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Home  >  Policy   >  Current Projects   >  Indigenous Planning Working Group

Indigenous Planning Working Group

Discussion Paper prepared by PIA's Indigenous Planning Working Group (21/10/10)

Welcome to Country Protocol

This protocol was adopted by the PIA Executive Council at its meeting in February 2009.

For annual conferences and official functions open to the public, the full welcome to country should be applied as outlined in the Welcome to Country Protocol (page 3). On some occasions it may not be possible for a relevant Traditional Owner to attend, in which case the Acknowledgement of Country will suffice as outlined in Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners (page 3).

For smaller functions involving members and maybe members of the public or other affiliated organisations, the ‘Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners' will suffice.

Welcome to Country Protocol

Why?

The creation of this Working Group comes at a time of urgency. As national interest in and concern about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing continues to grow, it is vitally important that independent professional groups become more involved to independently monitor and improve the objectivity and rigour of policy and other activity within this field.

By the nature of its cause, the planning profession is closely linked to many other professions, offering broad access to skills and techniques that can improve the quality of the national response.Perhaps the most important contribution the planning profession can make through this Working Group is direct engagement and exchange with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to improve its own and the nation’s appreciation of their perspectives of the present context, what the future can be, and how planning tools and techniques can assist.

PIA strongly believes that the planning profession has a lot to contribute to improving circumstances for Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander communities in Australia. A more holistic and objective approach to planning with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is required and Planners should be at the forefront of efforts towards achieving this.

Use of the terms ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ and ‘Indigenous peoples’

The Planning Institute of Australia recognises the diversity of cultures, languages, kinship structures and ways of life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There is no single cultural model that fits all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the Planning Institute of Australia recognises they retain their distinctive cultural identities whether they live in urban, regional or remote areas of Australia.

The Planning Institute of Australia also acknowledges that there are differing usages of the terms ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’, ‘Aboriginal’ and ‘Indigenous’.

The use of the term ‘Indigenous’ has evolved through international law and acknowledges a particular relationship of Aboriginal people to the territory from which they originate. The term ‘Indigenous’ is therefore, best used in international settings, recognising the international diversity of Indigenous peoples around the World.

Within Australia, it is most appropriate to use terms that further specify identity. In Australia at the national level it has long been appropriate to specify that we have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island nations and peoples, recognising that there is a collective dimension to their livelihoods.

At the regional and community level it is appropriate to use regionally or locally specific terms of identity. For example, the Ngunnawal People in the case of the Aboriginal people in the Canberra and surrounding district, or the Wiradjuri Nation in the caseof Aboriginal People from central southern New South Wales.

When referring to a specific government document or policy, the Institute respectfully maintains the government’s language to ensure consistency.

The Institute’s Indigenous Planning Working Group is so named because members of the Group work with Indigenous peoples in other contexts and not only within Australia. For example, in the Pacific Island nations, Papua New Guinea and East Timor, as well as with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and nations within Australia.

Use of the term ‘Indigenous’ on this website therefore includes Indigenous peoples from around the World and not just those within Australia.(The Planning Institute of Australia acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner’s commentary in the Commissioner’s annual Social Justice Reports and Native Title Reports as the primary source of guidance on these matters.)

What is PIA doing…

PIA has established an Indigenous Planning Working Group to develop and implement an action plan for the profession’s efforts in this area.

The Working Group comprises of PIA members and selected associated professionals who have extensive experience in working in the Indigenous context, within Australia and internationally. We have sought and will continue to seek the wider involvement of planners and associated professions in the action planning process and provide opportunities for members to contribute their knowledge and expertise as our activities develop.

In 2008 the Working Group adopted the following Terms of Reference:

  • Engage with Indigenous people and the range of professions and organisations involved in Indigenous development, to enable access to a sound understanding of the context
  • Develop strategies to raise awareness and understanding within the planning profession of Indigenous values, issues and challenges within the context,
  • Identify those areas of disadvantage experienced by Indigenous people where the planning profession can add value by playing a direct role in bringing about improvement. These are likely to include, amongst others,strategic planning, land use planning, social planning, housing and infrastructure provision, and essential and human services provision.
  • Identify opportunities for alternative funding sources for education, policy and research development towards Indigenous development
  • Develop and implement a Reconciliation Action Plan that promotes a long term, strategic approach to Indigenous development. The Action Plan is to incorporate short and long term actions that are practical, achievable and supportable.

