Community Involvement
Developing Protocols for Engaging Aboriginal People in NRM Planning in the Northern Rivers Region
Author: William Walker
for the Bundjalung Mapping Project
Southern Cross University
This article sets out guidelines for Natural Resource and Environmental Management bodies to consider when developing partnerships or consulting with Aboriginal communities. The guidelines relate specifically to work undertaken in the Bundjalung Nation (Northern Rivers) of NSW.
The advice given is a suggested approach which has worked for this region. It must be recognised that there will be approaches specific to Aboriginal communities and their interests for each area where protocols and partnerships are to be developed.
The information for this article has only been gathered through the co-operation and involvement of the Bundjalung Elders, Traditional Owners, Local Aboriginal Land Council members and Aboriginal Community Support Officers of the Northern Rivers region.
Communicating, Consulting and Networking with Aboriginal Communities
Some points to remember when communicating, consulting and networking with Aboriginal communities:
- To avoid confusion, mistrust and conflict do not present your proposed NREM plans or projects to the Aboriginal communities when it is half and/or nearly completed, consult at the early stages
- To avoid rudeness or inappropriate behaviour it is important to seek and listen to advice from Aboriginal people with experience and knowledge regarding cultural heritage and NREM concerns when and if it is offered
- Each Aboriginal community is different and unique, and while there may be some common interests, what applies in one area of the community does not apply in another, for example, if an employee of a Government body or agency wishes to discuss health, education and housing issues they are automatically directed to that person with the understanding, experience and knowledge in that field of work
- It must be understood and respected for the protocol that an Aboriginal person cannot generally speak about and/or on behalf of another person’s country, unless given permission by the custodians and/or traditional landowner to do so
- Community members have the right to choose the time and place for a meeting. A visitor can of course state a preferred arrangement but it is ultimately up to the community to decide how, when and where a meeting takes place. For example, in some cases Aboriginal people would prefer to hold meetings under a tree or on site of where the proposed NREM plan or project is to take place
- When presenting your NREM plan to an Aboriginal community do not hurry your presentation and leave the decision for community members to decide upon, explain what the plan or project is about, do not use jargon when presenting your plan, if so define the terms, particularly if the language used is of a technical or complex nature
- Face to face meetings can help to overcome the lack of understanding and misinformation about Aboriginal ways of life, this will help in creating trust for future NREM agreements and effective engagement between both parties
- Be open, honest and transparent when you are presenting your NREM plan or project, provide as much detail of your ideas and thoughts as time allows
- Do disclose all information relevant to Aboriginal people involved in the planning process
- Take time out to mingle and sit amongst the people you are consulting with
- Follow up preliminary contacts with letters or phone calls, as the request to consult may need to be put to other committees or members of the Aboriginal community regarding NREM plans or projects
- Aboriginal organisations planning structures are not based around time and place, allow for appropriate venues and places for discussion to be planned, whether they are small, large, indoors or outdoors
- Do not target an individual or one organisation within an Aboriginal community on your NREM activities that you wish to carry out, allow information to filter to other community members who for various reasons cannot be at the meeting but still have an interest in your activity
- Make an effort to give on the spot feedback and also follow up progress reports at consultations or meetings
- Agree to a feedback or follow up process at the meeting or consultation, and confirm decisions of the meeting in writing
- Be careful about ‘forcing’ outcomes; take a break to review and allow discussion before returning to pursue an agreed agenda
- Don’t expect an immediate answer to questions and don’t be disappointed or dismissive if the consultation doesn’t meet expectations because cultural heritage issues are very sensitive; in some cases Aboriginal communities hold monthly and/or quarterly meetings, make sure that actions that your agency agrees to are actually carried out
- Stick with agreements made at a meeting, if this does not happen, it can cause confusion and distrust that could jeopardise future planning between both parties
- It is not unheard of for a government employee to turn up at an Aboriginal community with high expectations that a meeting has been properly arranged, but find nobody there, or that the word has not got out that a meeting was set for a specific time. This may not mean that people are not interested, so go and seek some advice and guidance of who would be the appropriate person/s to speak to within the community, to avoid discomfort and disappointment make sure that you confirm before arrival with a community contact about whether a meeting is expected to proceed as planned
- Aboriginal communities can be very busy, even in places that might seem isolated and remote to a visitor. As well as all the day to day community business, some communities, particularly in the winter months, can be in an almost constant state of meeting overload, with a continuous and seemingly never ending procession of government and other people wanting to engage the time and concentration of members
In addition, there may be occasions such as when a community member has died or when other important cultural business is taking place that the whole community is shut down for external business. In such instances, community business takes precedence, regardless of what meetings have been previously arranged, or the importance of the matters to be discussed
One on One Personal protocols
The general rule for effective dealing with personal protocols is the two principles, one is politeness and two is respect.
Although to a non Aboriginal person unfamiliar with Aboriginal people, personal and cultural protocols might seem complex and in some cases unfathomable, a person can in most cases be reasonably confident that by treating people with respect and sensitivity they will not go far wrong, and if they do, they will soon be corrected. Hopefully in most cases, an officer inexperienced in working with Aboriginal people will be accompanied and advised by an Aboriginal officer of the agency. Although as stated, there are no hard and fast rules in personal protocols, the following suggestions may be helpful
A visitor should behave as a visitor and only go where invited or given permission
It is important to respect confidentiality about issues relating to other Aboriginal communities;
At meetings take your indication from the Chairperson who will in most situations introduce the subject the officer wishes to discuss, and generally manage the discussion. The chair will tell a visiting officer when the subject is closed for discussion, and will outline what follow up action is considered appropriate;
Many communities prefer to remain drugs and alcohol free, and thus drugs and alcohol should not be brought into any Aboriginal community, even if a visitor is not certain of its status.
About the author
Bill Walker is a descendant from the Bundjalung nation and is much respected for his work on Aboriginal engagement with government on issues relating to natural resource management, Aboriginal cultural heritage and Native Title throughout the NSW northern rivers region. He was a founding member of the Bundjalung Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Natural Resource Management Committee and was the Aboriginal representative on the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Board and Richmond Regional Vegetation Management Committee. In the last two years Bill has been a co-ordinator with the Bundjalung Mapping project, a joint venture between Southern Cross University, Aboriginal communities and the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority.
Author, William Walker, Walkers Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Consultant
0421658694
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The Bundjalung Mapping Project
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