Central Land Council

'The Country Needs Its People - People Need Their Country'

David Ross - Director, Central Land Council

I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the Eastern Arrernte people.

On behalf of the CLC, I would also like to welcome you to Central Australia and wish you a productive and useful meeting over the next couple of days.

We are pleased to be able to host this conference and to make the necessary arrangements for all you people to get together here.

It is quite a challenge to organise a conference that addresses the wide range of land management issues facing indigenous people around the country.

The Steering Committee has put together a programme which provides opportunities to discuss some of the key issues around land management, but there are sure to be other issues of concern to each of you.

Please make use of this opportunity to raise your concerns and meet in smaller groups to discuss any specific interests you may have which are not provided for in the programme.

The value of shared experiences is significant not only to reinforce the benefits that flow from managing your own country but also to look at the difficulties and challenges facing indigenous people in Australia today. This conference provides an opportunity to send a strong message to government and also positive feedback to your own communities.

Here in the NT, particularly in central Australia , Aboriginal people are the major landowners and hold title to 51% of the CLC region. Much of this land was granted to traditional owners (under the Land Rights Act) because it was too marginal for pastoralism – the land was no good for anybody else.

The path to a sustainable livelihood for Aboriginal people on their own country is by no means a clear one and I do not pretend to have all the answers to the many challenges involved. It will not happen overnight and there is no room for a 'cut and run' approach.

However, it is beyond doubt that the country still needs its people as much as the people need their country.

Aboriginal people in Central Australia have no where else to go, nor do they wish to be anywhere else. They have strong social, economic and cultural reasons for continuing to live on their traditional lands.

The consequences of failed government policies of the past which removed Aboriginal people from their country are well documented – and I don't need to tell you mob about that so I won't labour the point here – I will simply highlight one example of the impact of this de-population.

The removal of Aboriginal people from traditional lands throughout central Australia by massacre, forced relocation and a progressive drift into government settlements not only had profound social and cultural consequences but had a significant impact on biodiversity.

The end of traditional patch burning practices left the land vulnerable to sweeping wildfires. These more frequent, hot, fires quickly changed the structure of the vegetation and made it less suitable for many animal species, causing some, like the great desert skink to decline, and others, like the mala, to disappear forever.

So the removal of Aboriginal people and their practices from the land can be directly linked to declining biodiversity. The introduction of feral animals and weeds also caused major impacts on traditional lands and plant and animal species that have cultural significance to Aboriginal people.

Aboriginal landowners and managers face major challenges now to address these new natural resource management issues affecting their land.

• Vast tracts of Aboriginal land in central Australia have less than 1 person per 22 square kilometres of land and in some areas, no people remain on the land;
• The drift into larger towns from remote communities severely strains the capacity for Aboriginal families and traditional land-holding groups to maintain links with specific areas of their country;
• There is limited community awareness of the scale and impact of environmental changes resulting from fire, feral animals and weeds;
• Many older people with valuable knowledge are passing away;
• There is a lack of financial resources and organisations to deal with existing as well as emerging environmental problems;
• There is growing pressure for development and increased access to Aboriginal land.

But the good news is.that many Aboriginal communities, both in the top end and increasingly in central Australia , are carrying out active land management work on their land – and I know that is happening all around the country. You are all here to share your experiences in indigenous land management – the success stories, the disasters and the challenges we all face regardless of where we come from.

Maintaining law and culture is the driving force behind Aboriginal community land management initiatives in our region. Aboriginal people here want to stay on their land and want their kids to carry on their traditional obligations to the land.

Opportunities provided by community ranger programmes, joint management of national parks and other enterprise developments are invigorating on-ground activity, re-kindling interest of younger people to learn about culture and providing employment options for family members on their own country.

Not surprisingly the task of addressing the range of NRM issues on Aboriginal land is huge and will require considerable resources and co-ordination. Here in the centre – the Central Land Council plays a major role, with the support of other organisations. From two positions in 1983, the CLC now has a Land Management Section of 20 staff and just keeps growing.

There is no shortage of communities wanting to get involved, or a lack of ideas and enthusiasm for on-ground projects. There is, however, an urgent need for governments to recognise the value and importance of indigenous land management and provide the long-term financial and policy support to allow these programs to flourish.

For the Central Land Council, urgent action is required on five main fronts

1. The country needs its people – First and foremost, Governments must recognise that Aboriginal lands need to be managed by Aboriginal people. They need to empower people and provide funds to manage the natural and cultural resource issues where there is a need. We must focus on keeping people on their land and providing them with the skills and support to manage their land. Education and training opportunities also need to be directed toward this goal of supporting sustainable enterprises, maintaining a healthy landscape and keeping Aboriginal culture and identity alive.
2. Support for local initiatives – The high level of support, participation and community ownership of Aboriginal land (and sea) management initiatives occurring across the Territory demonstrates the success of these types of activities. They build individual confidence and community self-esteem and provide rare but critical employment opportunities. Particularly in remote areas, land management work may well be the most viable form of employment, providing vital skills, services, infrastructure and a potential basis for emerging new enterprises. Local initiatives must be valued and adequately supported by government agencies.
3. Strategic approach – Regional planning under the Commonwealth's NHT banner is aiming to build a framework for a more strategic approach to these issues across the whole community. However, there is still no effective and coordinated approach within government to support Aboriginal land management programs. Governments must review and streamline their policies and programs and develop a coordinated approach to indigenous land management and enterprise development.
4. Collaboration and partnerships – There are some positive signs that collaboration and partnerships between government, industry and Aboriginal people and their organisations are now starting to develop. Aboriginal organisations must continue to seek new partners and develop collaborative arrangements, while industry should seek to engage directly with Aboriginal land management initiatives through financial support, contracting arrangements, and skill sharing.
5. Secure long-term funding – All these priorities will be completely useless without a commitment to secure long-term funding. Governments and other significant stakeholders must invest more resources and strategic support for these programs across the country. There is still no dedicated funding stream to allow for the establishment and on-going support for exciting and innovative Aboriginal community-based land management initiatives. The precarious funding environment that currently exists is a major obstacle to the development of these innovative approaches to land management.

You may agree with some of these points of action, and perhaps these can be discussed in the coming days. This is an incredible gathering of people and I know this conference can achieve many things:

• It can demonstrate the value and success of indigenous land management;
• It can build networks and strengthen relationships between indigenous land managers across Australia ;
• It provides a forum for skill sharing and learning the lessons from other places; and
• It can send a clear message to all governments that they must commit to policies and actions which ensure that Aboriginal landowners are recognised and supported in their endeavours to live on and manage their country.

Most importantly, this is an Aboriginal conference – you are the ones out there doing the hard work. You can shape it to suit your needs. So, please make the most of this unique opportunity and get the most out of it – and by the way, we have great food and great local music lined up for the evenings, so have a good time.