Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Inc.
Australia’s peak representative body for professional and consulting archaeologists
The Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists Incorporated (AACAI) is an organisation for professionals working in all fields of contract and public archaeology.
It aims to uphold and promote the discipline and to advance the welfare of members. AACAI has a Constitution, a Code of Ethics and a Consulting with Aboriginal Communities Policy Document. It also has a Website and Social Media Policy, and a Procedure for Handling Complaints against its Members.
AACAI has been affiliated with the Australian Archaeological Association Inc (AAA) since its formation, and it is a Foundation Member of the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS). AACAI has also formed close partnerships with the Australian Society of Historical Archaeology (ASHA), the Australian Indigenous Archaeologists’ Association (AIAA), Australia ICOMOS, the Canberra Archaeological Society, the Archaeological Society of Western Australia (ArchSocWA), and the Anthropological Society of Western Australia (ASWA).
The Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists was formed in late 1979 with Dr Laila Haglund as interim Chair, and in March 1980, it had its first AGM at Sydney University where its committees were elected and a Constitution drafted. The first Executive Committee consisted of the following: Marjorie Sullivan, Val Attenbrow, Mary Dallas, Len Cubis, Eleanor Crosby, Elizabeth Williams, Jenny van Proctor, Richard Morrison, Mike McIntyre, Annie Bickford, Margrit Koettig, Tigger Wise and Lesley Maynard. The Association was centrally based in New South Wales, but a Victorian Chapter was formed from the beginning. The Association also became Incorporated in the Australian Capital Territory in 1981 and then became known as AACAI. State Chapters formed in Western Australia in the late 1980s, and in Queensland and South Australia in the early to mid 1990s.
AACAI Objectives
- To encourage the communication of knowledge and promote a spirit of co-operation amongst workers within the field of archaeology;
- To support and encourage research into all forms of archaeology, particularly those with relevance to consultancy work within the discipline;
- To promote the training of students in archaeology, especially in consulting work, by encouraging consultants to provide such training;
- To establish, maintain and encourage adherence to professional standards and ethics by fellow consultants.
AACAI is a national organisation with State Chapters currently in New South Wales (combined with the Australian Capital Territory), Victoria and Western Australia. The National Executive Committee deals with national issues, including membership applications, AACAI policy and general administration, while State Chapters deal with local matters. AACAI may also provide technical and professional advice, and dispute resolution. It runs occasional Professional Development workshops and training, and it advocates for better heritage legislation through Submissions to various Governments across Australia and puts out Media Releases reaffirming that advocacy. It also publishes Newsletters, a peer-reviewed online open-access journal, the Journal of the Australian Association of Consulting Archaeologists (JAACA), and has also produced a series of Australian Archaeology Consultancy Monographs.
AACAI have developed a number of very helpful documents for its members over the years, including a Recommended Minimum Fee Scale for archaeological consultants, a Policy on Volunteering in archaeological consulting, Information for Archaeological Assistants, and a Photographic Standard for Cultural Heritage. AACAI have also ran online Surveys of its members and other interested parties, establishing what their needs and requirements are as archaeological professionals and consultants. As a result, AACAI have ran various information and social events as well as contributed sessions and financial support to conferences, colloquiums, symposiums and forums over the years, and have also published some helpful Resources for its members. Members can keep up to date with AACAI’s activities or general news from the world of archaeology through the website News page, Facebook page and LinkedIn page.
AACAI maintains a directory of its members here. Full Members are listed with academic qualifications, consulting experience, general expertise and special skills (as ratified by the Membership Committee), availability, and there are links to their affiliated websites and contact details, while Associate and Affiliate Members are listed with their contact details, availability and general experience. You can also search the directory by filtering the expertise and special skills of Full Members.
AACAI advises all members who are engaged in their own consultancies to carry Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurances. Those who employ assistants at any time are legally obliged to maintain a Worker’s Compensation Insurance policy.
AACAI Membership
There are three categories of financial membership within the Association. These are:
- Full Members – these individuals are fully qualified and experienced consultants usually with a broad range of research and management skills. Full Members often act as senior heritage project managers. They have demonstrated ability and have been through an accreditation process in the organisation. Areas of expertise include site survey and recording, excavation, analysis and interpretation and, importantly, the assessment of site significance. Full Members may use the title MAACAI as a professional qualification;
- Associate Members – Associates are usually earlier career members who hold appropriate qualifications in archaeology and who are still increasing their levels of work experience and management skills;
- Affiliate Members – Affiliates are professionals who are not currently practicing consultants but who, through their professional occupation as academics or in the public sector, maintain links with the Association. Affiliates are entitled to quote membership of the Association as a professional qualification in the form “AACAI (Affiliate)”.
AACAI also award Lifetime Membership to Full Members who are distinguished individuals recognised for their life-long contributions to the Association, and offer Honorary Membership to those members who have retired or are temporarily not practicing as a consulting archaeologist at the current time.
Follow the link below to find out more about AACAI membership and members benefits.
AACAI Awards and Funds
AACAI is committed to encouraging professionalism and excellence in archaeological consultancy. To this end, AACAI established The Laila Haglund Prize for Excellence in Consultancy in 2001 to recognise outstanding contribution to consultancy in Australia. The prize is awarded for the paper presented at the Australian Archaeological Association (AAA) Annual Conference that makes the best contribution to consultancy in Australia. The award has been named after Laila Haglund in recognition of her considerable and ongoing contribution to AACAI and professional archaeology in Australia.
The AACAI Student Support Fund was established in 2010 to provide financial assistance to Honours and coursework Masters students engaged in research that directly contributes to consulting archaeological practice.The fund ensures that AACAI is engaging with students and graduates, and raising awareness about consulting archaeology and the benefits of a professional association like AACAI can have for them.
