Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional AustraliaThe Meeting Post
Welcome to The Meeting Post
Welcome to the fourth edition of The Meeting Post. This edition profiles Indigenous opportunities. Indigenous Australian’s own, control, or have management arrangements over approximately 20% of the Australian continent and this can be expected to continue to increase through new arrangements for native title determination. There is an existing and growing role of for Indigenous people in regional Australia with their capacities in sustainable land and sea management in particular, as well as a growing recognition of Indigenous economic and natural resource knowledge.
Our feature article, contributed by Jon Altman from Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research looks at some key issues in developing a national Indigenous policy frameworks recognising needs, rights and legacies. The Meeting Post also highlights Best Practice and Regional Case Studies to inspire us, as well as featuring new publications.
In conclusion I would like to draw your attention to the Regional Australia Summit 2009: the new agenda being conducted in Kalgoorlie Boulder on 29 October. This will be an important opportunity to reflect on the rapidly changing needs and concerns of regional Australia and to develop some actions to ensure regional Australia influences the ongoing agenda. With the release of the report Responding to the Australia 2020 Summit there will be much for discussion. For more information please visit the SEGRA website.
For those coming to SEGRA I look forward to catching up with you there.
Best Wishes
Kate Charters
Editor
Professional Perspectives
Developing a national Indigenous policy framework that recognises needs, rights and legacies and delivers results
Jon C. Altman
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The mission of Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) is - “Better outcomes for Indigenous Australia by informing & influencing intellectual understanding, public debate, policy formation and community action through research, education and community engagement”. As part of this mission CAEPR publishes discussion papers, working papers, research monographs and topical issues accessible at www.anu.edu.au/caepr
The following paper examines current Indigenous policy, including Closing the Gap, a monolithic approach that privileges statistical equality over all else and undervalues difference and diversity. It argues for a very different policy framework that looks to openly combine three interlinked elements: needs-based citizenship rights, special Indigenous rights, and compensatory ‘social justice’ rights. To read more please click here
Best Practice
The character of Aboriginal training pathways: A local perspective
N. Rea, J Messner, C. Gipey, 2008
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This research report discusses pathways to Aboriginal education, training and employment, and shows that they do not necessarily start with traineeships, apprenticeships, cadetships or work placements. The pathway discussed in the report starts locally and endorses and includes the cultural education and training of Elders.
The research concludes that the most appropriate training pathway towards employment/livelihoods is one where training is embedded in practice. The key factors for successful training include that training needs to begin from where it will succeed; the training fits into the meaning and purpose of community life; it is community directed and relevant to current and future needs; and it must be linked to future planning processes. People aspire to a ‘both ways’ model of community capacity that ensures cultural control in the short term and in the long term to skilled literate adults who have maintained their Aboriginal law and culture and who can manage change and sustain
community development.
The research project resulted in two specific Anmatyerr trainee researchers with a range of skills that were learnt and practised on country and on the job, as part of current issues that directly contribute to delivering real
community and project outcomes.
To read more about the report click here
For the whole report click here
Recent Publications
A Sunburnt Country: The Economic and Financial Impact of Drought on Rural and Regional Families in Australia in an Era of
Climate Change
Ben Edwards and Matthew Gray, Australian Institute of Family Studies Boyd Hunter, Australian National University
Australia is indeed a sunburnt country, and is arguably becoming increasingly sunburnt. If most climate predictions are correct, much of Australia will experience droughts even more often. This paper uses the Rural and Regional Families Survey to explore the economic and financial implications of drought in regional Australia. Drought has significant negative economic impacts, with large effects on the experience of financial hardship and deterioration in household financial position— especially for farmers and farm managers who reported that the current drought had reduced property output substantially.
The study also identifies some heterogeneous patterns of mobility within many drought-affected households. It is important that policy makers understand the complex processes of adjustment that occur in times of drought in order to enable them to prepare for the changes that will take place if our worst fears about climate change are realised.
For the whole report click here
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Inspire, Indigenous Business Australia (IBA)'s economic development magazine was launched last year and, as the title suggests, it aims to excite, influence, stimulate, motivate and arouse feelings through the promotion of Indigenous successes stories in the business and economic sectors.
