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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