At a scene-setting workshop in May 2004, it was agreed that all
work undertaken by NAILSMA should be cross-jurisdictional and have
a north Australian focus and that regional projects should be
undertaken by regional organisations or local groups.
This workshop provided a basis to determining the governance
structure of NAILSMA. It was agreed that membership to NAILSMA
would be broad and inclusive. Regional members should be those
involved in NAILSMA projects. Regional representation would need to
be based on expertise, flexible, regionally appropriate and to have
courage and trust as underlying principles.
As part of the governance structure for the alliance, NAILSMA is
charged with hosting an annual land and sea forum that discusses
strategic directions for all Indigenous land and sea managers
across northern Australia.
At the inaugural 2004 forum, held on the Menngen Aboriginal Land
Trust, west of Katherine in the Northern Territory, it was agreed
that NAILSMA governance would comprise a Board and a Steering
Committee.
The Board comprises an Independent Chair, the Chief Executive
Officers of the core partners and community positions representing
each major region, (Kimberley, Cape York, Northern Territory Top
End) and nominated by the project steering committee.
The Board’s function is to set the broad strategic direction
and focus for NAILSMA, as informed by the forums, the location of
which will be rotated.
The Steering Committee coordinates NAILSMA projects, and comprises
a representative from each of the three land councils, the Northern
Territory Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment,
the Indigenous Land Corporation, the Tropical Savannas Cooperative
Research Centre for (TS–CRC) and the NAILSMA Coordinator and
Executive Officer.
It is chaired by the CEO of the TS–CRC and the NAILSMA
Executive Officer.
The development of a structure for the strategic development of
NAILSMA was also considered at the workshop. Key features of this
discussion, as summarised from the Outcomes Report include that the
structure needs to:
- be regionally appropriate.
- enable (and not obstruct) the getting on with business on country.
- be flexible and dynamic to harness new opportunities, reliant on
trust but with clear transparency of decision making; and
- be based around the NAILSMA projects, and to utilise them as a
vehicle to develop communications and actions on country.
