NAILSMA Indigenous Water Policy Statement
The policy statement has been developed by NAILSMA through the
Indigenous Water Policy Group.
This group was initiated in 2006 to enhance Indigenous water policy
outcomes across state and territory jurisdictions.
The policy launch is pitched at commonwealth, state and
territory Ministers and government water practitioners. It presents
Indigenous people standing together for water rights through a
statement that provides clear terms for how Indigenous people want
to be engaged in water reform processes.
The policy position builds on the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as well as other
statements relating to water reform, the
Garma International Indigenous Water Declaration and the
Mary
River Statement.
The Indigenous Water Policy Statement makes four key
declarations:
1.
Indigenous peoples’ traditional ownership
must be fully recognised in Australian law.
2.
Water legislation and government policies must
allocate Cultural Flows owned by Indigenous peoples to ensure
equity and Indigenous cultural rights.
3.
The Consumptive Pool in all water plans must include an equitable
Indigenous allocation for commercial purposes.
4.
Governments and water agencies must join with
Indigenous traditional owners and native title groups to develop
water plans and management.
The IWPG supports the recognition of Indigenous Rights to
ownership, management and use of waters for commercial purposes in
response to current commonwealth and state policies and reform
agendas, specifically the National Water Initiative.
The policy statement offers tangible opportunities for positive
economic outcomes for Australia’s most disadvantaged
people.
