Parks Victorias Indigenous Partnership Strategy

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Parks Victorias Indigenous Partnership Strategy
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• Presentation to May 2004 Regional Forum
• by Patrick Fricker
• Manager Indigenous Partnerships
• Parks Victoria

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1. Working with Indigenous Communities

• As part of its commitment to the State
  Governments
• policy Aboriginal Affairs Parks Victoria will

• Work together to develop strong relationships
  sustainable partnerships, ensuring consultation
  involvement in the whole of park management

• Recognise Traditional Owners Native Title
  determination applicants

• Work with communities with cultural heritage
• responsibilities under the Aboriginal Torres
• Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984
• other Indigenous peoples

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2. Employment Training

• Implement Wur-cum barra by proactive approaches
  to Indigenous employment on a permanent basis

• Identify other opportunities for casuals, part
  time, contract and through specific projects

• Provide training development programs to
  enhance career opportunities and develop a
  Pathways program

• Identify opportunities for representation of
  Indigenous staff in all organisational business
  areas, levels seek gender equity

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3. Employment Training - Cont

• Establish an Indigenous Employment Training
  Position in Corporate Human Resource area

• Continue sponsorship of the National Indigenous
• Cadetship Program, and

• Currently some 20 Indigenous staff are
  participating in Level 3 Certificate in Con
  Land Management with

• 42 Indigenous staff currently employed on a
  permanent basis, approximately 4.8 and
• A minimum target of 7 permanent over the next
  three years, minimum to be maintained

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4. Cross - Cultural Awareness Learning Exchange
Training

• The program has three components

1. Core/Local
The core/local program assists in building staff
Indigenous community confidence capacity,
commences network development for establishing
relationships
All staff including executive senior managers
to attend Core/Local within next 3 years
2. Specialist 3. Team Development
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5. Managing Indigenous Cultural Heritage
Environmental Values

• Parks Victoria will work in partnership with
  relevant
• Indigenous communities to

• Protect and wisely manage Indigenous cultural
  heritage and environmental values knowledge in
  whole of park management

• Enhance its knowledge of the rich Indigenous
• cultural heritage history through increased
• archaeological surveys anthropological
  research

• Meet its moral, and legislative obligations
  under
• both State and Cwlth site protection acts

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6. Internal Co-ordination
During February 2003 Parks Victorias Indigenous
Partnerships Branch was established
The Branch is a separate output group within the
National Parks Division and focuses on

• Developing relationships partnerships with
  Indigenous communities in
  park management

• Building capacity confidence in park staff
  Indigenous communities to work together in
  partnerships for sustainable co-operative
  management

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7. Internal Co-ordination - Cont
Facilitates the Indigenous Management Team
Current membership 8 Indigenous 7
Non-Indigenous staff. Includes co-chairs
The Teams objectives are to

• Provide advice to Parks Victoria on Indigenous
• matters

• Assist in establishing consistent approaches,
• policies and programs for statewide application

• Maintain an Indigenous majority, provide
  leadership training mentoring for Indigenous
  staff

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8. Koori Business

• Parks Victoria will implement government policy
• relating to Indigenous business development by

• Continuing liaison with Koori Business Network
• of SB Victoria Indigenous Business Australia

• Ensuring that Parks Victorias business
  practices
• do not inadvertently disadvantage Indigenous
• businesses

• Exploring ways Parks Victoria can actively assist
  Indigenous businesses within legislation
  government policies

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9. Whats Been Happening

• Indigenous Partnership Strategy
• Indigenous Member Parks Victoria Board
• Representation on Advisory Committees
• Memorandum of Understanding - Protocols
• Wotjobaluk Yorta Yorta Mediation, others
• Grampians - Gariwerd NP Discovery Bay CP Parks
  Management Plans
• Marine Park BIB Management Plans
• Work Programs Eco Burns Fuel Reduction

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10. Whats Been Happening - Cont

• Koala Program Mount Eccles National Park
• Liaison Partnership approach with other
  Agencies
• Tower Hill SGR Brambuk Partnership Agreements
• Brambuk Capacity Building Program
• Little Desert NP, Lake Boort, Alps CH Surveys
• Yiruk Wamoon - Wilsons Promontory NP
• International Rangers Conference

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11. Key Matters To Develop

• Regional Divisional Structures
• Position Descriptions Performance Plans
• Corporate Action Plans
• Getting all staff on board
• Training, Confidence Capacity Building
• Community Disagreement Overlapping NT
  Applications
• Is it the right community?
• What do we not do?
• Relationships - Co-management

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12. Whats Needed

• Commitment from the top
• Passion Innovation
• Recognition Respect
• Patience Time for working together
• Work with Listen to Indigenous People
• Being in the Paddock
• Build into work programs resource
• Actions Accountability
• Delivery through leadership
• Read COAG Report November 2003