5th -
6th August 2009
NAILSMA was commissioned by
the Northern Australia Land and Water
Taskforce (the Taskforce) to convene a forum to bring together
key Indigenous water experts from across the north of Australia to
discuss their water interests and issues. The meeting was convened
at Mary River Park in the
Northern Territory.
Aim
The North Australian
Indigenous Water Experts Forum provided an opportunity to raise
ideas or concerns about economic development and opportunities; the
potential impacts of developments in the north of Australia; and
governance and institutional arrangements as they affect Indigenous
community interests, aspirations and issues.
Intent
NAILSMA was asked to convene
a meeting to consult with Indigenous people on
- their social
and cultural connections to water resources;
- their
economic development aspirations that are reliant on access to and
development of locally or regionally significant water resources;
and,
- How they
perceive current or proposed water resource management and
governance arrangements (positive and negative impacts), and their
ability to pursue their economic development
aspirations.
These are based on the
Taskforce’s Terms of
Reference.
Outcomes
Outcomes of the workshop
were reported to the Taskforce to provide a better understanding
of:
- the
complexity of the issue of water, development and Indigenous
disadvantage;
- Indigenous
social, economic and cultural connections to water
resources;
- Indigenous
views on the sustainability of their freshwater
systems;
- Indigenous
visions for water, in terms of socio-cultural and political economy
aspirations;
- Indigenous
water use, particularly for social, cultural and economic
purposes;
- Indigenous
views on social, economic and cultural impacts of Indigenous loss
of control of water management and use (historical and
contemporary);
- ideas of
models or structures for best governance or management of country
and its water resources from an Indigenous perspective;
- the need to
support indigenous leadership with respect to the development of
the north;
- the
complexity of institutional roles and responsibilities;
and,
- the need for
proper process regarding development of the north and the
interconnectedness between land and people.
The Forum outcomes report
that included recommendations and Mary River statement, contributed
to the Taskforce's final
report, which was submitted to the federal government in Feb
2010.
