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Top Paddock March 2007 Edition




Indigenous Pastoral Program

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 About the Indigenous Pastoral Program

 
The Indigenous Pastoral Program (IPP) is a multi-agency approach to address the needs of industry for more viable pastoral lands and labour, and the needs of Indigenous people for sustainable economic and social development using their often under-utilised land resources.
 
The program’s two core aims are to:
  • facilitate an increase in cattle numbers on Indigenous land;
  • facilitate an increase in Indigenous participation in the pastoral industry.
To this end the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) initially provided three-year part funding to the Northern and Central Land Councils, and the Department of Regional Development, Primary Industry, Fisheries and Resources (RDPIFR) to develop a collaborative approach. These partner agencies also contributed substantial complementary resources of their own to the program.
 
In its first three years, the IPP was governed by a steering committee comprised of representatives of the above agencies along with industry representation from the NT Cattlemen’s Association (NTCA) and training representation from the NT Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET).
 
The IPP responds to requests from land owners and demand outstrips the capacity of the program to deliver extension by up to 4 to 1.   As a result, prioritisation of properties and landowner groups takes place in order to focus limited existing resources.
 
In the program’s first three years it achieved marked successes. These included:
  • Country developed with an estimated carrying capacity of 25,000 head;
  • Country to be established in 2006 capable of running a further 10,000 to 20,000 head;
  • Thirty seasonal stock camp positions and 25 short-term fencing positions being filled by Indigenous people at various locations;
  • Significant integration of external agencies into the program including training support from the FarmBis program, funding for Indigenous training from DEET and additional funding for core employees of the IPP from the National Landcare Program.
 A new Memorandum of Understanding in 2006 extended the IPP by a further five years. The partners to the new MoU are:
  • Land Council
  • Central Land Council
  • NTCA
  • ILC
  • RDPIFR
  • Commonwealth Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).
The ILC will again provide part funding for dedicated program workers employed by the partner agencies, and the partner agencies will also continue to provide significant complementary funding for those positions and for IPP processes.
 
The new MoU recognises the significant work of the program partners to date and also formalises a role for industry, represented by the NTCA, within the program. It also gains additional resources from a significant program contribution by DEWR for training and employment initiatives. This will allow the establishment of an Indigenous Trainee Scheme, commencing in 2007, aiming to train, employ and mentor up to 60 Indigenous trainees in the NT pastoral industry over the next three years.
 
 
 
The partners to the Indigenous Pastoral Program recognise that their collaborative approach has been a major reason for the program’s success. The partner agencies have an equal voice on the steering committee, and issues are seen as surmountable obstacles, rather than impenetrable barriers.
 
                                        Our Goals
 
 
The long-term benefits of this program are far-reaching and include:
  • social, financial and developmental benefits for Indigenous communities;
  • an increase in the NT cattle herd and pastoral land availability;
  • increases in the trained labor force for the pastoral industry and the availability of additional jobs specifically for Indigenous people;
  • increases in the Gross Domestic Product of the Northern Territory, benefiting all Territorians.
The Indigenous Pastoral Program is aiming to continue to quietly build on its successes of the past four years and to continue to provide sustainable developments in land and employment that will last not just for the next five years, but for many more years to come.