Indigenous Partnership Framework

2007–2010 Achievements

About the Cover The image on the cover comes from the picture ‘Totemic Landscapes’ by artist Terina Hamm. Terina is a Victorian Indigenous woman whose people are from the – Wamba Wamba area in Northern . Terina is a recipient of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Art Award (1996).

‘Totemic Landscapes’ by Terina Hamm

Publishedy b the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, December 2010 © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2010 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne. Printed by Stream Solutions Printed on 100% Recycled paper ISBN 978-1-74242-635-8 (print) ISBN 978-1-74242-636-5 (online) For more information contact the DSE Customer Service Centre 136 186 Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, such as large print or audio, please telephone 136 186, 1800 122 969 (TTY), or email [email protected] This document is also available in PDF format on the Internet at www.dse.vic.gov.au Indigenous Partnership Framework

2007–2010 Achievements

iii Acknowledgement of Country Indigenous Partnership Framework The Department of Sustainability and Environment The Department of Sustainability and Environment (also referred to as “the Department” or “DSE”) launched its Indigenous Partnership Framework proudly acknowledges and pays its respects to 2007–2010 (IPF) in July 2007, building on its previous Victoria’s Native Title Holders and Traditional Owners Indigenous Partnership Strategy. and the rich culture and intrinsic connection they The Framework is structured around key strategic have to Country. The Department also recognises initiatives that aim to: and acknowledges the contribution and interests • support inclusiveness; of Victoria’s broader Indigenous community and • explore Indigenous people’s aspirations for land and organisations in the management of land and natural water management resources. Finally, the Department acknowledges • help DSE staff engage with Indigenous people. that the past injustices and continuing inequalities experienced by Indigenous people have limited, and The projects and initiatives in this publication continue to limit, their effective participation in land demonstrate how Victoria’s Traditional Owners and and natural resource management processes. Indigenous people have, in partnership with DSE, incorporated their knowledge, skills and perspectives into land management to improve Victoria’s natural resource management. The stories in this publication centre on the guiding principles of the Indigenous Partnership Framework: Principle 1 Respect and Recognition Principle 2 Caring for Country Principle 3 Partnership and Capacity Building .

iv Contents

Acknowledgement of Country...... iv Indigenous Partnership Framework ...... iv

Principle 1: Respect and Recognition ...... 2 Welcome and Acknowledgment to Country firmly established within DSE ...... 2 Indigenous Cultural awareness program for DSE staff ...... 2 Repatriation of Ancestral Remains to Country ...... 3 Walking to build cultural connections ...... 4 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Awareness and Assessment pilot achieves goals ...... 4 Indigenous history preserved in the North East ...... 5

Principle 2: Caring for Country ...... 6 Traditional Owner Land Management Boards ...... 6 Working with DSE and the Minister for Environment and Climate Change ...... 7 Lake Condah Water Restoration ...... 8 Leading guidelines to protect Aboriginal sites when fighting fires...... 9 Coasting along: Building Indigenous engagement in coastal care ...... 9

Principle 3: Partnership and Capacity Building ...... 10 Indigenous traineeships and employment projectsbring multiple benefits ...... 10 – Lake Tyers Indigenous Landcare Project...... 10 – North West Indigenous Training project...... 11 Traditional owners helping shape policies and practices...... 12 Guiding the way: Effective engagement with the Indigenous community...... 13 Developing and creating Indigenous career paths ...... 13 Success with Indigenous Student Scholarships...... 14 Getting goals at Rumbalara Football and Netball Club ...... 14

1 Principle 1: Respect and Recognition DSE’s approach to all Indigenous issues will be with an understanding that Victoria’s Traditional Owners and Indigenous Victorians have a connection to Country, and that they: • have a valuable contribution to make in land, water and natural resource management • can fulfil a uniquely integrated role in land, water and resource management practices.