Other Activities of note:

Reconciliation Action Plan

As one of its first actions, the IPWG undertook the development of an action plan to guide and implement the profession’s efforts in this area. The IPWG chose the established framework developed by Reconciliation Australia.

The initial RAP that the IPWG developed included a number of ambitious strategies and actions. In 2008, the Board of Directors of PIA adopted a shorter and more realistic RAP for the period 2008 to 2011. This Action Plan was launched in March 2009.

PIA’s RAP has been registered with Reconciliation Australia.

The aim of the RAP is to develop and implement an action plan on how and what the Institute and the planning profession can do to help address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage in Australia.

The RAP has four main themes and objectives:

  1. Respect & Learning - Building Understanding
  2. Relationships & Connections - Developing Relationships
  3. Telling the Story - Advocating for Better Planning
  4. Working Together - Offering Support for Developing Planning Capabilities

Each objective begins with an overall vision accompanied by a list of actions to work towards achieving these objectives.

Reconciliation Action Plan - Progress Report 2008-09

In November 2009, the IPWG prepared a Progress Report onthe first year of the implementation of the RAP. This Progress Report can be accessed via the following link: Progress Report

The RAP is due for a further progress report and renewal in March 2011.

Improving Planners’ understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and Planning Education Reforms – Discussion Paper

Why this is important for the planning profession

Several events in recent history have raised the profile of the rights, interests, needs and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities in Australia and internationally.

Since the High Court’s landmark decision in the Mabo case in 1992, there are several imperatives for planners to be better educated and appropriately trained and skilled in considering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander matters in conventional and contemporary planning processes. The imperatives include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s long connections with country, the High Court’s rejection of the notion of terra nullius, and that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will always retain their special relationship with and responsibility for land and sea country. These connections are an integral part of their spiritual being and culture.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues are becoming increasingly important at the national, State/Territory and local levels, for example, in a very broad sense through the Closing the Gap agenda and the various National Partnership Agreements adopted by COAG, and through the preparation of natural and cultural resource management plans for land under Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander ownership or control.

As a result of these developments in public policy, planners are increasingly working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities in a range of planning contexts. However, the reality is that planning and planning education is not keeping up with current policy and practice in this field.

IPWG response to current deficiencies in planning education

In response, PIA’s Indigenous Planning Working Group has prepared a Discussion Paper to stimulate discussion within the planning profession and the Institute about the knowledge and skills planners require and what the minimal thresholds for planning education may be for planners working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.

The Discussion Paper canvasses four areas of planning education that require urgent attention. They are:

  • Planning theory and methodology;
  • Normative values and processes;
  • The administrative and legal context; and
  • Communication skills and ethics.

The Discussion Paper also makes a number of recommendations for making changes to PIA’s accreditation to formal planning education requirements.

Consideration of these matters will assist the planning profession in adopting better approaches to engaging with and involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in contemporary planning processes.

We value your feedback

The Discussion paper can be accessed via the following link on PIA’s web page:
http://www.planning.org.au/documents/item/2381

The IPWG invites comments on the Discussion Paper till the end of June 2011.
Comments can be lodged by emailing ipwg@planning.org.au

National Congress: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander events

One of the commitments in the RAP is to include presentations or events covering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues in the national Congress program. The following provides an overview of this content at the 2008 National Congress and the 2009 National Congress

Congress tour – a conversation with the Larrakia Development Corporation – Darwin National Congress 2009

Indigenous PlanningFollowing the launch of the draft RAP, around 35 planners travelled to the new suburb of Darla in Palmerston to listen to Greg Constantine, CEO of the Larrakia Development Corporation and Curtis Roman, Cross Cultural trainer. We heard about the corporation’s business enterprises and how it provides employment and training for indigenous people. Curtis provided some information about indigenous people and issues that planners should be aware of when working with individuals and communities. Participants welcomed the opportunity to have this informed dialogue.

Congress tour and workshop in Redfern - Sydney National Congress 2008

Indigenous PlanningA successful forum focusing on indigenous issues was held at the National Congress in Sydney where participants were given an overview by community leaders and supporters about the housing and social issues faced by the Redfern Community.

A tour of “The Block” highlighted the neglected state of housing and future plans that are underway to regenerate the area. Planners were advised to take the time to listen to what indigenous communities are telling us (“we have two ears but only one mouth”) and work alongside these communities, bringing our planning skills to the table.

Useful References for Planners

The following resources provide some guidance on how to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Related Links

Feedback

If you want to make any comments/suggestions please email ipwg@planning.org.au