Resources and publications
Title | Author /s | Summary | Date | Tag(s) | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Board Code of Conduct | PBC website | This template can be used to establish a plain English Code of Conduct for board members or your general PBC staff. |
Board, CEO, Chairperson, Code of Conduct, Induduction, Secretary, Staff | Checklist | |
Board induction checklist | PBC website | This board induction checklist provides a downloadable template for your PBC to formalise the induction process of new board members. It contains suggestions on documents to be included in an induction kit and when and by whom the new board is inducted. |
Board, Induduction, Succession Planning | Checklist | |
Building Indigenous community governance in Australia: Preliminary research findings | Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research | This is a preliminary research report from the first year of fieldwork conducted by the Indigenous Community Governance Project (ICGP). The Project is exploring the nature of Indigenous community governance in diverse contexts and locations across Australia through a series of diverse case studies—to understand what works, what doesn’t work, and why. A comparative analysis of the Project’s case studies is revealing that governance and decision-making in Indigenous community governance is shaped by multiple historical, cultural and political relationships. Family and governance histories associated with particular communities and sets of regionally-linked communities are central features in community governance dynamics and arrangements. Strengthening Indigenous community governance requires negotiating appropriate contemporary relationships among the different Indigenous people within a region or community, and adapting or creating structures and processes to reflect important relationships. Several dimensions are being identified as being fundamental to building stronger, sustainable governance at the community and regional levels. These are the impact of the wider ‘governance environment’, cultural match and cultural geography, modes of leadership and representation, institutional capacity, organisational design and relationships, representation, decision-making processes, and human resource issues. Capacity development for governance needs to be considered within a systems framework and should be a process that actively strengthens Indigenous decision-making and control over their core institutions, goals and identity, and that enhances cultural match and legitimacy. The report concludes with some emerging issues and implications for policy makers and for Indigenous organisations and their leaders. |
Capacity building, Community development, Decision making, Governance, Leadership, Partnerships | Report | |
Central Land Council community development podcast series | David Martin; Centre for Native Title Anthropology | The Centre for Native Title Anthropology is giving attention to the role of anthropologists in the post-determination phase. It investigates the methodology and learnings of the CLC community development unit in working with groups and communities in managing income streams from their lands for wider benefit is of considerable potential interest to anthropologists. It offers an illustrative example of the intense, collaborative engagement that is necessary at this intersection of Aboriginal and wider value systems, where monies gained from activities on Aboriginal lands are invested into broader community benefit. For these reasons, there is much to learn which is relevant to the governance of compensation funds held in trust by PBC and other entities (such as those established under mining agreements with Aboriginal groups). The podcast series also investigates the ethical and political issues they all face as anthropologists working with Aboriginal groups on social change in a framework of self-determination. David Martin interviews Ian Sweeney, the Unit’s Manager, and four of the Project Officers, Dave Howard, Cecilia Tucker, Dianna Newham, and Carl O’Sullivan. |
Commercial development, Community, Community development, Education, Funding, NTRB (Native Title Representative Body) | Presentation | |
CEO accountability | Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations | ORIC newsletter about CEO accountability. |
Board, CEO, Governance, ORIC, PBC Regulations | Newsletter | |
Closing the Gap report | Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, National Indigenous Australians Agency | This Closing the Gap report is an opportunity to reflect on a decade’s efforts under an ambitious framework aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. |
Capacity building, Commercial development, Community development, Education, Health, Indigenous knowledge | Report | |
Communicating with youth workbook for PBCs | PBCs have to think about succession. This workbook is for PBCs who want to engage with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in their community and region. It provides information, practical tips and ideas how to communicate and get them involved. |
Communication, PBCs (Prescribed Body / Bodies Corporate), Youth | Workbook | ||
Communication strategy workbook | This workbook leads you through the process of developing a communications strategy step-by-step. |
Capacity building, Communication, Education | Workbook | ||
Country needs People | Country needs People | The Country Needs People campaign is fighting for the growth and security of opportunities for land and sea country management by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. |
Caring for Country, Community development, Environment, Fire, Fishing, Land and sea management, Rangers / caring for country, Youth | Website | |
Developing a National Indigenous Land and Sea Managers Network | Duane Fraser | Australian Indigenous land and sea managers have repeatedly called for an independent national Indigenous land and sea managers network. Such a network would link top down and bottom up information exchanges, promoting shared understandings of issues and opportunities. The network would provide government with a vehicle to both inform and learn from local Indigenous groups, including community rangers, on local, national and international matters of environmental significance. It also provides an opportunity for Indigenous managers to come together to develop positions on policy that affects land and sea management such as Working on Country and Indigenous Protected Areas. The network would not do business on behalf of people or replicate existing local or regional networks or institutions, but would provide strategic support, coordinate communication and identify opportunities for group to group skills and knowledge exchange. The network aims to provide professional support through a coordinated learning environment that facilitates the identification of effective resources, research, technologies and tools for use by Indigenous land and sea managers within Australia. This workshop provides an opportunity for Land & Sea Managers to come together to discuss the purpose and scope of a national network, including governance, networking and membership. |
