The Indigenous Water Policy Group (IWPG) is an initiative
created and facilitated by NAILSMA. The group is currently
funded for 12 months by the Australian Government Land and Water
Australia.
The reason the IWPG formed was to:
- continue the work of the Lingiari Indigenous Water Rights
booklets;
- increase Indigenous people’s awareness about the
governments plan for water reform; and
- help Indigenous communities and voices be heard in the
development of policies around water across northern
Australia.
The group was set up in July 2006 and aims to support Indigenous
interests in water resource management across the north of
Australia.
Core participants in the IWPG include the Kimberley Land
Council, Northern Land Council, Balkanu – Cape York
Development Corporation, Cape York Land Council, and Carpentaria
Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.
Importantly, the group is supported by a research team
comprising Professor Jon Altman, Dr Sue Jackson and Professor
Marcia Langton.
Special advisors to the group include Dr Patrick Dodson,
Professor Langton and Professor Peter Cullen.Since the group
formed, it has meet on two occasions.
In November 2006 the IWPG met for the first time to discuss how
to best represent Indigenous rights, responsibilities and interests
in water across northern Australia.
The inaugural meeting was held in Darwin over one and half
days. During the meeting and following discussions on the
structure of the Governments water reform plan, the National Water
Initiative, broad Indigenous issues in water management and water
reform were identified.
A mission statement and set of objectives were drafted as the
result of identifying those issues, and, a draft research program
for conducting case studies was endorsed.
The main issues considered relevant to Indigenous communities,
townships and outstations in the north of Australia relate to
policy development, governance arrangements, planning, health and
employment.
To address this set of issues, the IWPG aims to provide advice
on policy, economic, social and cultural matters relating to water
in the north of Australia through research. A draft research
program was considered by the IWPG. In general, the research
program will focus on seven themes:
- Indigenous use of water,
- water markets and Indigenous rights to those water
markets,
- economic development,
- capacity building through water planning and allocation,
and,
- water resource management,
- community services, maintenance and delivery
- communications
In addition to this, regional workshops will be held to deliver
information on water reform to communities and find out community
aspirations and expectations in response to those reforms.
Workshops are expected to be held mid to late 2007.
Communication among Indigenous communities, policy makers,
Indigenous institutions, government, non-government organisations
and potential investors will be developed so that information on
Indigenous water related issues can be exchanged.
Issues will be communicated through web based information,
community workshops, plain English papers, newsletter articles and
the media. In March 2007, a second IWPG meeting was held to discuss
the progress of the group.
Research programs have been further developed and regional case
study will be held in the Ord (Kimberley, WA), Maningrida and
Katherine (NT) catchment areas to better develop the research
program. The case studies aim to build the capacity of
Indigenous organisations in north Australia in order to
understand and influence the NWI policy agenda.
At the second meeting the IWPG discussed its strategic
involvement with the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK)
research consortium. Indigenous people in the north will be
engaged in research conducted under TRaCK to ensure that decisions
for sustainable use and management of Australia’s tropical
rivers and coasts are based on extensive Indigenous knowledge.
For more information on this project please visit the Water
Policy Group web page
The next IWPG meetings will be held July and October 2007.
