Role
The IWPG aims to deliver objectives through a community driven
policy and research approach. The key responsibilities of the IWPG
are to:
- Provide policy advice to its
members based on research about water reform initiatives as they
affect Indigenous communities and their land holdings;
- Provide advice to the NAILSMA
Board of Directors;
- Provide advice and representation
on all matters concerning water resources in terms of the social
and cultural, economic, ecological and political interests of
Indigenous people in the north of Australia;
- Work in parallel with the NAILSMA
Indigenous Community Water Facilitator Network;
- Develop research partnerships and
commission research that addresses community identified and
directed needs and interests;
- Ensure that Indigenous interests
are appropriately engaged in all regional water planning in the
north of Australia, providing
-
- equitable and secure access to
water for domestic and commercial purposes,
- recognition and protection of the wide range of interests in
water by developing collaborative relationships among a wide rage
of stakeholders;
- Communicate community aspirations
to government and non-government organisations including Indigenous
organisations and institutions, water resource managers, research
organisations, policy advisors and other stakeholders and
audiences;
- Implement the Mary River (Oct 09)
principles in water reform processes by advocating for:
-
- The assertion of legal recognition
of Indigenous peoples’ traditional ownership of waters
through amendments to legislation,
- cultural rights be recognised as a
water allocation in legislation and policy for the protection of
Indigenous cultural assets by preventing overexploitation of water
from the consumptive pool,
- the protection of and access to
equitable Indigenous commercial water rights from the consumptive
pool for economic purposes be provided in legislation and
policy,
- Traditional Owners and native
title groups be jointly engaged with state and territory water
agencies in the planning, ongoing implementation and review of
water resources management,
- culturally appropriate and best
practice water planning and management in local, regional and
national water reform processes
- Traditional Owner interests and
values be represented in forums and research,
- long term sustainable use of water
resources that supports the economic development of Indigenous
livelihoods, and
- legislative change in other areas
of interest relating to land and water resource development and
management be inclusive of Indigenous rights and aspirations.
Objectives
The IWPG has four main objectives
1.
Improve Indigenous people’s awareness of government
water reforms, including the National Water Initiative, enunciated
or implied by policies and frameworks of governments so that:
- informed decisions are made about water planning and management
as they affect communities in the north of Australia;
- impacts from modern day exploitation of water resources as they
occur across north Australia are
considered.
2.
Engage in research relating to Indigenous rights,
responsibilities and interests in water resources in northern
Australia so that:
- Indigenous customary and traditional water use and knowledge
are identified and incorporated into water planning
processes;
- Indigenous knowledge, customary practices and intellectual
property in water are recognised, valued and protected;
- Indigenous people are engaged in consumptive and
non-consumptive water planning and policy development; and,
- the economic future of Indigenous people is secured in the
development of water reforms (in both the present and the emerging
industries).
3.
Work with governments toward policy implementation so that
Indigenous rights, responsibilities and interests in water
resources and management:
- are recognised and incorporated into state and territory
regional and local water plans; and
- are recognised and incorporated into broader COAG
policies.
4.
Ensure policy approach is consistent across the
wet and dry tropics of northern Australia.
