2014-2015 NEW SOUTH WALES ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT CONTENTS Chairperson’s Welcome 5 Sewerage Program 23 Support to LALCs 37 From the Chief Executive Officer 6 Subdivisions 24 Community Benefit Schemes 37 About Us 7 Discretionary Grants 24 Risk Assessment System (RAS) 37 Our Clients 7 Community Land and Business Plans 24 LALC Board Elections 37 Council Structure 7 Local Government - LGNSW 24 LALC Training 37 2014-2015 Councillors 8 Submissions and Publications 24 Social Housing 38 Senior Management 10 Workshops, Events and Meetings 25 Land Dealings 38 Organisation Structure 11 Additional policy advice and assistance 25 Regional Forums 38 Year in Review 13 Economic Development 25 Community Land and Business Plans (CLBP) 38 Policy and Programs 14 Strategic Initiatives 26 NAIDOC 38 Land & Property 14 Resource Development Project 26 Economic / Community Development 38 Land Claims 14 The Policy Landscape 27 Native Title 38 Overview Of Land Claims 14 Minerals Council of NSW 28 LALC Funding 38 Claims Lodged With The Registrar 14 Minerals Industry IBA 28 LALC Debt 40 Outstanding Aboriginal Land Claims Consultation 28 As At 30 June 2015 14 Southern Zone 40 Housing 28 Land Claims Granted 14 Staffing 40 Zone Offices 29 Land Claims Refused 14 Support to LALCs 41 Northern Zone 29 Land Claims Withdrawn 15 Regional Forums 41 Staffing 29 Contamination Issues And LALC Board Elections 41 General Zone Support to LALCs 29 Risk Mitigation 15 LALC Training 41 Specialised Support to LALCs 29 Property Register 15 Risk Assessment System (RAS) 42 Many Rivers Regional Partnership Proposed Dealings With Claimed Land Agreement 29 LALC Social Housing Activity 43 (Including Compulsory Acquisitions) 15 Northern Region LALC Regional Community Land and Business Plans Land Dealings 15 Partnership Agreement (RPA) 30 (CLBP) 43 Scope and Approval Of Land Dealings 15 LALC / Community Consultation and Economic Development Program 44 Certificates Of Title 16 Engagement 30 Land Claims, Dealings and Significant Land Development Projects 16 LALC Regional Forums 30 Management 44 Ngambri On The Park 16 Compliance Monitoring and Assistance 30 LAC Funding 45 Darkinjung - Casar Motorsports Lease 16 LALC Audit Results 30 Western Zone 45 Forster - Sale To Midcoast Water 16 Risk Assessment System and Performance Staffing 45 Improvement Planning 31 Subdivision Project - Subdivision Support to LALCs 45 Of Former Reserves 16 LALC Board Elections and Support 32 Compliance and Funding 45 Property Holdings And Management 18 Training and Workshops 32 Risk Assessment System (RAS) 46 Property Portfolio 18 Native Title and NSW Aboriginal Land LALC Support and Capacity Rights Act Interaction 32 Rural Properties 18 Development 47 Local Decision Making (LDM) Initiatives 32 Kaituna Uno And LALC Board Governance Training and Calooma Nulty Springs 18 Far Western Zone 32 Elections 47 Barooga Karrai 18 Human Resources 32 LALC CEO Training 47 LALC Head Leasing 19 Support to LALCs 33 Regional Forums 47 Policy & Programs 20 Monitoring and Compliance 33 Water and Sewerage 47 Culture and Heritage Reform 20 Payments to LALCs 33 Community Land and Business Plans (CLBP) 47 Review of the Aboriginal Land Community Land and Business Plans 34 Rights Act 1983 20 LALC Regional Initiatives 48 LALC Debt 34 Crown Lands Review 21 Central Regional Aboriginal Land Council Land Claims, Dealings and (CRALC) 48 Crown Lands Amendment (Public Management 35 Ownership of Beaches and Coastal North West Land Corporation 48 Social Housing 35 Lands) Bill 21 Finance, Investments and Governance 48 Water and Sewerage Program 36 International Advocacy 21 Governance 48 Regional Forums and CEO Meetings 36 Community Fund 22 Governance Unit 48 Local Aboriginal Land Council Activities 36 Freddy Fricke Scholarship 22 Board Governance 48 Broken Hill LALC 36 Funeral Fund 22 Internal Audit and Risk Committee 49 Wilcannia LALC 36 NSW Rural Fire Service - Fire and Rescue Audit and Risk Committee 50 Community Resilience Menindee LALC 36 Planning and Risk Management 50 Innovation Program 22 Dareton LALC 37 Complaints 50 Waste Management 22 Eastern Zone 37 Annual Report 50 Aboriginal Communities Water and Organisational Structure 37 2 NEW SOUTH WALES ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 Strategic Plan 50 Online and Social Media 75 Consultants 88 Attestation Statement 51 Media Releases and Network Grants 89 Messages 75 Complaints and Evaluation Section 52 Human Resources 90 Events 75 Compliance and Funding Database 52 Workforce Diversity 91 Training 75 Risk Assessment System and Performance Aboriginal Employment Plan (AEP) 92 Assessment System 52 Crown Lands Rally 75 Workers Compensation and Statewide LALC Funding Freedom Ride Re-Enactment 75 Rehabilitation 92 Category Report 53 2015 Statewide Conference 75 Remuneration of