Welcome and Acknowledgment Indigenous Cultural Awareness to Country firmly established statewide Program for DSE staff statewide within DSE The Indigenous Cultural Awareness DSE’s commitment to the Indigenous Partnership Program (ICAP) is a key initiative of Framework has led to the development of DSE’s Indigenous Partnership Framework that all DSE an Acknowledgment of and Welcome to employees are required to undertake. The program Country Business Rule. The policy ensures that aims to provide staff with a greater understanding acknowledgment of Traditional Owners is standard and awareness of Victoria’s Indigenous histories, social practice at all major DSE forums and events. It clearly and cultural issues, relevant legislation, Victorian explains the procedures for staff to follow, including and Commonwealth government priorities and identifying and contacting the indigenous partnership commitments and local protocols for Indigenous facilitator to discuss arrangements and appropriate engagement. Traditional Owner engagement and how Elders and The program outlines practical tools for building distinguished Indigenous guests would like to be engagement and partnerships with Indigenous greeted and addressed. communities and highlights the role of DSE The recognition and use by all DSE staff of this Indigenous facilitators. ICAP is held in partnership practice has led to a greater understanding of the with the Heritage Trust and is inclusive of importance of both acknowledging the Traditional Indigenous community members and Traditional Owners of the land and respecting and appreciating Owners who provide a Welcome to Country and their cultural heritage. make presentations on local community issues throughout the day. ICAP has been welcomed by staff and generally receives excellent feedback.

 A Wurrundjeri Traditional Owner provides  Department from the Port Phillip area attend ICAP a Welcome to Country at the launch of the training at the Koori Heritage Trust Indigenous Partnerships Framework in 2007

2 Respect and Recognition

Repatriation of Ancestral Remains to Country y Returning Aboriginal ancestral remains to an appropriate location is an important and highly sensitive issue for Victoria’s Traditional Owners and Indigenous communities. DSE with support from Parks Victoria, Museum Victoria and Aboriginal Affairs Victoria (AAV) is developing a process and supporting guidelines to manage the return and burial of ancestral remains onto Crown land. Under the guidelines, Traditional Owners will take full ownership and control of the burial and ceremonial practices, and DSE and PV will assist by identifying culturally appropriate Crown land options for burial. The guidelines will be piloted in north-western Victoria, are due to be completed in early 2011. By way of historical snapshot, it should be noted that, following colonisation, many scientists and collectors took possession of Aboriginal skeletal remains for scientific testing and many of these remains are still held by a variety of institutions. The act of removal of remains by collectors was often without the knowledge or consent of the descendants of the deceased, causing distress and cultural loss for many communities. In Australia, the Return of Indigenous Cultural Property (RICP) represents a collaborative effort between the federal, state and Northern Territory governments and the museum sector to resolve the issues surrounding collections of ancestral remains and secret sacred objects held in Australian government museum collections. The Museum of Victoria is the State’s only official repository for Indigenous human remains awaiting a “Return to Country”. Since the mid 1980s, the Museum has returned a number of remains to Victorian Indigenous communities and interstate. It also still holds a considerable number of Indigenous remains from unidentified locations.

 Enclosed area in Nyah & Vinifera National Park

3 Respect and Recognition

Walking to build cultural Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Awareness connections y and Assessment pilot achieves goals Cultural walks are building A thorough understanding and knowledge of the connections between the Indigenous Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (the Act) and its community, health and local council services in the regulations is necessary for all DSE staff when planning Yarra, Darebin and Whittlesea areas. and authorising works to ensure that Victoria’s Aboriginal heritage is protected and managed Run by the Maya Living Free Healing Centre, and appropriately. DSE’s Indigenous Partnerships team in aimed at both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, the South West has designed and implemented a pilot the walks make links to the land and encourage a project in collaboration with Aboriginal Affairs Victoria greater recognition, appreciation and respect for and DSE’s Land & Fire Services Division with the aim of Indigenous culture. The program is primarily funded by providing staff with the skills and knowledge required the Department of Sport and Recreation; DSE provides to ensure compliance with the Act and its regulations. additional funding to encourage more people to join or continue taking part in the walks and develop cross- The key elements of the pilot included an introduction cultural awareness. to the Act delivered by the Regional AAV Cultural Heritage Team, identification training, and a guided As well as weekly walks for Aboriginal people, four tour of Traditional Lands focusing on potential cultural walking group leaders have been trained and over heritage management issues. This was delivered by 200 people attended walks between February and Denise Lovett, CEO of the Gunditj Mirring Traditional September 2009. Owners Aboriginal Corporation, and two nation elders. A Cultural Heritage Assessment covering processes to help with compliance and understanding of the Act directly linked to Aboriginal Affairs Victoria’s Cultural Heritage database. The project’s importance and success has prompted the team to look at broadening the scope of the assessment manual and developing an electronic field reference guide to help identify Aboriginal cultural heritage places.  Denise Lovett, CEO of the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation discusses place and object identification in the South West

