Mataranka Indigenous Water Forum

Some participants of the Mataranka Water Forum.

The aim of the water forum was to provide Traditional Owners within the government proposed Mataranka Water Allocation Plan area an opportunity to discuss their engagement, economic opportunities and concerns with respect to government water planning processes.

Background

Prior to the forum, NAILSMA and the Northern Land Council conducted a series of consultative workshops in the Mataranka Water Allocation Plan around mid 2011. Workshops were commissioned by the NAILSMA Indigenous Water Policy Group as one of its key tasks to define and qualify commercial and non-commercial Indigenous access to water in some water plans in WA, NT and QLD.                                      

Key outcomes from the Mataranka workshops were:

• the Mataranka Traditional Owner Water Allocation Reference Group– MTOWARG was convened to work with government on water planning processes;
• raised community awareness about the water planning economic potential through the governments proposed Strategic Indigenous Reserve;
• development of Indigenous terms for a Strategic Indigenous Reserve (see below) and their associated rules to access the entitlement;
• introductory engagement with the Mataranaka Water Advisory Committee, and
• identified concerns and issues with the Draft Mataranka Water Allocation Plan.

To view a full background of the workshops see the Background Briefing (right).

NOTE: A Strategic Indigenous Reserve (SIR) is an amount of water set aside in a water allocation plan for Indigenous people in a water allocation plan area to support future water trading and economic development.

Up to 50 participants attended the forum held at Mataranka Manner, a certified sacred site, and included Traditional Owner family groups, representatives from the Mataranka Water Advisory Committee, the government department of NRETAS and the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority.

The forum provided an exchange on the the government proposed Strategic Indigenous Reserve, the DRAFT Mataranka Water Plan, processes for engagement, roles and responsibilities of different structures and setting a path going forward.

Traditional Owners were resolute in its demands on government for better engagement with Traditional Owners.

Traditional Owners raised serious concerns about water planning being inclusive of connectivity of surface with ground water, of upstream with downstream users, a whole of government approach to land and water resource management, and mining and its impact on water for trading, environment and culture.

The government was called on to address deficiencies in the Water Act to support provisions for Indigenous interests such as an economic opportunity through the Strategic Indigenous Reserve and to better support Indigenous working groups in policy and management decision making processes in water planning.

1. NAILSMA and NLC will draft a submission to the government Mataranka Water Allocation plan about its concerns and interests for water management.

2. NAILSMA and NLC will include in the submission provisions for a proposed Strategic Indigenous Reserve.

3. NAILSMA and NLC to draft a submission to the government review of the NT Water Act.

4. Work with government for formal recognition of the Mataranka Traditional Owner Water Allocation Reference group and its role as a representative group for Indigenous water management.

5. Convene another meeting to review draft submissions to government and progress plans to go forward.

"We still have a long way to go.  But this is an important step forward toward better planning processes for Indigenous people,” said Joe Morrison (NAILSMA CEO) at the forum.

To read more media on this Forum, see the Media Release (right).

Page last updated September2011