14 June 2018

Hub researchers from James Cook University and Traditional Owners from north Queensland and the Kimberley visited Canberra during Reconciliation Week to talk about their work on assessing the benefits of Indigenous Land and Sea management programs. Professor Natalie Stoeckl, Dr Jane Addison and Dr Diane Jarvis explained how programs help promote regional development, close the (income) gap, promote Indigenous economic independence and improve quality of life for Indigenous people. They also highlighted the importance of discussions with policy-makers. Emile and Celia Boxer shared stories from the Kimberley community that their parents built from the ground up in 1989, reminding attendees that “from little things, big things grow” and explaining how the community’s connection to country has resulted in multiple benefits through the years. Sharon Prior and Dr David Hudson shared their ongoing experiences of creating new cultural and economic opportunities on Ewamian country in north Queensland. They both said how valuable it was to visit Canberra and remind policy-makers of “what’s happening on the ground” and of the people making change happen. The research is also being presented at the Indigenous Protected Area and Economic Development Conference in Cairns next week. For more information, please see this summary.

Pictured (L-R) Professor Natalie Stoeckl, Dr Diane Jarvis, Celia Boxer, Dr Jane Addison, Sharon Prior, Dr David Hudson and Emile Boxer. Photo by Patch Clapp.