This report provides guidance to IP Australia on the best
approaches to estimating the market va... more This report provides guidance to IP Australia on the best approaches to estimating the market value of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) now and in the future, along with consideration for IK’s value in the context of patents, trade marks, designs and plant breeder’s rights.
Her background is in education and international development and she has lectured in Internationa... more Her background is in education and international development and she has lectured in International and Community Development at RMIT and Deakin Universities. She has worked for many years in international development with a particular focus on the Pacific and South East Asia. She was Executive Director of the Australian Council for Overseas Aid and the International Women's Development Agency, and has worked more recently with a range of local and international non-government organisations in East Timor. She has a long standing interest and involvement in Australian and international Indigenous human rights and policy issues and has been active in ANTAR. Figuring Out Governance: Capacity Development for Indigenous Councils and Organisations about the capacity of some of the smaller councils to meet their financial, representative and administrative obligations, and the rapid turnover of senior staff in many cases, has, since the late 1990s, led to a policy of amalgamation and regionalisation, until recently through the Building Stronger Regions Stronger Futures Policy. 4 In Western Australia, similar governance problems are experienced and the state government has expressed concern about the crisis Indigenous communities experience when organisations collapse and their often essential functions are paralysed. 5 Nor are such problems confined to community government councils; they have also been evident in NSW Aboriginal Land Councils where issues of alleged corruption, representation, accountability, clarity about functions and roles, and overall capacity have been raised since the mid-1980s. 6 Thus, the financial and related problems experienced in Queensland are not confined to that state, but appear to be experienced in other jurisdictions, at times with serious consequences for the communities they are meant to serve. Recognising the persistence of some of these problems, in 2005 the Queensland Auditor-General had already remarked that: Aboriginal councils and Island councils, as sectors, have particular issues in relation to governance, financial viability and controls over financial transactions and balances which are not evident in other sectors. The regularity with which such issues have been raised over many years may suggest that it would be timely to review the complexity and extent of the legislative requirements on those entities that serve relatively small communities and which therefore have limited resources. 7 The 2006 Report laments the fact that recent efforts to improve some councils' performance have not led to sustained improvements, and that many much earlier recommendations for staff training or establishment of a central accounting bureau have not been implemented. Nor it seems had there been any change in the legislative requirements. However, with some insight, the Auditor comments in 2006 that 'I am firmly of the view that poor governance and leadership, rather than simply poor record-keeping, are central to the qualification issues identified over successive financial periods.' 8 The Minister subsequently commented that the responses to this situation being considered
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. All CAEPR Working Papers are refereed and are produced for rapid distribution to enable widespread discussion and comment. All CAEPR publications are available in electronic format for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.anu.edu.au CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a range of sources, including ANU, the Australian Research Council, industry and philanthropic partners, and Australian state and territory governments.
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. The CAEPR Working Paper series exists to disseminate preliminary research findings, to share ideas about a topic, or to elicit discussion and feedback. All Working Papers are subject to internal peer review. All CAEPR publications are available in electronic format for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.cass.anu.edu.au CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a range of sources, including ANU, the Australian Research Council, industry and philanthropic partners, and Australian state and territory governments.
What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the C... more What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the Council of Australian Government targets for overcoming Indigenous disadvantage. • Governments failing to address the power inequalities, expecting Indigenous people to function in western bureaucratic forms and style, and favouring western over Indigenous knowledge. • Racism embedded in institutions. What we don't know • How 'mainstream' organisations could effectively engage Indigenous people without working with and through Indigenous partners. • There is not a lot of information about effective community engagement in sectors other than those indicated below.
What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the t... more What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the targets of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). Engaging with Indigenous Australia-exploring the conditions for effective relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities What we don't know • We don't know how to overcome the persistent challenges governments face in trying to engage on the ground in a flexible, whole-of-government way within systems that are based on upward departmental accountabilities. • It isn't known how to engage effectively where an Indigenous community is in conflict, has highly fractured governance or has weak leadership. • There is little or no research evidence about successful engagement arrangements in urban areas or the Torres Strait Islands. • There is no research evidence about either models of engagement for national or other levels of policy development or the role of Indigenous peak bodies in engagement strategies. • The evidence from the most recent innovations by various jurisdictions in relation to engagement models and approaches (see p.18 'Engagement by states and territories') is not available. • The range of sectors for which there is significant research on successful approaches to program/project level engagement is limited. • Research evidence of how free, prior and informed consent has been put into practice in governmental engagement processes and its impact is not yet available. Engaging with Indigenous Australia-exploring the conditions for effective relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Bovaird T 2007. Beyond engagement and participation: user and community coproduction of public services.
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. The CAEPR Working Paper series exists to disseminate preliminary research findings, to share ideas about a topic, or to elicit discussion and feedback. All Working Papers are subject to internal peer review.
... Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management and for generating social benefits will ... more ... Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management and for generating social benefits will ... Support for Junior Green Team activities and inclusion of local Aboriginal knowledge ... people do not separate natural resource management from cultural heritage protection in their ...
... Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management and for generating social benefits will ... more ... Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management and for generating social benefits will ... Support for Junior Green Team activities and inclusion of local Aboriginal knowledge ... people do not separate natural resource management from cultural heritage protection in their ...
In Australia national concerns about climate change, biodiversity loss, water quantity and qualit... more In Australia national concerns about climate change, biodiversity loss, water quantity and quality and land degradation have high priority on the government's environment agenda. With this comes the opportunity to strategically integrate Indigenous land and sea management into plans for tackling these challenges, not least because the Indigenous estate—which includes some of the most biodiverse lands in Australia—continues to increase as a result of successful land and native title claims and the declaration of more Indigenous Protected Areas. This paper explores government support for Indigenous land and sea management focusing on the Commonwealth government's Working on Country program. The paper outlines the development of formalised Indigenous cultural and natural resource management, and the emergence of the Working on Country program is discussed in the past and current policy context. The opportunities and challenges for the future of the program, and formalised Indig...
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For over 20 years CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts and Social Sciences, at The Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a variety of sources including ANU, Australian Research Council, industry and philanthropic partners, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and State and Territory governments. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program. CAEPR Working Papers are refereed reports which are produced for rapid distribution to enable widespread discussion and comment. They are available in electronic format only for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.anu.edu.au As with all CAEPR publications, the views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not reflect any official CAEPR position.
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. The Topical Issues Series presents brief and timely explorations of urgent and emerging issues and debates in Indigenous affairs. All CAEPR publications are available in electronic format for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.anu.edu.au CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a range of sources, including ANU; the Australian Research Council; industry and philanthropic partners; and Australian, state and territory government departments.
He has a disciplinary background in economics and anthropology. Professor Altman has undertaken r... more He has a disciplinary background in economics and anthropology. Professor Altman has undertaken research in the Maningrida region and with the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation since 1979 on a diversity of issues, including the customary economy, resource management, land rights and the outstations movement, the arts industry, and the Community Development Employment Projects scheme. His current research focuses on the Indigenous hybrid economy in the tropical savanna, and the potential of equitable payment for environmental services delivered to provide viable livelihood options for Indigenous people.
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes highquality, independent re... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes highquality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. Topical Issues present a broad range of documents relating to contemporary issues and debates, and are produced for rapid distribution to enable widespread discussion and comment. They are subject to internal peer review. All CAEPR publications are available in electronic format for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.cass.anu.edu.au CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a range of sources, including ANU, the Australian Research Council, industry and philanthropic partners, and Australian state and territory governments.
Capacity development has become a key concept in international development in recent years. Older... more Capacity development has become a key concept in international development in recent years. Older approaches involving technical cooperation, in which knowledge and skills were to be transferred to developing countries, have been unsuccessful. In contrast capacity development is viewed as an endogenous process within organisations and communities which are themselves embedded in wider systems. Understanding the features of these systems which might support rather than inhibit capacity development is therefore important. The paper fi rst clarifi es aspects of the term 'capacity development' and then draws on recent research and experience of capacity development to draw out some of the key international lessons, especially in relation to the 'enabling environment'. It then outlines a number of community and organisational approaches to capacity development, but cautions that cross-cultural issues may affect capacity development at different levels. The paper concludes by raising questions about the implications of this international development experience for thinking about capacity development in Indigenous Australia. It particularly argues for a greater focus on removing the constraints in the enabling environment in order to better foster Indigenous capacity.
What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the t... more What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the targets of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). • The United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples calls on states to obtain free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous people through their representative institutions before adopting legislative or administrative measures that would affect them; it provides an international framework of best practice for engagement. • Engagement requires a relationship built on trust and integrity: it is a sustained relationship between groups of people working towards shared goals; on the spectrum of engagement, a high level of participation works better than lower levels (such as consultation) where problems are complex. • Compared with the experience in similar developed settler countries, Indigenous engagement in Australia is not based on a comprehensive legal framework or treaty that enshrines certain rights for Fir...
This report provides guidance to IP Australia on the best
approaches to estimating the market va... more This report provides guidance to IP Australia on the best approaches to estimating the market value of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) now and in the future, along with consideration for IK’s value in the context of patents, trade marks, designs and plant breeder’s rights.
