Resources and publications
Title | Author /s | Summary | Date | Tag(s) | Type |
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A guide to writing good governance rules for PBCs and RNTBCs | Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations | This guide complements the Rule book info kit and is for prescribed bodies corporate (PBCs) and Registered Native title bodies corporate (RNTBCs) who have extra responsibilities under the Native Title Act 1993. It describes some of the important issues that need to be considered when writing rules for these types of corporations. It also suggests some specific rules. It is designed for PBCs, RNTBCs and groups intending to hold or manage native title. |
CATSI Act, Constitutions, ORIC, Rule book | Information Sheet | |
A Toolkit for Developing Community-based Dispute Resolution Processes in First Nations Communities | Canada Human Rights Commission | The Canadian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) created this toolkit to offer assistance to First Nations governments that want to address discrimination complaints in their communities using a community-based dispute resolution process. |
Capacity building, Dispute management, Leadership | Report | |
Aboriginal assets? the impact of major agreements associated with native title in Western Australia | Sarah Prout Quicke, Alfred Michael Dockery, Aileen Hoath | This report, conducted for the Department of Regional Development, addresses the question of how effective agreements arising from native title determinations are at meeting the needs and aspirations of Aboriginal peoples who have achieved, or are pursuing (through registered native title claims), legal recognition as native title holders. The report research is based on a review of relevant academic and ‘grey’ literature as well as case studies of the experiences of three Western Australian Aboriginal native title groups in their efforts to leverage agreements with government and industry to enhance their wellbeing and pursue their aspirations. |
Agreements, ILUA (Indigenous Land Use Agreement), Mining, Native Title Act, PBCs (Prescribed Body / Bodies Corporate), Trusts | Report | |
AIATSIS response to Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) Technical Review of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act) 2006 | Dr Lisa Strelein, Cedric Hassing, Dr Belidna Burbidge | The following submission was made as part of the technical review of the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act) 2006 (Cth) (CATSI Act). In the submission we have supported further investigation of a dedicated chapter in the CATSI Act for RNTBCs (native title corporations) and our main recommendations include:
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AIATSIS, CATSI Act, Governance, ORIC | Policy statement | |
AIATSIS Submission to review of the CATSI Act: Phase two | Dr Lisa Strelein, Ophelia Rubinich, Casey Millward | Since 2016, AIATSIS has contributed to a number of reviews of the CATSI Act including the Technical Review of the CATSI Act (2017) and CATSI Review Phase 1 (2020). Throughout this report, the AIATSIS researchers refer to the AIATSIS submissions for both of these reviews. |
AIATSIS, CATSI Act, Compliance, Policies, Rule book | Report | |
Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre | Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre | The Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre (AILC) aims to foster and nurture a new era of Indigenous leadership by:
As Australia’s only national provider of accredited Indigenous leadership education programs, the AILC has transformed the lives of more than 2000 graduates since it was established in 2001. |
Leadership | Website | |
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 | |
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 | |
CATSI Act review report draft | National Indigenous Australians Agency | This comprehensive review of the CATSI Act, built on a series of reviews undertaken in recent years. Responding to feedback from stakeholders for comprehensive consideration of the ongoing role of the CATSI Act, this review would consider whether the CATSI Act is achieving its objects, particularly as a special measure under the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. |
Capacity building, CATSI Act, PBC Regulations | Report | |
CATSI Act Review: Phase 1 summary report | National Indigenous Australians Agency | This report details the findings from the survey available on the National Indigenous Australians Agency website for phase one of the CATSI Act review. |
Capacity building, CATSI Act, PBC Regulations | Report | |
Commercial opportunities from Native Title: The Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara peoples' journey to economic benefit | Ian Crombie, John Hender | The Coober Pedy region of South Australia is the traditional country of the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara people. The Native Title journey of the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara people started in 1995 when their claim commenced. After achieving Native Title determination, successfully negotiating a number of ILUAs and winning their first major commercial contract, their journey continues today. This session will discuss the experiences of the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara people and how they have used Native Title to help achieve their community aspirations. Ian Crombie, Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara Aboriginal Corporation vice-chairman and Elder, will describe the many obstacles, decisions, learnings and successes, that have brought the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara people to where they are in their journey today. Importantly, he will discuss the challenges of balancing immediate community needs with both commercial opportunities and future goals. |
Commercial development, Community development, Future acts, Land and sea management, Mining, Strategic planning, Trusts | Presentation | |
Contested Governance: Culture, power and institutions in Indigenous Australia | Janet Hunt, Diane Smith, Stephanie Garling, Will Sanders (eds) | This collection of papers examines the dilemmas and challenges involved in the Indigenous struggle for the development and recognition of systems of governance that they recognise as both legitimate and effective. |
CAEPR, Governance, Indigenous knowledge, Leadership | Book | |
Decision-making: Constitutions of Prescribed Bodies Corporate | Ashleigh Blechynden | The Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) research snapshot series has been developed to share findings from the Native Title Research Unit’s (NTRU) investigation into the constitutions and financial reports of PBCs. This research forms part of the PBC Capability project which aims to develop a long-term national picture of the PBC sector. This snapshot examines the decision-making processes identified by PBCs within their constitutions including voting processes, quorum requirements and the use of independent directors. |
CATSI Act, Constitutions, Decision making, Native Title Act, PBCs (Prescribed Body / Bodies Corporate), Rule book | Report | |
Detailed information on changes to native title laws and obligations | CATSI Act, ILUA (Indigenous Land Use Agreement), Members, Native Title Act, Native title holder, PBC Regulations, PBCs (Prescribed Body / Bodies Corporate), Reporting, Rule book, Special administration | Fact sheet | |||
Differences between the CATSI Act and the Corporations Act | Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations | ORIC fact sheet about differences between the CATSI Act and the Corporations Act. |
CATSI Act, Exemptible rules, Native Title Act, ORIC, Special administration | Fact sheet | |
Different models of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance | Australian Indigenous Governance Institute | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander models of community and regional governance are based on networks of interconnected layers of leaders, groups of people, and land-ownership rights and interests. They are arranged in different ways, depending on what suits the particular community or organisation. |
Governance, Leadership | Fact sheet | |
Dispute management: Constitutions of Prescribed Bodies Corporate | Ashleigh Blechynden | The Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) research snapshot series has been developed to share findings from the Native Title Research Unit’s (NTRU) investigation into the constitutions and financial reports of PBCs. This research forms part of the PBC Capability project which aims to develop a long-term national picture of the PBC sector. This snapshot looks at the dispute management processes within PBC constitutions, examining the use of NTRBs, independent mediation and elder’s councils to resolve disputes. |
AIATSIS, CATSI Act, Dispute management, Native Title Act, PBCs (Prescribed Body / Bodies Corporate) | Report | |
Disqualification for managing corporations under the CATSI Act | Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations | Information about how individuals can be disqualified from managing corporations under the CATSI Act. |
CATSI Act, Governance, ORIC | Information Sheet | |
Effective Governance | Te Puni Kōkiri | This information is designed to help trustees and directors of Māori organisations with their responsibilities and role as guardians and leaders. It aims to support those who have taken up that challenge by sharing best practice on the essential elements of effective governance. Whether it’s for a small whanau trust or a major trading company, there are sound principles for safeguarding and growing assets for the benefit of their owners. |
Governance, Leadership | Website | |
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 |