Victoria’s Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) acknowledge and respect Traditional Owners and Aboriginal communities and organisations. We recognise the diversity of their cultures and the deep connections they have with Victoria’s lands and waters.We value partnerships with them for the health of people and country.CMAs and their people pay their respects to Elders past and present, and they acknowledge and recognise the primacy of Traditional Owners’ obligations, rights and responsibilities to use and care for their traditional lands and waters.

This Aboriginal Participation Guideline:

• ActsonCMAs’commitmentstoengageandworkwithTraditionalOwnersandAboriginalcommunitiestomanageandimprovethehealthoflandandwaters

• ActsonCMAs’commitmentstobetransparentinsupportingTraditionalOwnerandAboriginalcommunityaspirationsforrecognitionofrights,reconciliation,participation,employmentandeconomicdevelopmentthroughnaturalresourcemanagement

• ActsonCMAs’commitmentstostrengthentheirculturalcompetency

• BuildsuponCMAs’existingexperiences,proceduresandworkpractices

• ComplementsCMAs’CommunityEngagementandPartnershipsFramework

TheGuideline:• Establishesastate-wideapproachforusebyCMAs

torespondtoregionalvariationsinculturaldiversity,experienceinworkingwithTraditionalOwnersandAboriginalcommunities,andnaturalresourcemanagementpriorities

• NeedstobeappliedconsistentlybyCMAstoensurethefullandeffectiveparticipationofTraditionalOwnersandAboriginalcommunitiesincatchmentmanagementacrossVictoria

• AlthoughdesignedforusebyCMAstaff,canbeusedbyotherstakeholdersandpartners

AnImplementationPlansupportsthisGuidelinebyprovidinginformationonhowtoturntheGuidelineintoaction.Itincludesdetailsonthekeyprinciples,strategiesandactionsthatsupporteffectiveparticipation,anditincludesmeasurestoassesstheperformanceofCMAsinimprovingtheparticipationofTraditionalOwnersandAboriginalcommunitiesintheircatchmentmanagementactivities.

2016

Aboriginal Participation Guideline For Victorian Catchment Management Authorities

CMAs seek to fulfil particular roles and responsibilitiesinenablingeffectiveAboriginalparticipationinnaturalresourcemanagement.Theseinclude:• SupportingtheAustralianGovernment’scommitmentasa

signatorytotheUnitedNationsDeclarationontheRightsofIndigenousPeoples

• ResponsibilitiessetoutinAustralianandVictorianlegislationandpolicy,includingTraditionalOwneragreements,NativeTitle,AboriginalHeritage,theNationalWaterInitiative,EnvironmentProtectionandBiodiversityConservationActaswellastheCatchmentandLandProtectionAct

• ExistingandfutureTraditionalOwnersettlementarrangements

• TheCouncilofAustralianGovernments’commitmenttoclosingthegapinIndigenousdisadvantage

• CommitmentssetoutindocumentssuchastheVictorianGovernmentAboriginalAffairsFramework,VictorianAboriginalEconomicStrategyandtheCommunityEngagementandPartnershipsFrameworkforVictoria’sCMAs

• TheintentionsandagreementssetoutintheCMAs’RegionalCatchmentStrategiesandinotherspecificplansandstrategies,includingTraditionalOwnerCountryPlansandJointManagementplans

Photo: Lake Condah, a site of national cultural significance CourtesyofGlenelgHopkinsCMA

What does this mean for the individuals working for the CMA?

• Ourinductionproceduresandtrainingprogramswillbuildourculturalcompetency

• OurworkplacearrangementswillsupportproperengagementwithAboriginalpeople

• WewillseekadvicefrompeoplewithexperienceinAboriginalengagement

• Wewillprioritiseobtainingthefree,priorandinformedconsentofTraditionalOwnersbeforeweundertakeprojectsthataffecttheirrightstolandsorwaters

• WewillactivelyseektoinvolveAboriginalpeopleinprogramsandprojectsaccordingtotheirinterests

• WewillinvolveAboriginalpeoplefromtheoutsetinprogramsandprojectswheretheyhaveinterests

• Wewillbeclearandopeninourdiscussionsaboutprojectdeliverablesandavailableresources

• WewillrecogniseandcelebratethemutualbenefitsofworkingwithAboriginalcommunities

What does this mean for the CMA organisation?

• WewillintegrateAboriginalengagementandparticipationintheplanning,governance,implementationandreviewofourprogramsandprojects

• OurpeoplewillbeactivelysupportedtoengageAboriginalcommunitiesandtobuildpartnerships

• OurAboriginalengagementandparticipationapproacheswillbewellplanned,tailored,targetedandevaluated

• WewillprovidemeaningfulopportunitiesforAboriginalpeopletocontributetostrategiesandinitiatives

• WewillworktransparentlyandrespectfullywithAboriginalpeople,andestablishclearrolesandexpectations

