Indigenous - Mid West Working in Partnership Agreement
Proponent: Mid West Development Commission
Value: MWDC Potentially $7,000. Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources (DITR) $50,000
Location: Mid West
Description:
Working in Partnership programs commenced in 2001. They have proven to be a successful model for information sharing and relationship building between the exploration and mining industry and regional Indigenous communities. The Commission’s Aboriginal Economic Development Officer has worked in consultation with the former Commonwealth Department of Industry Tourism & Resources, now known as the Department of Resources Energy and Tourism to progress the development of a Working in Partnership Agreement between several Indigenous Organisations, and Mining Groups in the Mid West. It is anticipated the project will create education, training, employment and community development outcomes for Aboriginal people in the Mid West region.
Status:
Preliminary workshops were held April, June 2006 and March 2007, with a series of fortnightly meetings leading to a two day Working in Partnership forum which was held at the African Reef Resort on the 21st and 22nd November 2007.
Workshop:
Up to 90 Delegates
from the
Indigenous Community, Industry,
and Government sectors
attended the two day forum. Delegates participated in the following
activities/workshops over the two days:
-
Mid West Regional Stakeholder Problem Analysis
-
Mid West Regional Partnership Agreement Analysis
-
Mid
West RPA - Identify agreed actions/priorities for Action Planning.
-
Regional Partnership Agreement action planning.
-
Where to from here.
Workshop outcome:
Delegates from Industry and the Indigenous community felt that a Regional Partnership Agreement is possibly a
valuable tool and an acceptable way of moving forward, but probably not essential to this process.
It was agreed to
by all delegates a “Interim Regional Partnership Committee” be formed. The following delegates
volunteered:
|
Rob Jefferies
(Geraldton Iron
Ore
Alliance) |
Jenny Kniveton
(Indigenous Community)
|
|
Bruce Anderson
(Oxinana)
|
Jacqueli
ne McGowan – Jones (DIA
)
|
|
Greg Kaeding (Gindalbie Metals
)
|
Craig Turley (ICC/
DEWR
)
|
|
Tony Sparks
(Extension Hill)
|
Christine Douglas
(CWC TAFE)
|
Delegates recognised
that this particular representative structure and composition of the Committee was not intended
to be final. It was, for example, noted that further consultation is required before the Indigenous community representation to the committee can be finalised.
Next
Steps:
The Interim Regional Partnership Committee will meet during 2008 on a monthly basis to develop strategies
to move forward. The committee will need to determine and set clear terms of references to move forward.
Mid West Development Commission Contact: Aboriginal Economic Development Officer
Wayne McDonald
9921 0708