BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. BE INSPIRED. NETWORKING THE NATIONS REPORT FROM NSWALC STATEWIDE CONFERENCE 2009 1 BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. BE INSPIRED. The Report is dedicated to Birrigan Gargle LALC delegate Christine Ferguson who passed away in the days after the Statewide Conference. Christine was a popular and much- loved figure throughout the North Coast Region. She fought to help her people all her life and played a prominent role in securing positive amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights Act. Christine held several senior administrative positions in a number of organisations before becoming the CONTENTS CEO of the Birrigan Gargle Local Aboriginal Land Council. She was a passionate and dynamic individual who played a key role in the struggle for Aboriginal Rights in NSW over the last three decades. Cover Photo: Elaine Pelot-Syron NETWORKING THE NATIONS 2 REPORT FROM NSWALC STATEWIDE CONFERENCE 2009 BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. BE INSPIRED. INTRODUCTION It gives us enormous pleasure to present this Aboriginal Peak organisations, State and Federal document. Government Departments and other Agencies that provide targeted programs and services to The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council Aboriginal communities also exhibited their proudly convened a State Conference of Local products and programs for the first time at a Aboriginal Land Councils in the Hunter Valley NSWALC State Conference. from March 3-5, 2009. NSWALC also provided an information stall on its The Conference broke new ground. products, services and programs, including Land It attracted more than 230 delegates from the Claims, the Education Endowment Scholarship network of 121 Local Aboriginal Land Councils Fund and the joint Water and Sewerage Initiative from across the State. They represented a with the NSW Government. It also took the majority of the Aboriginal Nations of NSW. opportunity the Conference provided to “take the temperature,” of the network on a range of major The delegates discussed and debated a wide issues through a written survey of all delegates. range of key policy, planning, operational and The results of the survey are incorporated into advocacy issues. Forums for our Elders and our this record of proceedings. Youth were held at a NSWALC State Conference for the first time. Above all the State Conference provided a rare opportunity for the elected representatives of Plenary sessions included discussion and debate First Nations from across the State to come on the sustainability of the land rights network, together and network over three days on the wide culture and heritage, NSWALC’s Corporate and range of issues which face Aboriginal people and INTRODUCTION Business Plans, Future Directions and Initiatives, their elected organisations as we work to proposed Land Dealings legislation and improve the social, political, economic and Constitutional Reform, including a Bill of Rights cultural well being of our constituents. and a Charter of Aboriginal Rights. The official proceedings of the State Conference Concurrent workshops were convened on Social show much has been achieved. Much still has to Housing, Future Amendments to the Aboriginal be done. Land Rights Act, the Two Ways Together program and a range of Economic Development Issues. We commend this document to you. CR BEV MANTON, NSWALC CHAIRPERSON CR TOM BRIGGS, NSWALC DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON CENTRAL COAST REGION NORTHERN REGION CR STEVE GORDON CR STEPHEN RYAN CR ROY AH SEE CR PATRICIA LAURIE NORTH WESTERN REGION CENTRAL REGION SYDNEY/NEWCASTLE REGION NORTH COAST REGION CR WILLIAM MURRAY CR CRAIG CROMELIN CR JACK HAMPTON WESTERN REGION WIRADJURI REGION SOUTH COAST REGION NETWORKING THE NATIONS REPORT FROM NSWALC STATEWIDE CONFERENCE 2009 3 BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. BE INSPIRED. CONTENTS Day One Welcome to Conference 6 Cr Bev Manton, NSWALC Chairperson, Councillor for Central Coast Overview of Conference and Desired Outcomes 9 Cr Tom Briggs, NSWALC Deputy Chairperson, Councillor for Northern Region Introduction of Councillors 13 Welcome to Country 14 Performed by Mr Tommy Miller, Wanaruah elder and Deputy Chairperson of the Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council. Plenary Sessions · The Future of NSWALC and the Network 15 Facilitator: Norman Laing, Deputy CEO NSWALC · NSWALC Corporate & Business Plan 15 Presenter: Cr Bev Manton, NSWALC Chairperson · NSWALC Future Directions & Initiatives 24 Presenter: Cr Tom Briggs, NSWALC Deputy Chairperson NSWALC Investment Fund and Finance 29 Plenary Sessions · Exposure Draft Bill on Land Dealings Amendements to the ALRA 33 Facilitator: Cr Stephen Ryan, Councillor for the Central Region Presenters: Lila D’Souza (NSWALC), Stephen Wright (Registrar), and Ross Pearson (DAA) · LALC Funding Policy 