30 May 2012
FPWEC provides advice to the National Water Commission on Indigenous Water
Australia’s First Peoples’ Water Engagement Council (FPWEC) today met with the CEO of the
National Water Commission James Cameron to formally hand over advice on how Indigenous
water should be managed in Australia.
FPWEC Chair Phil Duncan said, ‘The Council has used the outcomes of the First Peoples’
National Water Summit which we convened in March and other work from over the last two years
to develop formal advice to the Commission on Australia’s First Peoples’ national water issues.
‘The issue of freshwater management is critical to Aboriginal peoples. The First Peoples of
Australia are the traditional owners and managers of Australia’s land and waters and we have
maintained strong and vital relationships with this heritage since time immemorial.
‘The land and the water – both above and below the ground – give us life: our livelihoods, our
cultural identity and our spiritual well-being. We have responsibilities to our lands, territories and
waters –and in turn they sustain us.
‘We are now calling for an Aboriginal water allocation in all water plans and for all Australian
governments to review how they manage water resources and to enshrine in their legislation the
principles set out in our advice, including mandatory Aboriginal engagement in decision making,
planning and management.
‘This must be coupled with Aboriginal access to water for cultural and economic purposes, and the
support needed for Australia’s First Peoples to participate fully and effectively in water planning
and management.
‘As a practical first step, we propose that the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) establish
a National Aboriginal Water Strategy, supported by an Aboriginal Economic Water Fund.
‘The Council’s consistent message is that Australia’s First Peoples want to be seen as an integral
building block towards improved water management through positive partnerships with
governments and other stakeholders.
Mr Duncan said, ‘FPWEC would like to thank the National Water Commission for its vision and
support, in particular Commissioner Elaine Gardiner who championed the Council as it developed
this critical policy framework.’
The members of the FPWEC are Cheryl Buchanan, (Kooma (Gwamu)), George Cooley (Yanyula
and Antakirinja Mutu-Yankuntjatjara), Phil Duncan (Gomeroi), Bradley Moggridge (Kamilaroi),
Lillian Moseley (Dunghutti), Robert Dalton (Mudburra) and Brian Wyatt (Yued and Banyjima).
A copy of FPWEC’s advice to the Commission is available at http://nwc.gov.au/planning/fpwec.
Further information