PROTOCOLSARE

IMPORTANT

GOODENGAGEMENTTAKESTIME

ANDSUPPORT

MEANINGFULPARTICIPATIONISBASEDON

FAIRNESS,EQUITYANDMUTUAL

RESPECT

ABORIGINALCULTURE,

KNOWLEDGEANDOBLIGATIONSTOCOUNTRYARE

DIVERSE

TRUSTDEPENDSONSHARED

UNDERSTANDINGANDCLEAR

COMMUNICATION

PASSINGONTRADITIONALKNOWLEDGEISIMPORTANT

ABORIGINALLEADERSHAVEMANYDEMANDS

ONTHEIRTIME

THEHEALTHANDWELLBEINGOFCOUNTRYANDPEOPLEAREALLONE

Wewillcontributetoclosingthegapin

Aboriginaldisadvantage

WewillprovidemeaningfulopportunitiesforAboriginal

groupstoparticipate

Wewillspendthetime,effortandresourcesnecessarytofacilitate

participation

Wewillcoordinatewithotheragenciestointegrateouractivitiesandreduce

administrativeburdens

WewillacknowledgeandprotecttheintegrityofTraditionalKnowledge

and,whenpermitted,wewilluseitwithrespect

Wewillacknowledgetheeffectsofpeople’shistories

ontheircapacitytoparticipate

WewillworkwithAboriginalgroupsthat

haveaninterestinlandandwatermanagement

WewillworkwithTraditionalOwnersastheymeettheirobligationstoCountry

WeembraceAboriginalcultureandevents

WewillcommunicateinplainEnglishandwewillshareinformationinmeaningfulways

WewillworkwithCommunityandEldersto

provideopportunitiesforthemtocontinuethetraditionof

knowledgetransfer

WewillsupportAboriginalgroupsin

theirpursuitofeconomicopportunitiesandjobsinland

andwatermanagement

WewilllistentothevoicesofAboriginalwomenandmen

Wewillaccommodatethedifferencesbetweenourdecision-makingprocessesandthoseoftheAboriginalGroupsweworkwith

Key principles and ActionsThe following key principles and actions set the foundations for working with Traditional Owners and Aboriginal communities and organisations, and for ensuring their participation in CMA projects and programs.

Need more Information or Support?For further information, please contact your relevant Catchment Management Authority.

This document was produced by Victorian CMAs with support from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and Victorian Governments Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

ProducedwiththeassistanceofTimCummins&AssociateswithinterPARTandAssociates.

DesignbyMorgiMac.

How will we Track and Measure Progress? How will we account for our performance?

• Wewilldevelopmonitoring,evaluation,reporting,andimprovement(MERI)processestohelpimproveourengagementskillssothatwecanincreaseourparticipationwithTraditionalOwnersandAboriginalcommunitiesinnaturalresourcemanagement

• MERImustbeparticipatory;incollaborationwithTraditionalOwnersandAboriginalcommunities,wewilldeveloppracticalwaystoassessourperformanceagainstagreedoutcomes

• ThesupportingImplementationPlandetailsachecklistofkeyoutcomesagainsttheprinciplesandstrategiesoutlinedinthisGuideline.ItprovidesafoundationformeasuringourprogressinimprovingourparticipationwithTraditionalOwnersandAboriginalcommunitiesincatchmentmanagement

• TheImplementationPlanchecklistwillensurealevelofconsistencyacrossCMAs,whilealsoallowingforregionaldiversity,anditallowsforvariedexperienceinworkingwithTraditionalOwnersandAboriginalcommunities

• Wewilldevelopinnovativeandculturallyappropriatewaystosharetheresultsandsuccessesofourpartnershipsandcollaborations,andwewilllearnfromouractionssothatwecontinuallyimprove

Finding Common GroundMaking engagement and participation effective and enduring is as simple as starting a conversation. Two-way working can affect both Aboriginal people and CMA people in different ways; there are many practical ways to help overcome familiar challenges.

“...How do I start? Who do I speak with?”• Getadvicefrompeoplewith

experienceinAboriginalengagement,especiallythoseexperiencedwiththeGroupsthathaveaninterestinyourwork

• Inmakingcontact,beup-frontaboutyourconcerntoengageintheproperway;followtheGroup’sadviceonhowtoproceed

• Face-to-face,personalcontactoftenworksbest

• SpendtimejoininginwithexistingGroupactivitiestobuildrapport,understandingandmutualrespect;usethistoidentifyinterests,capacitiesandprocessestobuildon

“...What if that doesn’t seem to be working?”• Trytounderstandwhy:Dida

previousengagementgowronginsomeway?Whatcanbelearnt–howcouldthesituationbehandleddifferently?Whatopportunitiesandpathwaysmightexistnow?

• MakefreshcontactwiththeGroup.Bepreparedforsomeangst;listenandacknowledgepasterrors,difficultiesorconflicts

• Ifnecessarygetprofessionalhelpinresolvingconflict

• Inworkingto(re)establisharelationship,workfromwhattheGroupidentifiesaspriorities–eitherinprocessesoractivities

• Identifycommoninterests• Developacommonlanguageandbe

clearaboutformalagreements

“...What can we achieve together?”• Havehonestdiscussionsabout

aspirationsandrealities• Identifyopportunitiestobuildon• Becreative;generateoptionsfor

overcomingcurrentconstraints• Talkwithseniorpeopleinboth

organisationstounderstandthebroaderscopetobuildcapacityandattractfunding

• Explorewaystoexpandpartnerships,attractfunding,harnessexpertise,reduceduplicationandimproveintegration

• Startnow;buildopportunitiestodevelopcapacityandinitiateactivitiestostrengthenresilience