4 Respect and Recognition

Indigenous history preserved in the North East

The social and cultural ’s north-eastern Indigenous communities of the y Goulburn Valley is being preserved through a special project underway in Shepparton. The project is supported by DSE, the Public Records Office of Victoria and the Koori Library’s Pathway Project. Local Aboriginal people are employed on the Indigenous Cultural Knowledge Management project to sort, file and archive the wealth of materials owned by the city’s Koori Resource and Information Centre, as well as work at other related centres in the local community. They are supported by a dedicated project manager, volunteers from and partner organisations who collaborate on building and maintaining the collection. The collection is substantial, with tens of thousands of items dating from the late 1800s. Information on events such as the Cummeragunja Mission walk-off in 1939 and the Yorta Yorta People’s Native Title Claim are also included. Written materials, photos, CDs and videos were obtained from Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members and from local, state and national media and public institutions. The collection was held by the Heritage Collections Council. It contains material of historic, research and social significance. It is proposed that the collection be permanently displayed for public access to enhance local identity and pride in the region through greater awareness of social and cultural community history. Project manager Sharon Atkinson said the collection was a vital resource that created learning opportunities, particularly in relation to kinship and genealogy, and to inter-generational links between Aboriginal community members. “The work done and the collection itself show how our community has grown; how our families have been involved, and how organisations have been developed.” The project has built considerable expertise amongst staff, including archiving, community engagement, and project and database management skills, as well as administrative skills. Project organisers are focusing on the sustainability of the collection and looking at partnership opportunities with Greater Shepparton Council.

Project team members of the  Indigenous Cultural Knowledge Management Project

5 Principle 2: Caring for Country

DSE will develop and support opportunities for Victoria’s Traditional Owners and Indigenous people to connect and care for Country.

The s State i charting a new partnership with Traditional Owners in land management.

A cornerstone of this is the joint management of mutually significant areas. This approach y is a shift away from State control and management of public land to a joint management y arrangement between the State and Traditional Owners. The Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 came into force on 23 September 2010. The Act provides a framework to settle native title claims out of court through agreements between the Victorian Government and Traditional Owners groups to recognise Traditional Owners and their rights in Crown land. Along the Murray River, DSE, in partnership with the Traditional Owners is seeking to establish Traditional Owner Land Management Boards to co-manage Nyah-Vinifera and Barmah Parks. With a majority of Traditional Owner representatives, these boards will provide advice on the management of the parks and set the direction for land management planning. The arrangements allow for further delegation of functions to the board over time as capacity builds and the board evolves. On 29 October the Minister for Environment and Climate Change and the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation signed a Traditional Owner Land Management Agreement. The agreement records the commitment to establish a ‘Yorta Yorta Board’ at Barmah National Park in 2011. DSE continues to work with the Wadi Wadi people to facilitate their involvement in the management of Nyah- Vinifera Park. On 22 October 2010, the State and the Gunaikurnai signed a settlement agreement which includes the establishment of a Traditional Owner Land Management Board over 10 parks and reserves in Gippsland, including Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park, the Lakes National Park, Mitchell River National Park and the Knob Reserve. DSE is working with the Gunaikurnai to establish the board in 2011.

The Wadi Wadi people with  DSE staff in the Nyah-Vinifera Park

6 Caring for Country

Working with DSE on more-integrated land management outcomes

y Caring for country – land and cultural heritage management business y y enterprise Since 2004, the State and three Traditional Owner groups have entered into cooperative management agreements that recognise the role and aspirations of Traditional Owners to ‘Care for Country’. The agreements provide for Traditional Owners to participate in decision making and advise the Minister for Environment & Climate Change on Crown land and water management matters.

