New pathways to a shared future

Ms Jan FergusonManaging Director

Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre

United Nations Association of Australia

28 August 2009Brisbane

Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (DKCRC)

VisionThe DKCRC is committed to:

• creating economic opportunities for desert people; and• making a demonstrable difference for remote Aboriginal communities, and settlements

through the application of participatory research and training.

Desert Knowledge CRC• Australia’s largest regionally

based social, economic, and environmental research collaboration.

• Approximately 250 researchers across 28 partner agencies working toward developing sustainable livelihoods for people.

• Working with 70 remote communities

The situation for Aboriginal Australians (Productivity Commission 2009)

Life expectancy – Gap 12 years for males and 10 years for females

Young child mortality – Gap improved slightly, but remain 3 times below non-

Aboriginal AustraliansReading, writing and numeracy

– Gap widens over time, and as the degree of remoteness increases.

Year 12 attainment – Gap of 50% below non-Indigenous 19 year olds

Employment – Participation rate lower, and the unemployment rate

higher

Aboriginal people in the NTJuly 2007 Federal Government

– NT Emergency Response (NTER)

– the ‘Intervention’

October 2006 – July 2008 NT Government– Introduction of 8 new Shires

July 2007 Local Government– Alcohol Laws restricting public

drinking in NT– ‘dry towns’

Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER)

October 2007

NTER was carried out in prescribed areas in the Northern Territory

• encompasses more than 500 Aboriginal communities: 73 of the larger settlements were targeted for intense application of NTER measures.

• Over 70 per cent of Aboriginal people in the NT live within prescribed areas.

• NTER measures directly affect approximately 45,500 Aboriginal men, women and children.

Imagine… You are an Aboriginal grandmother living in a prescribed remote community in

the Northern Territory…

• You have grandchildren …• Some go to school …• You were a health worker before you retired• You live in and pay rent for an overcrowded house that is

not properly maintained• You have only one public phone box in the community and

it is often broken• Where you shop & what you want to buy is controlled

As an Aboriginal woman…

• You have grown up learning about your land, the law and your culture

• You teach your grandchildren about their family, ancestors and country

• You are strong in your traditional language

• You are a strong member of your family

The Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER)

Impact – Half your money is quarantined into an Income

Management system– Your movements are managed– Your grandchildren’s school lunch is compulsory– Where you shop is restricted– You are given a BasicsCard

BasicsCard

Reality: – You do not have more choice as not all stores where

you want to spend are approved or are in your home location

– You can only buy food, clothing, medicine, basic household items

– You cannot spend at a second hand store and save money

– You cannot use your BasicsCard for cash out, lay-by or book-up

– You cannot spend more than $800 per day

The challenge of Closing the Gaps…

Requires a shift in community attitudes from a deficit model to a model supportive of:

-good communication, -choice and informed consent-open negotiation of the best way forward -understanding that this will take time

Aboriginal Knowledge and Intellectual Protocol Community Guide

http://www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au/socialscience/socialscience.html

Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi

Good research checklist

• It’s OK for me to work on this research.• This research is OK with the community.• I am working with the visiting researcher.• I am getting paid.• I know the research will be useful.• I know the research will make a difference.• I know that I will get copies of the research.• I am being listened to.• I am being respected.• We have made a research agreement.

Elements of successful initiatives

• Attitude– Influenced by the goals, motivation and personal

commitment of the Aboriginal people

• Resources– Availability and access to resources– Time – to plan, build genuine relationships, reflect

and learn–

• Process– Development of local capacity where ever

possible, and support providers knowing when to move on from dependence to independence

New pathways to a shared futureGenuine engagement with Aboriginal people

On-the-ground programs that will fast-track economic participation

Effective two way communication of to targeted stakeholders and end-users

Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre

www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au