38 Facilitator: Cr Craig Cromelin, Councillor for the Wiradjuri Region Presenter: Les Turner, Zone Director Southern Zone · Constitutional Reform and a Bill of Rights 42 CONTENTS CONTENTS Facilitator: Cr Roy Ah-See, Councillor for the Sydney/Newcastle Region Presenters: Michael Mansell, Larissa Behrendt, George Williams Background Paper - Constitutional and Human Rights Reform 43 Day Two Feed back from Elders and Youth Forum 61 Plenary Session – NSW Government Programs and Services · Department of Aboriginal Affairs 71 Presenter: Jody Broun, Dir. General, Department of Aboriginal Affairs · Office of the Registrar (ALRA) 72 Presenter: Stephen Wright, Registrar · Aboriginal Housing Office 89 Presenter: Russell Taylor, CEO NETWORKING THE NATIONS 4 REPORT FROM NSWALC STATEWIDE CONFERENCE 2009 BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. BE INSPIRED. Concurrent Workshops · ALRA Future Amendments and LALC Elections and LALC Rolls. 91 Facilitator: Cr Roy Ah-See, Councillor for the Sydney/Newcastle Region Presenter: Lila D’Souza, NSWALC’s Principal Legal Officer · Social Housing 95 Facilitator: Cr Jack Hampton, Councillor for South Coast Region Presenter: Malcolm Davis. NSWALC’s Chief Operating Officer · Two Ways Together – Partnership Communities & Economic Dev. 100 Facilitator: Cr Bev Manton, NSWALC Chairperson, Cr for Central Coast Presenter: Jody Broun, Dir. General, Department of Aboriginal Affairs Conference Dinner 104 Guest Speaker: The Hon. Linda Burney MP, Minister for Community Services Day 3 The Hon. Jenny Macklin MP, Minister for Indigenous Affairs Facilitator: Cr Bev Manton, Chairperson 108 Plenary Session – Australian Government Programs and Services 115 Facilitator: Cr Tom Briggs, Deputy Chairperson · Dept of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs 115 Presenter: Sue Finnigan, NSW State Manager · Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) 116 Presenter: Ron Morony, General Manager · Dept of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations 121 CONTENTS CONTENTS Presenter: Phillipa McDermott Concurrent Workshops 124 · LALC Elections and Election Rolls Facilitator: Cr Craig Cromelin, Councillor for Wiradjuri Region 124 Presenter: Stephen Wright (Registrar) · Aboriginal Land Management Framework 129 Facilitator: Cr Stephen Ryan, Councillor for Central Region Presenter: Russell Crouch, Dept of Environment and Climate Change Conference Summaries and Outcomes 132 Facilitator: Cr Bev Manton, NSWALC Chairperson and all Councillors. LALC Survey Results 138 List of Conference Delegates 150 NETWORKING THE NATIONS REPORT FROM NSWALC STATEWIDE CONFERENCE 2009 5 BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. BE INSPIRED. The Chairperson of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, Bev Manton, proudly opens the Conference proceedings. OPENING SESSION - MARCH 3, 2009 The Chairperson of the New South Wales “Many of us are that little bit older….and Aboriginal Land Council, Bev Manton, opened hopefully a whole lot wiser. OPENING SESSION proceedings by inviting the Councillor for the “Sadly many who have worked to secure our Sydney-Newcastle region, Councillor Roy Ah See, rights are no longer with us and I’d now ask to extend an initial Welcome to Country on everyone to join me in a minute’s silence and behalf of the Wanaruah people and the reflection in memory of them.” Mindaribba Land Council on whose land the DAY ONE DAY State Conference was being held. Following the observation of the minute’s silence, Chairperson Manton acknowledged and Chairperson Manton explained that an official welcomed the presence “of so many LALC Board Welcome to Country would be given later in the members and staff here today along with a morning by Uncle Tommy Miller, a Wanaruah number of former Councillors.” Elder and Deputy Chair of Mindaribba LALC. “I’d also like to acknowledge and welcome the Councillor Ah See extended a welcome to all representatives from other peak bodies and delegates, acknowledged Country and paid his Government department and agencies,” she respects to Elders, past and present, and the added. Wanaruah custodians of the land. “I know that many of you have travelled far and Chairperson Manton then delivered a short wide to be here. opening speech in which she noted it had been “seven long years since we last assembled at a “I thank you for taking the time, and making the State Conference.” effort, to do so. “We have come a long way since then,” she “Your attendance here today confirms my view added. that the land rights network is undergoing a renaissance. NETWORKING THE NATIONS 6 REPORT FROM NSWALC STATEWIDE CONFERENCE 2009 BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. BE INSPIRED. “I mentioned earlier that we had come a long, long way since the last State Conference in 2002. I will have a fair bit to say about that progress in the plenary session to follow. “All of us come to this “For the moment let me simply