IPA (Indigenous Protected Areas), Land and sea management, Partnerships, Rangers / caring for country | Presentation | |
Effective Governance: Board Dispute Resolution Policy | Effective governance | An guide to creating a board dispute resolution policy. |
Board, Dispute management | Information Sheet | |
Engaging with Traditional Owners | Christiane Keller | This fact sheet provides information about Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and best practice for engagement with Traditional Owners. The fact sheet explains what FPIC means and how you can get in contact with PBCs, land councils, registered Aboriginal parties, native title representative bodies and service providers in Australia. |
Indigenous knowledge, Partnerships, Research | Fact sheet | |
Examination of legislation in accordance with the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 | Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights | In this report the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (the committee) considers the Stronger Futures legislation in the performance of its role of examining bills, Acts and legislative instruments for compatibility with human rights as defined in the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011. |
Education, Government, Health, Human rights | Report | |
Gender and generation in native title: Director demographics and the future of prescribed bodies corporate | Geoff Buchanan | While gender and age are often noted as being important dimensions of Indigenous leadership and governance, they have rarely been examined in detail. This paper focuses specifically on the gender and age of directors on the boards of prescribed bodies corporate (PBCs), the corporations established to hold and/or manage native title rights and interests. A predominant view persists of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women as excluded or marginalised in native title. Statistical data for the year 2011–12 reveals, however, that women’s representation on PBC boards is higher than that found in mainstream sectors, while the literature reveals a complex picture of cultural, historical, demographic, institutional and intercultural factors that influence men’s and women’s participation and power in the native title arena. A key generational concern is the relatively low number of older people and the growing number of young people in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Viewed in relation to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population and projected changes, the pool of potential PBC directors looks likely to grow in coming years. This paper argues that, as an increasingly significant sector, PBCs have the potential to both contribute to and benefit from the strengthening of community capacity but this potential will not be realised until the constraints on the capacity of PBCs to meet their statutory obligations and pursue native title holder aspirations are addressed. |
Directors, Leadership, PBCs (Prescribed Body / Bodies Corporate), Youth | Article / paper | |
Gkuthaarn and Kukatj Land and Sea Country Plan | GKuthaarn and Kukatj Traditional Owners, Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation | The Gkuthaarn and Kukatj Land and Saltwater Country Plan is a strategic document that provides a framework for our people and our partners to work together to care for all the natural and cultural values of our country, while providing a sustainable livelihood for our community and others with rights and interests in our land and saltwater country. |
Commercial development, Community development, Employment, Environment, Indigenous knowledge, Land and sea management, Tourism, Youth | Report | |
Governance for good: The ACNC’s guide for charity board members | Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission | This guide is for people who are, or are thinking of becoming, board members of a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). It focuses on good governance and how it helps charities in the context of their obligations. |
Board, Charity, Governance | Guide | |
Guide to applying for DGR status | Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) | This resource aims to support the many local community initiatives that could go a long way to addressing our communities’ needs and dreams — if only the resources, time and money were available. |
Education, Funding, Youth | Guide | |
Independent director guide | Aboriginal Governance and Management Program | This guidebook provides information on how to select independent directors for the Aboriginal boardroom. |
Board, Directors, Members, ORIC | Guide | |
Independent Directory | ORIC | Independent Directory connects skilled and interested people looking to become an independent director with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations looking to appoint the right independent directors to their boards. It is a free service that allows: *Individuals to register an interest in being an independent director, identifying their experience and skills. *Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations to promote board vacancies. The service finds matches and allows candidates and corporations to initiate contact with each other. Candidates and corporations are in control of how much detail they reveal about themselves to the public and what they show only to their connections. |
Board, Directors, Independent directors, ORIC | Website | |
Joint statement on board minutes | Australian Institute of Company Directors, Governance Institute of Australia | In this statement, the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and Governance Institute of Australia (Governance Institute) summarise key principles, provide their view on matters to be included in minutes, and consider the approach to board papers and document retention policies. |
Board, Minutes | Article / paper |