Resources and publications
Title | Author /s | Summary | Date | Tag(s) | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | |
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:
|
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 | |
Banking the credit of community ownership – the Victorian experience | Jeremy Clark, Janine Coombs | This paper examines the potential for native title organisations with limited asset bases to engage in successful commercial activity through joint venture enterprises. Firstly, we describe the development of the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporations as a state ‘peak-body’ of local native title organisations. We then discuss the Federation’s program of economic and commercial development both for its members and as an entity in itself, including the establishment of its incorporated joint ventures; Barpa Constructions Pty Ltd and On Country Heritage and Consulting Pty Ltd and commentary on the significance of the Commonwealth’s Indigenous Procurement Policy as a factor in this process. The final section of the paper draws upon the experience of the Federation to examine how the legitimacy bestowed by the community ownership of native title organisations’ businesses creates a market advantage which is attractive to joint venture partners and can more than offset and deficit in terms of monetary resources available for investment in a newly established enterprise. The paper concludes by reflecting that the market advantage bestowed by community ownership may well be a product of the racism inherent in Australian society’s hostility to wealthy Indigenous individuals. |
Commercial development, Federation of Victorian Traditional Owner Corporation, Finance, PBCs (Prescribed Body / Bodies Corporate) | Presentation | |
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 | |
Contact Persons and Secretaries | Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations | Outlining the role of contact persons and secretaries for corporations registered under the CATSI Act. |
ORIC, Secretary | Information Sheet | |
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 | |
Enabling Prosperity: Success Factors for Indigenous Economic Development | URBIS | Westpac commissioned Urbis to undertake research to understand the key drivers of economic development for Indigenous Australians. The aim of the research was to provide an evidence-base analysis of factors that support entrepreneurship and economic development, building on Australian and international literature and research. The overarching research question was: What factors lead to successful economic development and job creation in Indigenous communities? |
Commercial development, Employment, Finance | Report |