24 December 2004
A Charles Darwin University led collaboration has been awarded $591,200 over three years to contribute to Indigenous economic development in central Australia.
The Research capacity building in central Australia for effective institutions for sustainable Indigenous economic development is funded by the Northern Territory Research and Innovation Fund, CSIRO, Charles Darwin University and the Desert Knowledge Co-operative Research Centre. Charles Darwin University’s Chair in Desert Knowledge, Professor Donna Craig, and the CSIRO’s Dr Jocelyn Davies will be the project’s principal investigators.
“This project is a great opportunity to research and build partnerships with indigenous communities and organisations, government and private sector agencies to enhance sustainable Indigenous futures in central Australia,” Professor Craig said.
“Central Australia has exceptionally qualified, experienced and committed people but they are working in many communities, organisations and several jurisdictions. Their valuable work and knowledge is often not integrated with other efforts or passed on to others.
“Charles Darwin University, and our partners in this project, can play an important role in meeting this challenge in the important are of effective institutions for economic development. It will also enhance Charles Darwin University’s development as a desert research specialist institution while building the integrated research capability in central Australia to be able to deliver a locally-sensitive and culturally-sensitive approach.”
Professor Craig said that developing a critical mass of research, integrated between sectors, disciplines, community-based and policy interests is fundamental to the issue of addressing sustainable Indigenous futures.
“However, at present there is no critical mass of resident research capacity in this area; much research is conducted in a fragmented, fly-in-fly-out basis by individuals from elsewhere, only sometimes integrated into a knowledgebase or policy developments in the jurisdictions.”
“This need ties in with the overarching approach of the project to drive collaboration and build capacity by combining project partner funds to establish a well-targeted group of researchers who will collaborate with other partners to mutual benefit.”
Professor Craig explained that sustainable Indigenous futures are vital to the overall future of central Australia, given the high and growing Indigenous populations, the high proportion of Indigenous held land and the poorly developed livelihood opportunities for Indigenous people, particularly in remote parts of the region.
“Alice Springs has a strong interest in achieving positive outcomes for Indigenous people because the town’s economy is very dependent on the presence of Aboriginal peoples and lands in its surrounding region which extends into remote Western Australia and South Australia. New livelihood opportunities for remote and indigenous communities are evolving around the world. This project aims to work to develop sustainable development options and choices with central Australian Aboriginal peoples.”
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