Produced every six months, Inspire aims to add to the discussion about how economic development can provide financial independence and positive outcomes for Indigenous Australians, their families, friends, and communities.
In Issue 3, available October 2009, contributors travel from the East Kimberley region of Western Australia to Cape York to showcase how Indigenous Australians across our vast country are experiencing amazing economic breakthroughs and how, together, we can all contribute to the future prosperity of this country. Previous editions of Inspire can be accessed online through www.iba.gov.au/inspire, where you can also subscribe to future editions.
IBA is a government statutory authority contributing to a brighter economic future for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. IBA has a vision for a “nation in which the First Australians are economically independent and an integral part of the economy. ”They work hard to achieve this vision by assisting Indigenous Australians to purchase their own homes, create and build businesses, and own companies and investments; building assets and wealth, and fulfilling aspirations
Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2009
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The fourth edition of the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report, commissioned by the Council of
Australian Governments, was released on 2 July. The report’s strategic framework is designed to track over time whether government policies and programs are making a difference for Indigenous people.The latest edition of the report includes COAG’s six ‘closing the gap’ targets, and reveals mixed results for these targets and other indicators. Across a range of areas there is still an unacceptable gap in outcomes between Indigenous and other Australians.
Many Indigenous people shared in Australia’s recent prosperity, with increases in employment, incomes and home ownership. These improvements are a positive sign, but preserving the gains in more difficult economic times will be challenging. A number of key social indicators have shown little improvement, and even deterioration in areas such as criminal justice, and child abuse and neglect.
Where possible, data are reported by remoteness. For many indicators, the level of disadvantage and the gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people increase with remoteness. Housing overcrowding is much higher for Indigenous people in remote areas and they often have to travel long distances to access health, education and other services. However, Indigenous people in remote areas have greater ownership of land, which can potentially provide a range of economic, cultural and social benefits.
For more information about this report click here
Baw Baw Shire connects with local communities
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Regional Victoria’s Baw Baw Shire Council has undertaken a comprehensive and successful community consultation process called ‘Community Connect’ over the last two years that has revitalised the relationship between the council and the municipality’s smaller townships and rural communities. Based on the premise that ‘one size does not fit all’ the process developed establishes open and honest communications between council and communities; develops plans that reflect the visions of the communities; and enables communities to own and control the process of defining their priorities and future projects to form part of a sustainable council strategy.
A wide variety of projects have now either been completed in or are in progress by the various communities that have participated in the process which include community infrastructure, arts, environmental, tourism and social projects.
To date over $2 million dollars of council funds, government grants and in-kind contributions has been invested into the community projects identified as outcomes through the community plans that have been developed. This is a conservative figure in that the majority of community in-kind contributions have not been given a monetary value.
The community connect process has successfully demonstrated improved community relationships with council at a number of levels as well as establishing better communication channels within and between communities. It has also enabled greater community involvement in that people have actively been involved in projects and community groups where previously they did not participate. It has also established partnerships between council, other government organisations and communities to work collaboratively in delivering projects.
To visit the Baw Baw Shire webpage click here
The Clarence Edge
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“The Clarence Edge” has kick-started the economic development of the Clarence Valley in NSW. Apart from identifying what the community said needed to be done, it is a scorecard of progress, and a means of communicating successes.
The Strategic Plan identified 12 priority action areas to pursue. In an area of high unemployment, ageing demographic, low labour force participation rate, significant high youth unemployment, low household income and low completion of Year 12 schooling, there was much to be done. The Clarence Edge is the articulation of the Clarence Valley Strategic Economic Development Plan.
The Clarence Edge identified what needed to be done by grouping the priority projects into four themes:
1 Building on competitive Advantage
2 Value adding and industry Extension
3 Business retention and attraction
4 Planning and facilitation
As examples Clarence Creative has been established as a virtual collective of our blossoming creative industry sector, and
Clarence Industry Education Forum was developed to address school retention rates and to smooth the path between school and work for students.
To visit the Clarence Valley webpage click here
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The Golden Quest Discovery Trail is a 965 km self drive soft adventure experience in the Goldfields of WA that runs from Coolgardie in the south to Laverton in the north. The Trail has twenty five interpretative sites supported by a comprehensive Guidebook (with two audio CDs), website, road signage and interpretative panels, picnic tables and other trail related infrastructure.