Yorta Yorta Cooperative Management Agreement The Yorta Yorta Cooperative Management Agreement was signed in June 2004 and established the Yorta Yorta Joint Body (YYJB), which comprises five representatives from the Yorta Yorta Nations Aboriginal Corporation and three from the State. The YYJB provides advice and makes recommendations on a broad range of issues over ‘designated areas’ of Crown land in north-eastern Victoria totalling 50,000 hectares; specifically parcels of public lands and waters along the Murray and Goulburn Rivers. Wimmera Cooperative Management Agreement The Wimmera Cooperative Management Agreement, which formed part of the Wotjobaluk Native Title Settlement Agreement, was signed in December 2005 between the State of Victoria and the Barengi Gadjin Aboriginal Council. The Cooperative Management Agreement holds the Native Title rights and agreements on behalf of the Wotjobaluk, , Jaadwa, Jadawadjali and Jupagalk people and provides for the establishment of the Winyula Council to cooperatively provide advice on Crown land in the agreement area. Gunditjmara Native Title Determination The settlement of the Gunditjmara Native Title claim includes a cooperative management agreement over Mount Eccles National Park that provides for the establishment of the Budj Bim Council. With six representatives of the Gunditjmara and four representatives of the State, the Council provides advice to the Minister on the management of Mount Eccles National Park. The Council has been working to develop frameworks to facilitate exchange of ideas and information between the Gunditjmara people, Parks Victoria, land managers and the broader community.

Barmah National Park 

7 Caring for Country

Lake Condah water restoration The Lake Condah area is the natural and cultural centrepiece of one of the world’s oldest human settlement sites in South West Victoria and part of the Budj Bim landscape. It is one y of the first sites recognised on Australia’s National Heritage List. For many thousands of years, the Gunditjmara people have conducted eel aquaculture and trading in the Lake Condah region, to the west of what is now Mt Eccles National Park. The Lake was drained between the 1880s and 1950s for farming, but a long-held desire to restore the landscape launched the Lake Condah Sustainable Development Project in 2002. The project aims to re-flood the lake to revitalise its wetlands and biodiversity, as well as reactivate traditional eel trapping and harvesting systems. In 2008, as part of the Gunditjmara people’s 2007 Native Title Settlement Claim, the Gunditjmara people were granted the title to Lake Condah, including support for the Lake Condah water restoration project. Restoration of Lake Condah is quickly progressing through the combined efforts and shared expertise of the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (representing the Gunditjmara people), Winda Mara Aboriginal Corporation, DSE, Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority, Parks Victoria and Southern Rural Water. Local councils, neighbouring landholders and community groups are also supporting the project. As a major partner in the project, DSE has provided funding for pre-planning, feasibility studies, biodiversity surveys and projects managing the construction of the Lake Condah weir to facilitate re-flooding of the lake. Significant employment and capacity building opportunities in the weir’s construction were also brought to the local Indigenous community through funding provided by the Federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Eight local Indigenous people have been employed full time, and others are working casually. Fourteen people have obtained certificates in OHS Construction Induction, First Aid and Equipment Operator Competency.

