Katherine Case Study Report

KatherineCover

Preliminary study on Indigenous values and interests in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory.

Maningrida Case Study Report

ManigridaCS_cov

Fresh Water in the Maningrida Region's Hybrid Economy: Intercultural Contestation over Values and Property Rights

Factsheets

Contacts

Dr Lorrae McArthur
Coordinator - Indigenous Water Policy Group
North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA)
Tel: 08 8946 6973

Fax: 08 8946 6388

Charles Darwin University
DARWIN, NT 0909


NAILSMA > Programs and Projects > Water Resource Management > Indigenous Water policy group

Indigenous Water Policy Group

The Indigenous Water Policy Group (IWPG) was initiated in 2006 to continue the dialogue of the Lingiari Water Rights Discussion Booklets (Onshore and Offshore), which identified that Indigenous rights, responsibilities and interests in water need to be recognised in any water resource management plans. further to this, a scoping study on Indigenous interests in tropical river management identified an extremely low awareness of the National Water Initiative (NWI) amongst Indigenous peoples in northern Australia.

The aims of the IWPG are:

  • to increase the awareness of Indigenous people living in northern Australia about the government’s current policies for water reform, and
  • to engage in research relating to Indigenous rights, responsibilities and interests in water resources in northern Australia so that these aspects are articulated during the water reform process.

The IWPG is funded by the National Water Commission until 2011 under its Raising National Water Standards Programme.

Background to government’s plan for National Water Reform

The National Water Initiative (2004) builds on the framework developed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) national water reform (1994) that recognised the need for water resource management across Australia. To expedite this plan, given that water resources in southern Australia are becoming more restricted, the Government has since formed a National Plan for Water Security (2007) that provided for the formation of the Northern Australia Land and Water Taskforce. The Taskforce, which is Chaired by Joe Ross, will examine the potential for new development's in northern Australia that rely on significant local or regional water resources and will consult with stakeholders in the north to identify opportunities for further development. The Taskforce is under the auspice of the Office of Northern Australia. This Office has been established under the current Rudd Labor Government to ensure that the top end of Australia shares in national prosperity and to facilitate the provision of high level policy advice on sustainable development issues affecting Northern Australia. In addition to this Office, the Australian Government is delivering a program called the Northern Australia Water Futures Assessment. This program is delivered by the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the National Water Commission to provide an enduring knowledge base to inform decisions about development of northern Australia's water resources, so that any development proceeds in an ecologically, culturally and economically sustainable manner. 

The IWPG contributes significantly to:

  • research development under TRaCK, through its Indigenous engagement strategy and management of theme research, and under its own research program
  • policy development of the government’s plans for water reform under the National Water Initiative through its engagement with the National Water Commission
  • informing processes for any development in the north through its direct engagement with themes of the Northern Australia Water Futures Assessment
  • providing policy advice on sustainable development of the north through its membership on the Northern Land and Water Taskforce.

Members of the Indigenous Water Policy Group

  • Joe Ross (IWPG Chairman)
  • Frank Davey (Deputy Chairman - Kimberley Land Council)
  • Nolan Hunter (Deputy Director - Kimberley Land Council)
  • Desmond Hill (OFA Project Implementation Officer - Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation)
  • Murrundoo Yanner (Representative - Gulf of Carpentaria)
  • Richard Ah Mat ( Director - Balkanu - Cape York Development Corporation)
  • Richard Aken (Chairman - Balkanu - Cape York Development Corporation)
  • Richard Jenkins (Balkanu - Cape York Development Corporation)
  • Toby Accoom (Cape York Land Council - Lockhardt River)
  • William Busch (Cape York Land Council - Mapoon)

Advisors to the group are:
Patrick Dodson (Director - Lingiari Foundation; Professor for Indigenous Studies, The University of Notre Dame Australia )
Marcia Langton (Professor for Australian Indigenous Studies - The University of Melbourne)
Murray Radcliffe (National Water Commission)
Ameyali Ramos (Consultant - Institute of Advanced Studies - United Nations University)
Tom Hatton (Director, CSIRO Water for a Health Country Flagship)
Sue Jackson (Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO Tropcial Ecosystems Research Centre)
Jon Altman (Professor and Director for Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University)