Her background is in education and international development and she has lectured in Internationa... more Her background is in education and international development and she has lectured in International and Community Development at RMIT and Deakin Universities. She has worked for many years in international development with a particular focus on the Pacific and South East Asia. She was Executive Director of the Australian Council for Overseas Aid and the International Women's Development Agency, and has worked more recently with a range of local and international non-government organisations in East Timor. She has a long standing interest and involvement in Australian and international Indigenous human rights and policy issues and has been active in ANTAR. Figuring Out Governance: Capacity Development for Indigenous Councils and Organisations about the capacity of some of the smaller councils to meet their financial, representative and administrative obligations, and the rapid turnover of senior staff in many cases, has, since the late 1990s, led to a policy of amalgamation and regionalisation, until recently through the Building Stronger Regions Stronger Futures Policy. 4 In Western Australia, similar governance problems are experienced and the state government has expressed concern about the crisis Indigenous communities experience when organisations collapse and their often essential functions are paralysed. 5 Nor are such problems confined to community government councils; they have also been evident in NSW Aboriginal Land Councils where issues of alleged corruption, representation, accountability, clarity about functions and roles, and overall capacity have been raised since the mid-1980s. 6 Thus, the financial and related problems experienced in Queensland are not confined to that state, but appear to be experienced in other jurisdictions, at times with serious consequences for the communities they are meant to serve. Recognising the persistence of some of these problems, in 2005 the Queensland Auditor-General had already remarked that: Aboriginal councils and Island councils, as sectors, have particular issues in relation to governance, financial viability and controls over financial transactions and balances which are not evident in other sectors. The regularity with which such issues have been raised over many years may suggest that it would be timely to review the complexity and extent of the legislative requirements on those entities that serve relatively small communities and which therefore have limited resources. 7 The 2006 Report laments the fact that recent efforts to improve some councils' performance have not led to sustained improvements, and that many much earlier recommendations for staff training or establishment of a central accounting bureau have not been implemented. Nor it seems had there been any change in the legislative requirements. However, with some insight, the Auditor comments in 2006 that 'I am firmly of the view that poor governance and leadership, rather than simply poor record-keeping, are central to the qualification issues identified over successive financial periods.' 8 The Minister subsequently commented that the responses to this situation being considered
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. All CAEPR Working Papers are refereed and are produced for rapid distribution to enable widespread discussion and comment. All CAEPR publications are available in electronic format for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.anu.edu.au CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a range of sources, including ANU, the Australian Research Council, industry and philanthropic partners, and Australian state and territory governments.
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. The CAEPR Working Paper series exists to disseminate preliminary research findings, to share ideas about a topic, or to elicit discussion and feedback. All Working Papers are subject to internal peer review. All CAEPR publications are available in electronic format for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.cass.anu.edu.au CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a range of sources, including ANU, the Australian Research Council, industry and philanthropic partners, and Australian state and territory governments.
What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the C... more What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the Council of Australian Government targets for overcoming Indigenous disadvantage. • Governments failing to address the power inequalities, expecting Indigenous people to function in western bureaucratic forms and style, and favouring western over Indigenous knowledge. • Racism embedded in institutions. What we don't know • How 'mainstream' organisations could effectively engage Indigenous people without working with and through Indigenous partners. • There is not a lot of information about effective community engagement in sectors other than those indicated below.
What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the t... more What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the targets of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). Engaging with Indigenous Australia-exploring the conditions for effective relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities What we don't know • We don't know how to overcome the persistent challenges governments face in trying to engage on the ground in a flexible, whole-of-government way within systems that are based on upward departmental accountabilities. • It isn't known how to engage effectively where an Indigenous community is in conflict, has highly fractured governance or has weak leadership. • There is little or no research evidence about successful engagement arrangements in urban areas or the Torres Strait Islands. • There is no research evidence about either models of engagement for national or other levels of policy development or the role of Indigenous peak bodies in engagement strategies. • The evidence from the most recent innovations by various jurisdictions in relation to engagement models and approaches (see p.18 'Engagement by states and territories') is not available. • The range of sectors for which there is significant research on successful approaches to program/project level engagement is limited. • Research evidence of how free, prior and informed consent has been put into practice in governmental engagement processes and its impact is not yet available. Engaging with Indigenous Australia-exploring the conditions for effective relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Bovaird T 2007. Beyond engagement and participation: user and community coproduction of public services.
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. The CAEPR Working Paper series exists to disseminate preliminary research findings, to share ideas about a topic, or to elicit discussion and feedback. All Working Papers are subject to internal peer review.
... Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management and for generating social benefits will ... more ... Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management and for generating social benefits will ... Support for Junior Green Team activities and inclusion of local Aboriginal knowledge ... people do not separate natural resource management from cultural heritage protection in their ...
... Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management and for generating social benefits will ... more ... Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management and for generating social benefits will ... Support for Junior Green Team activities and inclusion of local Aboriginal knowledge ... people do not separate natural resource management from cultural heritage protection in their ...