 Construction on the weir at Lake Condah

8 Caring for Country

Leading guidelines to Coasting along: building protect Aboriginal sites Indigenous engagement statewide when fighting fires y in coastal care Finding the best and most consistent An inaugural forum in 2008 laid approach to identify and manage cultural heritage the foundations for increased engagement in coastal sites when planning and conducting fire suppression care that has continued to strengthen between DSE and recovery work has been a combined focus for and Traditional Owners. DSE, Parks Victoria and AAV. At the November 2009 Managing Country Together A major success story for the Statewide Fire and – Coastal Forum, more than 80 DSE coastal Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Working Group has managers met with Traditional Owners to discuss been the development of two guidelines on the coastal and marine issues and Traditional Owner management of Aboriginal cultural heritage values aspirations. Organised and delivered by DSE, following during fire suppression on public land. This started recommendations from a DSE-funded Indigenous as a pilot project in Gippsland and is now a core part Engagement in Coastcare project in 2007, the forum of the Land & Fire Division of DSE for business and involved DSE staff from Coast Action/Coastcare, field planning. Since the development of the fire regional staff, Greening Australia as event managers, suppression guidelines, many DSE and Parks Victoria and other Victorian agencies. staff have participated in pilot training workshops At the forum, participants discussed the value that on fire suppression run by the Indigenous cultural traditional ecological knowledge can add to current heritage values officer and situation officer. management approaches and natural resource While there are still improvements to be made in management and explored examples from Victoria the way DSE manages cultural heritage across the and further afield. Keynote speaker Damien Bell spoke state, the strong relationships forged between DSE, about the Lake Condah Sustainable Development Traditional Owners, Parks Victoria and AAV have Project. He emphasised the importance of actively allowed the timely development of solutions. East including Traditional Owners in the care and Gippsland staff have begun discussions on how to management of their land and cultural heritage to better integrate planning processes across Land and combine positive social and community development Fire Division of DSE and to ensure cultural heritage is outcomes with improved natural resource managed consistently during all land management management outcomes. activities. A cultural heritage values officer position is Similar key issues and findings arose at both the forum also planned for the Central Land and Fire Area. and Lake Condah Project. These have since informed the Land and Biodiversity White Paper: Securing Our Natural Future, coastal and fire management and other natural resource management projects. Indigenous representatives now sit on three Victorian coastal boards and a second forum is being organised by Melbourne Water for November 2010.

 Barry Kenny, Indigenous Cultural Heritage Officer (now with Parks Victoria)

Community representatives  participating in forum workshop

9 Principle 3: Partnership and Capacity Building

The development of all future DSE policy will specifically: • Include an Indigenous consultation component that reflects a meaningful engagement process • Identify opportunities for Indigenous people to gain the skills required to be better placed as partners

y Indigenous traineeships and employment bringing multiple benefits y

DSE’s first Indigenous traineeship project piloted at Lake Tyers received wide praise and y recognition, including nomination as a finalist for the 2008 DSE Diversity Awards. DSE ran a second 18-month project in Swan Hill and Mildura in North West Victoria. Following the success of the two projects, the DSE committed a further $3 million funding over two years to extend the North West project that will see the recruitment of up to 16 additional trainees, and the establishment of a new six-month intensive pre-employment land and fire training project in South West Victoria for up to eight trainees. The South West project guarantees ongoing employment for up to six people. Minister Jennings commended the DSE for taking leadership on working with Indigenous communities and said: “The funding means this highly successful project will continue to provide the Indigenous community with the opportunity to develop skills, experience and nationally accredited qualifications in natural resource management. This project has a proven record of helping Indigenous people become work ready and have access to a range of employment opportunities”.

 Mildura crew at general firefighting training

10 Partnership and Capacity Building

 Swan Hill crew fencing at Lake Boga Reserve

projects with a variety of partner agencies and employers • gaining nationally-accredited qualifications in conservation and land management • securing long-term employment opportunities. The projects’ successes are reflected in the employment that participants have found and the knowledge, skills and confidence they have gained, encouraging them to identify and take up career opportunities that would not have otherwise been The projects acknowledge the difficulties Indigenous available – from health workers to park rangers and people have in successfully accessing mainstream security guards. This success is attributed to factors economic and employment opportunities. They aim to such as strong community, family and local support, assist the employment of Indigenous people through: effective and targeted training, opportunities for • building capacity and confidence group work on meaningful and varied projects for a • developing skills, experience and networks through number of potential employers, and a dedicated and a wide range of natural resource management responsive program management and delivery team.

Lake Tyers Indigenous Land control and tree planting works at Management Traineeship Project the Paynesville Silt Jetties for DSE and y (2007–2008) Parks Victoria; and an environmental The 18-month project at Lake Tyers was developed audit and construction of foreshore after extensive consultation with the Lake Tyers fencing for the Environment Protection Authority. Aboriginal Trust Community, focused on restoring Trainees also helped restore rainforest gullies for the and protecting Gippsland’s parks and public land. NGO Trust For Nature and helped VicRoads improve East Gippsland TAFE’s Forestech provided the formal rest areas and bus stops. training component of the program, which led to The Lake Tyers Project is one of the few projects of trainees successfully completing Certificates II and III its type to have achieved a 12-month 100 percent in Conservation and Land Management. Other work- retention rate of trainees, with all participants related training included heavy machinery, chainsaw moving into employment. At their graduation use, manual licences and 4WD drive accreditation. ceremony, the achievements of the Lake Tyers Projects were coordinated across a range of land trainees were highly acclaimed by Sandra Patten, management agencies and included: measuring and a Director of the Gunaikurnai Land and Water assessing tree health for a University of Melbourne/ Corporation, who stressed the importance of such a Department of Primary Industries (DPI) study; erosion program for Indigenous communities.

