Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre

www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au

MCATSIA Meeting

August 2007

The DKCRC is committed to creating economic opportunities for desert people and a

demonstrable difference for remote Indigenous communities, through the application of excellent

research and training.

Our vision

• Four outcomes1.Sustainable livelihoods for desert people2.Viable remote desert settlements3.Thriving desert regional economies4. Increased human and social capital of desert

people

Desert Knowledge CRC

• Australia’s largest regionally based social, economic, and environmental research collaboration.

• Major regional nodes include Alice Springs, Port Augusta and Mt Isa.

• Network includes researchers in Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Brisbane, and Melbourne.

• Approximately 250 researchers across 28 partner agencies working toward developing sustainable livelihoods for desert people.

We work toward….• Sustainable livelihoods for desert people

that are based on natural resource and service enterprise opportunities that are environmentally and socially appropriate

• Sustainable remote desert settlements that support the presence of desert people, particularly remote Aboriginal communities, as a result of improved governance and access to services

• Thriving desert regional economies that are based on desert competitive advantages, bringing together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities, government and industry.

Where we work

•

Desert Knowledge Precinct

Deserts are different – and in demand

• 457 discrete Aboriginal communities and 72% of these have LESS THAN 50 people

• Feedback form coastal based partner: “The most important thing is to understand that deserts are different.”

• One third of respondents to a recent survey of more than 200 Victorian 4WD enthusiasts said they would rather travel in the desert than in any other environment – OnTrackTM:4WD Tourism Project.

Research that challenges assumptions

• Relative poverty does not correlate with distance from larger urban centres

Community Medium weekly family income

Distance to large urban centre (km)

Davenport 300-399 20

Neppabunna 500-599 180

Koonibba 300-399 40

Mobility in and out of Town camps• The survey data shows three main types of

movement of people as follows: – In and out of the town camps, to communities and other

housing or camping in Alice Springs– Inter-camp mobility: between town camps– Intra-camp mobility: between houses in town camps

Population estimates following three surveys of Alice Springs Town Camps

ABS Survey 2001

973

Estimated base population

1605 1765 2065

Estimated service population

2560 2820 3300

Occupancy rates• 10.8—16.1 people per house in the town

camps• 20% of houses surveyed having 10 people

or more living in the house• Community facilities and ablution blocks

become potential dwellings • In Survey 1 there were 35 people living in

the 5 community facilities surveyed• Six ablution blocks were occupied during

the survey.

Bush foodsAboriginal Livelihoods

Diversifying bush products

Industry opportunities for bush foods harvesters & wholesalers

Participatory domestication of bush tomato

Market research and industry development, including branding and policy-related matters

Bush foods methodology

The DKCRC project team works with:– Aboriginal people and organisations– Aboriginal communities– Interdisciplinary research teams– Aboriginal trainees

• The team works:– across desert Australia

Remote telecommunications

• SANDS Project (Sparse Ad-hoc Networks for Deserts)– Improved communications for Aboriginal

community outstations– Wireless network solutions based upon UHF

radio infrastructure– Potential for a variety of network applications

in desert and remote Australia.

21st Century Pastoralism Project

• Cattle and Country Project.– Building stronger Aboriginal pastoral enterprises.– Participatory evaluation of State Govt. Aboriginal

pastoral development programs across northern and central Australia.

– Indigenous Pastoral Employment Review analysing Aboriginal involvement in the pastoral industry from the perspective of both employers and employees, and studying Aboriginal employment initiatives.

Desert Services that Work

• Feedback from Communities• Overwhelmed by complexity of the

environment they are forced to work in• Feel not this is not appreciated or listened

to• Action research SRAs, RPAs, Local

Government Reform• Focus on Governance Services and

Housing Services

DKCRC Aboriginal Education

• 6 Aboriginal PhD students

• 20% of students are Aboriginal

• 1 Aboriginal honours student

• 4 Aboriginal trainees

• Deadly Desert research

• Polly Farmer project

• NCVER Aboriginal case studies

Vocational and employment pathways

• 43% of desert Aboriginal population 15+ in the labour force. ½ is CDEP

• 12% have never attended school

• 4% have Certificate qualifications

• 170 completed apprenticeships or traineeships (2003)

• Most desert VET participation is in subject only & mixed field courses & at Certificate I & II levels.

Aboriginal IP

• Aboriginal IP protocol protects traditional knowledge

• Simple guides to Aboriginal IP

• Aboriginal IP workshops

• Aboriginal organisations partner with DKCRC because of Aboriginal IP

Understanding communities

• The DKCRC works with communities by focussing on– Livelihoods– Intergenerational research– Multidisciplinary teams– Inter-jurisdictional context– Collaborative partnering– Understanding IP in a cross-cultural context

Centre Partners

Associate Partners

Affiliate Partners