The First-Ever Northern Territory Homelands/ Outstations Policy

In May 2009, the Northern Territory released its first-ever policy for homelands/outstations, setting out how the Government intends to provide services and much-needed infrastructure to assist communities living on Aboriginal-owned lands. The Government claims that its new approach will improve transparency of service delivery and ‘introduce a new disbursement model based on a more realistic framework for the allocation of limited government resources.’ Part of the much broader Working Future strategy, the Government’s plan hinges largely on the creation of centralised ‘economic hubs’ across the Northern Territory. It is a development that has been widely criticised by Aboriginal people throughout the region. Looking briefly at the history of the homelands/outstations movement and policy responses from various levels of government, this paper examines why the Northern Territory’s announcement has elicited such a negative response from homeland residents

Policing the Frontier: Christmas in Borroloola

A recent police operation in the Northern Territory community of Borroloola invites reflection on best practice for community policing and alcohol management. Community policing is fundamentally an alliance where the police and community identify and solve community problems together, with the essential ingredient being active participation. This is not always easy to achieve, as it often requires a profound change in organisational culture and practice

Indigenous Economic Development through Community-Based Enterprise

This Topical Issue addresses the Australian Government’s draft Indigenous Economic Development Strategy (IEDS), with specific lessons learnt from working with Aboriginal people to further their economic development in remote areas. It notes the lack of coherence between the draft IEDS and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, explores possible unintended 'perverse outcomes' based on the misapplication of the notion of 'incentives', and champions the significance of Indigenous community-based enterprises in land and sea management as an economic development option for remote areas

Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts inquiry into the operation of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

'Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts inquiry into the operation of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999', exploring the fundamental significance of the peopled landscape or 'people on country' in the natural resource management of the Australian continent

Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport on Natural Resource Management and Conservation Challenges

'Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport on Natural Resource Management and Conservation Challenges', focussing on natural and cultural resource management activities undertaken by Indigenous Australians. [01 December 2008

Submission to the Review of the National Biodiversity Strategy: Indigenous people's involvement in conserving Australia's biodiversity

This submission to the Review of the National Biodiversity Strategy challenges the adequacy of the Consultation Draft's coverage of the roles of Indigenous peoples in biodiversity management, and makes a number of recommendations drawing on current initiatives and available research

Why the Northern Territory government needs to support outstations/homelands in the Aboriginal, Northern Territory and national interest: submission to the Northern Territory Government Outstation Policy Discussion Paper

"The development of a Northern Territory outstation/homelands policy which meets the needs and aspirations of a dynamic and highly mobile population is extremely important. It is a complex and difficult task, but one which provides an important opportunity for outstations/homelands to be viewed as an integral component of the Northern Territory Government’s vision for ‘a framework for a sustainable future where development takes place within a context of land and sea conservation’ as envisaged in the Northern Territory Parks and Conservation Masterplan 2005. An innovative outstation/homeland policy which solves the problem of government service delivery of Indigenous Australians’ citizenship entitlements—so that it provides a choice for Indigenous Australians where they want to live and how they want to engage nationally and internationally in social, cultural and economic life—is urgently needed..." - Introduction, page

Indigenous cultural and natural resource management futures

A version of this Topical Issue was provided as a submission to the Australian Government’s discussion paper Review of Caring for Our Country: Australia’s Natural Resource Management Investment Initiative. This paper has a specific focus on lessons we have learnt from working with Indigenous peoples engaged in cultural and natural resource management projects in northern Australia and New South Wales. It is based on action research currently being undertaken under the five-year research project People on Country, Healthy Landscapes and Indigenous Economic Futures (PoC) and a related three-year project investigating the socioeconomic benefits of Aboriginal people being involved in the sustainable management of their country in NSW

Indigenous Cultural and Natural Resource Management Futures

This paper has a specific focus on lessons we have learnt from working with Indigenous peoples engaged in cultural and natural resource management projects in northern Australia and New South Wales. It is based on action research currently being undertaken under the five-year research project People on Country, Healthy Landscapes and Indigenous Economic Futures (PoC) and a related three-year project investigating the socioeconomic benefits of Aboriginal people being involved in the sustainable management of their country in NSW