Noongar Connection

Indigenous Aspirations

We recognise, acknowledge and respect Noongar People as the Traditional Owners of lands within the south-west of Western Australia. For tens of thousands of years Noongar People of the Bindjareb, Whadjuk, Wiilman and Gnaala Karla Boodja dialect groups have dwelt here, tended the land and been sustained by its natural resources. Their spiritual, cultural and intellectual connections to the land are strong and provide opportunities to enhance management of the Region’s natural resources.

Vision and Guiding Principles of our Noongar Participation Plan:

We will collaboratively gather information on local traditional ecological values and land management practices; and identify and involve Noongar groups in developing natural resource planning for the catchment, including policies, plans and actions.

We have, and will continue to work closely with our local communities to determine the aspirations of local Noongar people for NRM in our Bindjareb Wiilman Boodja, and how they wish to be involved in the delivery of NRM projects.  We are proud of the development of our Noongar Participation Plan and what it is achieving.  We are also proud to have supported the preparation of Bindjareb Gabi Wonga – Bindjareb Water Story and Bring Together Walk Together. These are significant documents for the delivery of our community’s aspirations and our MOU with Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and Bindjareb Noongar Elders to pilot an Aboriginal Waterways Assessment Program for Bindjareb Country. These documents are representative of our commitment to our Community’s aspirations.  It is recommended that the Our Knowledge Our Way in caring for Country is read in conjunction with Bring Together Walk Together.

Our local Noongar Elders and representatives support delivery of our Regional Land Partnerships projects and we have an agreed process for consultation and engagement in place to ensure sites of significance, cultural values and communities are protected and opportunities for employment and procurement are identified, in these, and all our projects. Our employment and subcontracting commitments are:

1.
Engagement and Networking
ENGAGEMENT with the Aboriginal community and NETWORKING to identify and develop opportunities for training and employment with agencies and organisations
2.
Capacity Building
Increasing skills based training linked to working on country and BUILDING business CAPACITY
3.
Purchasing
PURCHASING from Indigenous Enterprises
4.
Employment
Direct EMPLOYMENT of Aboriginal community members

A review of our Noongar Participation Plan, with our local elders and community representatives has resulted in modifications to align with the Australian Government requirements, and our Noongar community aspirations, including an agreed approach to increasing capacity, capability and procurement for community.  We have established MOU’s to formalize our partnerships towards this agreed approach, with both the Willman and Bindjareb Traditional Owners, Elders and representatives who speak for country.

We will continue to directly involve local Noongar people to strengthen partnerships, foster a greater understanding of cultural values, and identify with the community opportunities to lead to Working on country. This approach has been used in the successful delivery of projects in the past, and is embedded into our delivery model.

Indigenous Ecological Knowledge

We are committed to incorporating traditional ecological knowledge into working on country, where it is appropriate, in accordance with agreed protocols and with prior approval of the indigenous custodians of the knowledge.

There are strict protocols regarding Indigenous intellectual property and the sharing of traditional ecological knowledge.  We are working closely with our community, as defined in our Vision and Guiding Principles of our Noongar Participation Plan

We will collaboratively gather information on local traditional ecological values and land management practices; and identify and involve Noongar groups in developing natural resource planning for the catchment, including policies, plans and actions.

In an endeavour to meet the Australian Government’s Indigenous Procurement Policy (Clause 40) the PHCC has:

Modified existing quote, contract and reporting documents to encourage Aboriginal engagement, contracting and employment (2020)

Formalised contracts with Noongar Elders (Binjareb & Wiilman) and businesses agreeing to work together in an endeavour to increase capacity, skills and opportunities linked to employment (2019)

Developed and signed formal contracts with Noongar Elders and businesses agreeing to work together in an endeavour to increase capacity, skills and opportunities linked to employment and business development (2019)

Established targets and performance measurements and reporting and monitoring processes (2019

Established a register of Aboriginal businesses (2018)

Included Aboriginal businesses in the quoting process

Identified and provided support to build capacity and sustainability for local businesses

Shared knowledge and information between agencies, groups and local Noongar businesses to improve opportunities for employment

Identified opportunities for Noongar community funding and grants to increase skills, capacity and employment opportunities.

Testimonials

“Winjan Aboriginal Corporation would like to acknowledge the support PHCC has provided to Winjan, especially for the past 3 years when Winjan has been applying for the Government of Western Australia Aboriginal Ranger’s program, which had a successful outcome in 2020.  The Winjan Ranger’s Program will commence in February 2021 and will provide employment and training for 2 part time Rangers and 1 part time supervisor.

PHCC has previously worked with Winjan to support training for employment such as Chem Safe and seed collection projects and has committed to continue this partnership through the Ranger’s program.

PHCC has supported Winjan in the presentation of ‘Walk and Talk’ community events. These events have been very successful and we are grateful for PHCC’s support in enabling Winjan to engage with the community in a meaningful way.

PHCC understand the desire of the local Aboriginal community, which is to increase capacity for employment of local people and has supported skills and training activities to assist in this outcome.

PHCC has been working closely with the local Bindjareb Noongar community and in particular Winjan for over 25 years, through their land management activities and training programs which have ensured that local Aboriginal people are part of the on country works across this region.”

~ Franklyn Nannup, Winjan Aboriginal Corporation 2021 ~

“Where we are now in the Bring Together Walk Together pathway is attributed to the PHCC’s long standing and respected relationship with Noongar people.”

~ Bronte Grant, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation ~
~ Co-Author “Bring Together, Walk Together” ~