First Nations
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First Nations
Traditional knowledge, values and practices have shaped and protected the significant environmental and cultural values of SEQ for many millennia.
- Following European settlement, Traditional Owners were, in many areas, oppressed from being able to manage their lands and waters.
- Traditional ways of life and land management techniques were not only disrespected, but often forbidden, and deliberately fractured by government and industry.
- Through unrelenting advocacy and the determination of First Nations’ leaders we’ve seen a growing recognition of the wisdom and science of Traditional Owner led natural resource management techniques.
- One of the guiding principles of the original SEQ NRM Plan developed in 2009 was that Traditional Owners should be actively involved in natural resource management planning, decision making and implementation which was developed through pro-active representation and advocacy of First Nations representatives in the region.
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First Nations threats and pressures
Lack of communication and empowerment of Traditional Owners in decision making.
- Inadequate knowledge in the broader community, government, and industry of the critical role and rights of First Nations in caring for Country.
- Institutional cultural heritage registers do not effectively empower local Traditional Owner knowledge and decision making.
- Existing cultural heritage monitoring does not always involve appropriate First Nations oversight and consent.
- Lack of resourcing committed through business, government, and community processes to effectively enable Traditional Owners to manage Country within economic structures.
- Business and Government often prioritise other socioeconomic priorities ahead of First Nations engagement, empowerment and leadership in decision making.
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First Nations current state
The South East Aboriginal Traditional Cultural Resource Management Plan is the plan recognised by many First Nations peoples, however many stakeholders including government and industry have not made significant progress in supporting the actions within the Plan.
- The majority of SEQ has yet to have government formally and finally recognise the rights and interests of the respective First Nations of the region through processes such as Native Title and Treaty.
- Shaping SEQ has set strong targets for state, and local government planning and departmental implementation. Despite this, First Nations’ cultural values are often not reflected in planning legislation, policy development and implementation, development approval processes, or land management determinations.
- Appropriate respect and economic recognition of traditional knowledge and cultural resources is not yet fully accounted for or considered appropriately in all aspects of natural resource management.
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First Nations priority actions
The following actions will play a critical role in meeting the First Nations targets.
These actions have been identified by the South East Queensland community. These actions are updated regularly in the region's Natural Resource Management Plan, which is managed by Healthy Land & Water on behalf of the region's community.
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Plan |
Foster the development of Reconciliation Action Plans and other independent mechanisms that provide for ongoing commitments to respectful, trusting and mutually beneficial relationships that empower First Nations leadership. |
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Support and create processes for the community and various levels of government to work together to develop and enhance current regional and local land use planning mechanisms to achieve SEQ NRM Plan targets e.g ShapingSEQ First Nations Planning Forum. |
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Manage |
Commit to provide ongoing secretariat support to forums that empower First Nations to lead and advise on appropriate decisions for Country and culture. |
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Restore |
Reinvigorate the State Government’s commitment to ongoing Indigenous engagement in natural resource management through the SEQ Traditional Owners Planning Forum. |
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Empower |
Ensure management systems empower Traditional Owners to effectively lead and participate in natural resource management such as through procurement policies and budget planning. |
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Government, industry, and community, effectively implement Reconciliation Action Plans and be held publicly accountable on their delivery. |
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Further capacity building across government, industry, and the broader community of the rights, interests, knowledge and critical role of First Nations and Traditional Owners in caring for Country. |
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First Nations targets
Recognition of Traditional Owners as natural resource managers is one of the guiding principles of the SEQ NRM Plan. Traditional Owner knowledge and values maintained the region for millennia. A key activity will be to achieve active involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in community planning and decision-making.
Headline target
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By 2031, SEQ First Nations and their people will be resourced and leading natural resource managers, government, and non-government organisations in the management of Country including through the SEQ NRM Plan and the South East Aboriginal Traditional Cultural Resource Management Plan.
Summary of asset targets
- Traditional Owners
Traditional Owners and Aboriginal people will be resourced and working together with natural resource managers, government and non-government organisations to implement the SEQ NRM Plan and the SEQ Traditional Owner Cultural Resource Management Plan.
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First Nations projects
Scroll down to see the huge number of projects we are partnering on to protect South East Queensland's beautiful and biodiverse environs.
Healthy Land & Water projects
Click to see by South East Queensland Natural Resource Management Plan categories
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- Air & atmosphere
- Biodiversity Conservation
- Climate Adaptation
- Coastal & marine
- Community
- Create connections between people, place & culture
- Deliver transformative environmental & community change
- Direct the investment in SEQ’s environmental future
- Environmental Offsets
- Fire
- First Nations
- Goal 03: Good Health and Well-being
- Goal 06: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Goal 09: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
- Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Goal 14: Life Below Water
- Goal 15: Life on Land
- Goal 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal
- Knowledge Research
- Land
- Land Restoration
- Landscapes
- Nature
- People & Culture
- Queensland Fire & Biodiversity Consortium
- Science Committee
- Strategic Science & Partnerships
- Threat - Climate
- Threat - Drought
- Threat - Erosion
- Threat - Fire
- Threat - Invasive species
- Threat - Land use
- Threat - Pollution
- Threat - Sediment
- Threat - Threatened species
- Threat - Vegetation loss
- Threat - Waterway recreation
- Urban design
- Water
- Water by Design
Healthy Land & Water
Level 11, 240 Queen St,
BRISBANE QLD 4000
Australia
Healthy Land and Water Ltd
ABN 91 115 662 989
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