Resources and publications
Title | Author /s | Summary | Date | Tag(s) | Type |
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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 | |
Exercising native title rights and interests | Lisa Eaton | Traditional owners- native title claimants- native title holders- members of a prescribed body corporate. Who holds what native title rights? How can you exercise such rights? Post determination rights and interests are managed through a corporation governed by western laws and values. As is now well documented, this very structure required under the Native Title Act is often at odds with Indigenous decision making structures. This paper will begin to examine post determination issues surrounding the complex and layered network of native title ‘memberships’ and the parameters within which they must operate. There is often a fundamental misunderstanding as to how traditional rights and interests can be exercised and fully leveraged by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In order to effectively manage native title greater clarity is required. |
Decision making, NNTC (National Native Title Council) | Presentation | |
The two-way governance resources | Ninti One | The Two-way Governance Resource has been designed to support and promote two way learning and informed decision making (related to mainstream governance) in remote Aboriginal Communities in the Northern Territory. |
Community, Decision making, Governance | Presentation | |
Traditional decision making in native title - finding a pathway through the cultural, legal and administrative maze | Mr Graham Castledine, Mr Royce Evans, Elaine James | Since the commencement of the Native Title Act, traditional owners have been asked to negotiate and make important decisions concerning their native title. While the Act allows for and even encourages the use of traditional decision making, this is required to be blended with modern Western notions of corporate governance and meeting procedures. The recent decision of the Federal Court in McGlade has underlined some of the difficulties associated with the requirements of the Act for reaching decisions on important matters, and has raised questions about the proper roles of the registered native title claimants and the broader native title community. After native title has been determined, traditional owners must develop complex processes which accommodate longstanding cultural norms as well as the onerous requirements of the NTA and CATSI Act. If not handled maturely and sensitively, these processes can result in feelings of disempowerment and disengagement as well as causing or exacerbating intra-indigenous conflict. The paper will examine Court decisions which have highlighted problems with the cultural clashes which have resulted from the current system and also look at some innovative approaches which one PBC is developing in order to truly honour the cultural knowledge of the traditional owners. For access to Castledine, Evans & James' paper on the topic follow this link. |
Decision making, PBCs (Prescribed Body / Bodies Corporate) | Presentation |