applications. For the foreseeable future HREC will not be accepting external applications.
Human Research Ethics Committee
BSL's Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) is registered through the National Health and Medical Research Centre (NHMRC) which oversees the conduct and compliance of all research conducted in Australia involving humans. Ethics review is undertaken by the HREC in line with the NHMRC National Guidelines to ensure risks to all involved are managed and their safety and privacy is protected, both personally and legally.
The HREC is therefore warranted under the National Guidelines, and other relevant legislation, to ensure all activities conducted under the auspice of BSL are ethically sound and underpinned by the NHMRC’s five ethical principles:
- respect
- beneficence
- justice
- merit
- integrity
For more information and guidelines on ethical conduct in research, see the NHMRC Guidelines.
Our ethical standards
To ensure that we maintain and develop these high ethical standards, our research must also adhere to the standards outlined in BSL's Research Ethics & Integrity Policy. Our ethics applications must demonstrate:
- the research will be relevant to the lives of people on low incomes
- participants are considered as partners in the research process
- the research will not harm participants
- people have the right not to participate, with no adverse consequences from that decision
Ethics committee membership
The Human Research Ethics Committee comprises a diverse mix of internal and external members as stipulated under the NHMRC Guidelines.
Our ethics process
BSL's Human Research Ethics Committee conducts two levels of ethical review, determined by the perceived level of risk associated with each project:
- Low or Negligible Risk: This applies when there is no foreseeable harm or discomfort, or it is foreseeable but not beyond inconvenience.
- Above Low or Negligible Risk: This category is for cases where there is a foreseeable risk of harm or discomfort that extends beyond mere inconvenience.
In both instances, a full HREC review is required undertaken by all committee members during the next bi-monthly scheduled meeting.
There are four different forms to be completed at stages of the ethics review process.
If you have any questions on the conduct of ethical research, or require guidance on preparing an ethics submission, email Ethics@bsl.org.au.
Our ethics committee meeting times
The Human Research Ethics Committee currently meets bi-monthly or as needed.
All applications must be sent to Ethics@bsl.org.au at least 4 weeks before the scheduled meeting date.