Lake Tyers Trainees  at graduation

11 Partnership and Capacity Building

North West Indigenous y Traditional Owners shape

Training Project (2008–2010) policies and practices statewide In December 2008, DSE commenced Victoria’s Traditional Owners its second traineeship project in the and Indigenous people were North West, taking on 16 trainees in Mildura and widely consulted in 2008 in preparing the State Swan Hill. DSE partnered with nine project sponsors Government’s Land and Biodiversity White Paper: to again give participants the opportunity to develop Securing Our Natural Future – a long-term strategic formal qualifications and work experience through framework to secure the health of Victoria’s land, meaningful work for a number of potential employers. water and biodiversity in the face of ongoing pressures and a changing climate over the next 50 years. In In the first six months, all participants completed the addition to consulting the Victorian Traditional Owner Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management Land Justice Group, workshops were held across and qualified as general fire fighters in the Mallee Victoria, attracting 90 participants (mainly Traditional Fire District. By the end of the project, trainees had Owners from 14 Traditional Owner groups). also achieved other work-related qualifications such as Certificate III in CLM, all-terrain vehicle training, Consultation confirmed that Traditional Owners: manual licences, 4WD accreditation, chemical users • are deeply concerned and have unique perspectives permits, roadside traffic management, and heavy and invaluable local knowledge about land, machinery tickets. biodiversity and fire issues • want to be actively involved and receive recognition Among project accomplishments, the trainees of their place in speaking and connecting to completed fencing projects at Lake Boga for the Country, through formally-recognised roles in all Recreation Reserve Committee of Management and areas of natural resource management at Warrakoo for the Mildura Aboriginal Corporation. • need long-term resourcing and the support of Trainees also undertook heritage site assessments and government, which could be improved through significant vegetation protection at Winlaton; worked better engagement processes. with North Central CMA on four site restoration projects and Mallee CMA on rabbit-proof fencing Securing our Natural Future highlighted the and fumigation; and installed bollards at the Merbein importance of involving Traditional Owners more Common. They decommissioned a major unused fully in natural resource management as the original irrigation channel on public land at Patchewollock; custodians of Victoria’s land, water and biodiversity completed ongoing monitoring for Water Watch and and to acknowledge their culture, heritage and unique installed a number of water-wise gardens in Mildura knowledge. and Swan Hill for the Office of Housing that included Key actions to facilitate involvement are: beautiful streetscapes for Mildura Rural City Council. • establishing a natural resource management They also established an outdoor classroom garden for collaborative body to provide a forum for Traditional the Swan Hill Specialist School. Owners and the Victorian Government to engage The trainees have learnt and gained an incredible and exchange information on relevant issues (by amount in terms of skills, experience and confidence. June 2011) Participant Deborah McIntosh said how much the • working with Traditional Owner groups to project had changed her life: identify and improve mechanisms to support their traditional knowledge needs. This will involve a “I applied for this position to expand my pilot of three Indigenous knowledge hubs (by June knowledge and training. I wasn’t getting 2011). anywhere with my life... I have enjoyed the job, there have been some ups and downs but overall it’s been a great learning curve. Having this job has made me build my confidence so much, also it has made me think positive and know that anything is possible.”

