Indigenous Property Rights and Economic Development

In 2015, a Roundtable was held on Yawuru Country to identify opportunities and challenges to creating and leveraging economic development opportunities on the Indigenous Estate. Issues identified were:

1. Fundability and native title
2. Business development support and succession planning
3. Financing economic development within the Indigenous estate
4. Compensation
5. Promoting Indigenous peoples right to development

 While ensuring the Indigenous Estate is secured and protected, the Indigenous Property Rights Agenda was established to:

• build on knowledge about the opportunities and challenges for economic development of the Indigenous Estate
• facilitate dialogue that considers development of legislative and policy reform affecting the Indigenous Estate, led and designed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• facilitate engagement between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, government/s, industry and other stakeholders that recognises development on Indigenous land and waters will only be successful and sustainable where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are provided with the opportunity to be partners in development, to give their free, prior and informed consent, and to benefit economically and socially from the development.

 This workshop provides a structured opportunity to participate in the national dialogue and hear approaches to development on the Indigenous Estate. The particular theme of this workshop will cover tenure, business and benefit sharing.