In Australia national concerns about climate change, biodiversity loss, water quantity and qualit... more In Australia national concerns about climate change, biodiversity loss, water quantity and quality and land degradation have high priority on the government's environment agenda. With this comes the opportunity to strategically integrate Indigenous land and sea management into plans for tackling these challenges, not least because the Indigenous estate—which includes some of the most biodiverse lands in Australia—continues to increase as a result of successful land and native title claims and the declaration of more Indigenous Protected Areas. This paper explores government support for Indigenous land and sea management focusing on the Commonwealth government's Working on Country program. The paper outlines the development of formalised Indigenous cultural and natural resource management, and the emergence of the Working on Country program is discussed in the past and current policy context. The opportunities and challenges for the future of the program, and formalised Indig...
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For over 20 years CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts and Social Sciences, at The Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a variety of sources including ANU, Australian Research Council, industry and philanthropic partners, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and State and Territory governments. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program. CAEPR Working Papers are refereed reports which are produced for rapid distribution to enable widespread discussion and comment. They are available in electronic format only for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.anu.edu.au As with all CAEPR publications, the views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not reflect any official CAEPR position.
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent r... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes high-quality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. The Topical Issues Series presents brief and timely explorations of urgent and emerging issues and debates in Indigenous affairs. All CAEPR publications are available in electronic format for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.anu.edu.au CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a range of sources, including ANU; the Australian Research Council; industry and philanthropic partners; and Australian, state and territory government departments.
He has a disciplinary background in economics and anthropology. Professor Altman has undertaken r... more He has a disciplinary background in economics and anthropology. Professor Altman has undertaken research in the Maningrida region and with the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation since 1979 on a diversity of issues, including the customary economy, resource management, land rights and the outstations movement, the arts industry, and the Community Development Employment Projects scheme. His current research focuses on the Indigenous hybrid economy in the tropical savanna, and the potential of equitable payment for environmental services delivered to provide viable livelihood options for Indigenous people.
The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes highquality, independent re... more The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) undertakes highquality, independent research to further the social and economic development and empowerment of Indigenous people throughout Australia. For more than 25 years, CAEPR has aimed to combine academic and teaching excellence on Indigenous economic and social development and public policy with realism, objectivity and relevance. CAEPR maintains a substantial publications program, including Research Monographs, Discussion Papers, Working Papers and Topical Issues. Topical Issues present a broad range of documents relating to contemporary issues and debates, and are produced for rapid distribution to enable widespread discussion and comment. They are subject to internal peer review. All CAEPR publications are available in electronic format for free download from CAEPR's website: caepr.cass.anu.edu.au CAEPR is located within the Research School of Social Sciences in the College of Arts & Social Sciences at the Australian National University (ANU). The Centre is funded from a range of sources, including ANU, the Australian Research Council, industry and philanthropic partners, and Australian state and territory governments.
Capacity development has become a key concept in international development in recent years. Older... more Capacity development has become a key concept in international development in recent years. Older approaches involving technical cooperation, in which knowledge and skills were to be transferred to developing countries, have been unsuccessful. In contrast capacity development is viewed as an endogenous process within organisations and communities which are themselves embedded in wider systems. Understanding the features of these systems which might support rather than inhibit capacity development is therefore important. The paper fi rst clarifi es aspects of the term 'capacity development' and then draws on recent research and experience of capacity development to draw out some of the key international lessons, especially in relation to the 'enabling environment'. It then outlines a number of community and organisational approaches to capacity development, but cautions that cross-cultural issues may affect capacity development at different levels. The paper concludes by raising questions about the implications of this international development experience for thinking about capacity development in Indigenous Australia. It particularly argues for a greater focus on removing the constraints in the enabling environment in order to better foster Indigenous capacity.
What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the t... more What we know • Without genuine engagement of Indigenous people it will be difficult to meet the targets of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). • The United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples calls on states to obtain free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous people through their representative institutions before adopting legislative or administrative measures that would affect them; it provides an international framework of best practice for engagement. • Engagement requires a relationship built on trust and integrity: it is a sustained relationship between groups of people working towards shared goals; on the spectrum of engagement, a high level of participation works better than lower levels (such as consultation) where problems are complex. • Compared with the experience in similar developed settler countries, Indigenous engagement in Australia is not based on a comprehensive legal framework or treaty that enshrines certain rights for Fir...
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Books by Janet Hunt
approaches to estimating the market value of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) now and in the future, along with consideration for IK’s value in the context of patents, trade marks, designs and plant breeder’s rights.
Papers by Janet Hunt
approaches to estimating the market value of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) now and in the future, along with consideration for IK’s value in the context of patents, trade marks, designs and plant breeder’s rights.