Fred Chaney
Following our conversation at Garma and on behalf of Desert Knowledge Australia, a statutory corporation of the Northern Territory, I am attaching a prospectus prepared by it after a workshop of 28 individuals held in Perth on 1 and 2 April 2008. This sets out shared views on the problems relating to the governance of governments in remote Australia, problems which in our view impact heavily on the capacity of governments to deal with the issues being addressed in the intervention.
I confirm that these are not the views of the Northern Territory Government but of the participants in the workshop named in the document.
I also attach a paper prepared by me in 2006 which I send as a personal submission from me. It describes why in my view Indigenous policy is, from the perspective of those affected, incoherent. While a little out of date I believe the core propositions are still valid. What may be of particular interest to the review is the reference to the Gordon Report to the WA Government and what that report puts forward as a workable approach to dealing with sexual violence . In my experience the idea that government should be working behind Local Action Groups rather than trying to impose solutions is correct if long term improvements are to be made, in that area of concern but also generally.
I would be happy to discuss these views if that was thought helpful.
Also attached is documentation relating to the views of Dave Goddard which go to the process he has developed to enable real community engagement in change as against the usual announcement by officials in the guise of consultation. All effective engagement leading to informed consent that I have witnessed has required a period of preparation before actual engagement and Dave's work seems to me directed to allowing time and having a framework for genuine engagement on both sides. I know he would like to expand on his views direct with you but as I had mentioned his approach I thought I should follow it up with you first.
Best wishes
Fred Chaney