Per the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research, published by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), human research is governed by Australian law that establishes rights for participants and imposes general and specific responsibilities on researchers and institutions.
 

The relationship between researchers and research participants is the ground on which human research is conducted. The key values are respect for human beings, research merit, integrity, justice, and beneficence – which help to shape that relationship as one of trust, mutual responsibility, and ethical equality.