Councillors 93 Statewide Grant Allocations Report 55 2015 NSWALC Election 75 Number of Senior Staff and Executive 93 Payments against Approved Grant 55 Information and Communications Technology Budgets 94 Interventions 62 Unit 75 Waste 96 Investigation and Administration of Operations Support 76 Insurance 96 Aboriginal Land Councils 62 ICT Steering Committee 76 Financial Statements 101 Gandangara LALC Administrator 62 ICT Strategy 76 Brewarrina LALC Administrator 62 ICT Project Deliverables 76 Balranald LALC Administrator 63 Human Resources and Training Unit (HR&T) 77 Mungindi LALC Administrator 63 Human Resources 77 Finance Unit 63 Recruitment 77 Year End Accounts 63 Organisation and Establishment Annual Budget 63 Structure 77 Monthly Management / Investment Employment Conditions 78 Reports 64 Payroll and Salaries 78 Cash Flow Management 64 Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S) 78 Expenditure Control 64 Policy Review 78 Customer Services 64 Traineeships/ Internships/ Investment 64 Work Experience 78 Statutory Investment Fund 64 Training 79 Current Management and Value 64 Capacity Development Plan 79 Where Our Money Goes 64 NSWALC Councillors’ Training 79 Investment and Growth of the Fund 64 NSWALC Staff Training 79 Investment Committee 66 Training for Local Aboriginal Land Councils 80 Investment Decisions 66 Records and Administration Unit 80 Investment Performance 67 Fleet Management 81 Performance against Peers 69 Travel 81 Corporate Services 71 Corporate Purchasing Cards Legal Services Unit (LSU) 71 Management 81 Legal Matters 71 Procurements 81 External Legal Costs 1 Tenders and Contracts Management 81 Inspections, Appeals and Settlements 72 NSWALC and Associated Premises 81 Land Claim File Inspections 72 Records Management Functions 81 Land Claims Litigation – Appeals and Record-Keeping 81 Settlements 72 Archiving, Storage and Retrievals 81 Key Land Claims – Litigation 72 Mail 81 Nelson Bay 72 Major Activities 82 Moonbi 72 Records Unit 82 Key Land Claims - Settlements 73 Staff Development for Records and Parramatta Gaol 73 Administration Activities 82 Oberon 73 The Year Ahead 82 Native Title 73 Appendices 83 Barkandji 73 Obligations under the Government Yaegl 74 Information (Public Access) Act 2009 83 Western Bundjalung 74 Councillor Meeting Attendance 86 New claims 74 Councillor Travel Expenses 88 General native title work 74 Overseas Visits 88 Media and Communications 74 Privacy and Personal Information Protection 88 NEW SOUTH WALES ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 3 4 NEW SOUTH WALES ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2014-2015 CHAIRPERSON’S WELCOME CRAIG CROMELIN The past year marked the beginning of a new era for the then Crown Lands Minister introduced legislation that Land Rights in New South Wales. In November, NSWALC would have retrospectively extinguished hundreds of launched a new $16 million economic development policy Aboriginal land claims over coastal areas, some dating to foster wealth creation for Aboriginal people through back as far as two decades. business opportunities managed and delivered by Local Hundreds of our members attended a peaceful rally outside Aboriginal Land Councils. This investment in the Land the NSW Parliament and NSWALC worked with LALCs to Rights network is significant because it will also build the explain the unfairness of the Bill to Government, Opposition capacity of Local Aboriginal Land Councils to use land and Cross Bench MPs. Fortunately, the Parliament and for the economic, cultural and social development of our Government listened to our concerns and the Bill was people. withdrawn. The policy will provide start-up capital, financial training Honouring the past was the focus of an event that and business development support to turn Aboriginal local NSWALC participated in with the University of Sydney and knowledge into successful and sustainable businesses. the Charles Perkins Trust. Together we commemorated Being able to use our land assets to build a sound economic the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides by retracing the base is vital because this will help guarantee our mob’s journey across western and northern NSW. I was humbled long-term future as a distinct, self-determining people. to participate in the journey and learn more about the Our focus on economic development demonstrates the Freedom Rides, which changed people’s lives and did so Land Rights network’s success in driving a positive agenda much to combat racism in our state. for Aboriginal people in New South Wales. All of us who are members of a LALC follow in the footsteps A key part of our economic development strategy is of the Freedom Riders and our Land Rights pioneers. Our NSWALC’s entry into the resources industry. Last year we involvement in this great