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The stories of History, Pastoralism, Indigenous culture and the Environment from the Goldfields region are highlighted within the Guidebook and on the Trail.
The Golden Quest Discovery Trail can be enjoyed in parts or as a whole. Whether you choose to use Kalgoorlie- Boulder as a base or spend time exploring the Trail over a number of days. The Golden Quest website at www.goldenquesttrail.com can help you plan your itinerary. Visit the Outback pubs and Ghost towns such as Kookynie and Gwalia near Leonora, where the 31st President of the United States, Herbert Hoover lived and worked at the turn of the century. Experience the eerie statues at Lake Ballard near Menzies where renowned sculptor Antony Gormley has placed 51 sculptures on a salt lake setting.
For further information on the Golden Quest Discovery Trail or if you wish to purchase a copy of the Guidebook and audio CD’s please contact GQTA Inc. at info@goldenquesttrail.com or download the order form on the website at www.goldenquesttrail.com
SEGRA 2009 Conference : 27-29 October - Kalgoorlie-Boulder: Regional Australia: exploring new frontiers
The national SEGRA2009 conferenceis conducted annually to provide a forum that offers delegates from regional Australia the opportunity for professional development through hearing from experts on key issues impacting on regional Australia; networking with other practitioners; and developing plans of action to enhance regions' capacities to respond to the uncertainties and variability of life in regional Australia and to contribute to the economic and social well being of Australia
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The conference will focus on:
• providing a forum for regions to step up to the challenge;
• looking at how to ensure serious consideration is given by government to the future for regional
Australia;
• providing the individual regions with the opportunity to explore and share some ‘winning strategies’ for dealing with economic and business cycles; and
• looking at how to increase productivity and investment in your region.
Registrations for SEGRA2009 Conference are now open. If you want to gain the latest regional development intelligence and analysis; contribute to the development of innovative solutions to regional development issues; connect with key decisions makers and like minded professionals; network, make
connections and build learning communities within and across sectors then register now. SEGRA is the national forum where your ideas can be heard and can help make a real difference.
For more information or to register click here
Regional Australia Summit 2009: the new agenda - 29th of October
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Registrations are now open for the Regional Australian Summit 2009 which will provide an opportunity to affect the future direction of regional Australia. The “Regional Australia Summit 2009 – the new agenda” will be a platform for the discussion of strategic trends and directions for regional Australia, in the context of sustainability. The outcome of the Summit will be to make
a plan of action regarding the way for regional Australia to move forward over the next decade.
The program will be built around the results of a national survey, which has been undertaken as a preliminary step, to provide a foundation for the Summit – together with a consideration of some of the key themes documented in
Responding to the Australia 2020 Summit, as they relate to regional Australia. Some of the key issues that warrant consideration include (i) sustainability (ii) infrastructure (iii) community (iv) closing the gap for Indigenous Australians and (v) governance. The survey and background scoping paper are available at www.segra.com.au/segra
Delegates will work in focussed interest groups, with expert panellists and have the opportunity to contribute ideas, exchange views, and assess the feasibility of proposals. Delegates will provide input on recommendations and, through a joint problem-solving approach, will have ownership in a Plan of Action addressing issues affecting sustainability and the community in regional Australia.
Conduct of the Summit will be based on established concepts and principles for conflict management and resolution using a framework of joint action and shared responsibility. The Summit will draw on the Guiding Principles for sustainability development specified as policy guidelines in the “National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development” (Council of Australian Governments, December 1992).Participants will consider a range of topics including:
- The Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change and Sustainable development: A Plan for Action for regional Australia;
- The need to maintain and enhance international competitiveness in an environmentally sound manner;
- Closing the Gap on Indigenous Disadvantage;
- Actions to enable access to training and employment, economic development opportunities, heritage as well as the potential for “broader settlements” under the Native Title Act;
- Governance and regional Australia – connectivity;
- and Regional industries and communities – a partnership.
To register for the Summit click here
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Ray Ciantar, Manager of Infrastructure & Planning, Goldfields Esperance Development Commission, who has won the free registration for the SEGRA2009 conference offered in our online survey in May.
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