Care for Country - Successful Aboriginal Partnerships

TAFE NSW – New England Institute (NEI) and the Namoi Catchment Management Authority have been in a successful and rewarding partnership for the past three years. This alliance has resulted in the development of the Care for Country project– unique training programs that enlist the co-operation, knowledge and enthusiasm of local Aboriginal communities in Caring for Country.

To read more about the success of Care for Country click here.

KAN - Kids Across the Namoi

The Namoi Catchment Management Authority (CMA), in conjunction with the Namoi Aboriginal Advisory Committee (NAAC), has developed a new and exciting
project which will establish the first junior Aboriginal committee focusing on natural resource management for NSW Catchment Management Authorities.

The committee is known as KAN (Kids Across the Namoi).

To find out more about KAN or to obtain an Expression of Interest form click here

To view the KAN poster click here

Namoi CMA's Aboriginal Communities Program

Each CMA in NSW is required to develop a Catchment Action Plan which includes targets for the management of natural resources in the catchment. These Catchment Action Plans were developed from the Catchment Blueprints and are based on:

• Addressing the causes rather than the symptoms;
• Putting investment and incentives (on-ground funding) before regulation; and
• Breaking down barriers to change.

The Namoi Catchment Action Plan prepared in 2006 makes provision for community groups or individuals, including Aboriginal communities, to apply for incentive funding and participate in natural resource management activities. Additionally, Namoi CMA has developed the Aboriginal Communities Program to assist Aboriginal people participate in natural resource management activities.

Our Aims and Objectives

Namoi CMA aims to engage with all sectors of the catchment community to ensure sustainable landscapes. Aboriginal communities have been identified as one sector of the community that requires assistance to effectively participate in natural resource management activities.

The Aboriginal Communities Program focuses on the key areas of:

• Aboriginal community capacity is enhanced to identify and implement solutions to natural resource management issues.
• Awareness of cultural heritage values and traditional ecological knowledge is increased in the Namoi Catchment.

 Partnerships with the Indigenous community

Aboriginal communities have been identified as one sector of the community that requires assistance to effectively participate in natural resource management activities. The Namoi Aboriginal Advisory Committee (NAAC) has been set up to involve Indigenous communities in Catchment Action Plan activities.

Click here for a copy of the Terms of Reference for the NAAC

 
Knowledge on Aboriginal cultural values is provided to Namoi CMA by the Namoi Aboriginal Advisory Committee (NAAC). The NAAC is made up of two representatives from each of the nine (9) Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) boundary areas within the Namoi Catchment to ensure whole of catchment representation.

Namoi CMA employs a Catchment Officer – Aboriginal Communities to support the NAAC to develop plans or strategies to increase Aboriginal involvement in natural resource management activities.

Legislation

The legislation that addresses Aboriginal cultural heritage is the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 administered by the Department of Environment and Conservation. Namoi CMA employs a secondee from the Department of Environment and Conservation to provide assistance on cultural heritage issues.

Planning

As with science and knowledge, planning issues for Aboriginal cultural values is provided to Namoi CMA by the Namoi Aboriginal Advisory Committee (NAAC). The NAAC is made up of two representatives from each of the nine (9) Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) boundary areas within the Namoi catchment to ensure whole of catchment representation.

Namoi CMA employs a Catchment Officer – Aboriginal Communities to support the NAAC to develop plans or strategies to increase Aboriginal involvement in natural resource management activities.

Consultation

Aboriginal consultation is conducted via the Namoi Aboriginal Advisory Committee (NAAC) and through mainstream consultation processes including public meetings or workshops. Aboriginal organisations such as Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) and Aboriginal Corporations and individuals within the Namoi catchment, are provided with copies of strategies or plans that Namoi CMA develops and the CMA requests input from these organisations and individuals.