12 Partnership and Capacity Building

Guiding the way: effective Developing and creating engagement with the Indigenous career paths statewide Indigenous Community y DSE’s Indigenous mentoring program A South West DSE project team aims to improve career opportunities (“project team”) in South West Victoria has focused and retention rates for Indigenous employees within on improved engagement of Indigenous communities DSE. The program also focuses on proactively helping with natural resource management agencies. participants with career, training, workplace and cross- cultural issues. The idea came from a collaborative process led by the project team, when representatives throughout Mentors with a high degree of skill and wide-ranging Victoria decided work could be done to develop better experience were selected from across the state. A two- engagement techniques. day training workshop at the Koori Heritage Trust in Melbourne brought mentors and Indigenous mentees The groups included local Traditional Owner and (mentored persons) together to share culturally Indigenous community groups with an interest in specific information and receive coaching, leadership natural resource management, DPI, Parks Victoria, training and guidance to help them establish strong Victorian Catchment Management Council, Aboriginal mentoring relationships. Affairs Victoria and local government. Mentors also had a unique opportunity to gain The idea was quickly followed by the development a deeper level of understanding and insight into of guidelines that provide tools, key principles and Victoria’s Indigenous culture and some of the diverse approaches to assist natural resource agencies and workplace and cross-cultural issues faced by DSE’s Indigenous communities to develop: Indigenous employees. • locally-appropriate communication protocols that meet parties’ aspirations, resources and organisational capabilities • local catchment-based natural resource management network forums to act as ‘one- stop shops’ for all Indigenous-related projects and initiatives, as well as providing a forum for government agencies to address Indigenous legislative and policy issues. The DSE project team now intends to implement the guidelines and establish natural resource management network forums in South West Victoria together with  Indigenous Mentoring workshop participants CMAs and Indigenous facilitators.

 DSE staff participating in engagement workshop

13 Partnership and Capacity Building

Success with Indigenous Getting goals at Rumbalara Student Scholarships y Football and Netball Club y An Indigenous Student Scholarships The Munarra Leadership Program, scheme launched in 2004 and partly which began in 2005 with funding funded by DSE, Parks Victoria, DPI and the North support from DSE, is helping to equip Indigenous Central CMA has helped 26 Koori students build a young leaders with the skills and knowledge they better future. need to be positive role models for their peers. The program, run through the Rumbalara Football and Available to Indigenous students at Bendigo Regional Netball Club (RFNC) in Shepparton, extends the club’s Institute of TAFE, the program provides students with successes far beyond the sporting arena into the financial assistance to spend on practical items to help physical and emotional wellbeing of its members and complete their studies, such as car registration, course their families. and child-care fees, trade tools, clothing, art exhibition materials and yearly bus passes. The club encourages and supports players, members and supporters to aim high and achieve their dreams TAFE’s Koori Liaison Officer, Leanne Fary, said the through a range of initiatives covering Aboriginal scholarships had achieved much more, providing vital cultural identity, expression and celebration; recognition and encouragement for recipients: leadership; education; employment; health and social “Each of the students to receive assistance to date inclusion (reconciliation). has gone on to achieve success and not needed to “Our goal is to nurture aspirations, increase apply for another scholarship [. . .] The program personal confidence and life skills, which will have has also promoted the connection between TAFE a positive impact on the club, families and local study, qualifications and future employment community.” Rumbalara President, Paul Briggs. opportunities.” Training involves mentoring, coaching development and accreditation, and governance training. Other youth and family-focussed events are part of the overall club calendar and have recently included: • Auskick and NetSetGO! through the junior development program Munarra Youth Futures • the Unity Cup, which promotes strong women, strong families and inclusive communities. Program coordinator Tui Crumpen said that the program: “… provides an opportunity for Indigenous people  Scholarship recipient Sam Nolan to prepare for roles on boards and committees. For DSE, this means expanding opportunities for Indigenous people to take up roles on natural resource management boards and committees.” As the leading Aboriginal football and netball club in Victoria – and one of only a few in Australia – the club was recognised by the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin in 2009, when she congratulated the club for its: “continued success, not only on football fields and netball courts, but also in the wellbeing of its members, families and the broader community”.

 Rumbalara Football

14 Indigenous Partnership Framework Review – Beyond 2010

The IPF was developed by the HR Division of the Department and launched in July 2007. Since its launch, the Public Land Division and more recently the Forests and Parks Division has been the Division responsible for the IPF. A review of the DSE Indigenous Partnership Framework (IPF) has begun. This review will identify achievements made under the framework over the last three years. The review will inform DSE on the future management and implementation of the IPF.

15 dse.vic.gov.au