Research practice and
service provision in
remote Australia
Background
Ninti One is a leader in developing and implementing research practices specifically
designed for remote Australia and for working in culturally appropriate ways with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Further, training in research practice is
provided to people of central Australia, particularly through the Aboriginal Community
Researcher (ACR) initiative. In addition, postgraduate research training is provided
through scholarships granted by the Ninti One CRC programs, delivering highly skilled
professionals equipped to work in the range of fields pertinent to remote Australia.
Impacts

Research students of DKCRC are employed in ongoing research and professional
pursuits in support of remote Australia, its communities and issues; for example (i)
Elizabeth Ganter, Jen Cleary, Guy Singleton, Kate Braham, et al. (refer Appendix
below); (ii) Sarah Holcombe's role as Director on the Executive of the Australian
Anthropological Society stemmed from her experience in DKCRC, as did her position
on the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
Ethics Committee, and the granting of her ARC Future Fellowship award.

Remote livestock management technology developed by Ninti One and partner
Precision Pastoral Pty Ltd has provided pastoralism researchers with a method to
acquire quantitative data not previously achievable; this has created a significant new
R&D capability and a research product market, which already generates flow-on
benefits for researchers' industry clients; there is also international research interest
in accessing this technology.

The success in delivery of Desert Knowledge Australia programs benefited from
adoption of the ‘science of desert living’ philosophy developed by DKCRC.

The Ninti One ACR program has been utilised by Desert Knowledge Australia,
providing employment and delivery of resources to remote communities.

The impact of the ACR program created by DKCRC is two-fold: (i) employment of
local Aboriginal people, and (ii) better community outcomes because of more
appropriate management. There is a very large demand for consultation processes,
and this is now done with local capacity and delivered more effectively.
E: info@nintione.com.au

In regard to employment by (then) FaHCSIA of local Aboriginal community workers,
DKCRC (i) formulated prescriptive protocols for the first time, and (ii) ensured that
correct rates of pay were applied, both of which FaHCSIA adopted and continues to
apply.

The 'attraction/retention' strategy, built on involvement in DKCRC, has led to
employment benefits in the Outback Business Network program of Desert
Knowledge Australia.

New jobs and Aboriginal training opportunities were created at Centre for Appropriate
Technology as a direct result of the new projects that arose from involvement in
DKCRC.

The viability of Centre for Appropriate Technology was assured as a direct result of
the new projects above.
Usage

DKCRC research outputs have been applied in delivering training programs to South
American remote communities and visiting delegations to Community Works
Associates, for example, by applying Aboriginal housing expertise developed in
DKCRC.

Several remote monitoring projects (including the Australian Feral Camel
Management Project) use or used the telemetry systems developed by the
WaterSmart Pastoralism™ project. This has resulted in more effective data collection
and major savings for research projects and represents a new research
instrumentation product market opportunity.

The significant contribution by Ninti One via its critical mass and apparent tenure has
underpinned the success of Desert Knowledge Australia, leading to employment and
institution-building.

Involvement with DKCRC and the experience gained enabled Centre for Appropriate
Technology to generate new projects.
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Outcomes

Desert Knowledge Australia uses the DKCRC ‘science of desert living’ research
findings and principles, which underpinned the development of the DKA strategic
plan; they are particularly relevant in application to the three core integrating DKA
programs:
o Desert Leadership (intercultural leadership program)
o outback business networks (OBN)
o remoteFOCUS.

DKCRC provided the ‘language and strategic framework’ around which Desert
Knowledge Australia developed, and various ‘institutional outcomes’ created by
DKCRC are significant to DKA; for example, the outputs of Mark Moran are used in
service delivery to Desert Knowledge Australia clients.

The partnership of Ninti One with DKA is a key contribution to the Desert Knowledge
Precinct overall.

A flow-on benefit of for ACRs in the program pioneered by DKCRC is that they have
often moved on to other full-time and near-full-time employment elsewhere due to the
research skills they have developed. The program has created an employment
market opportunity based on management of knowledge and information that was
previously the realm of outside agencies and consultants from major cities, but has
now been made available as skills for local Aboriginal people.

Through DKCRC provision of training and skills for local people in the Alice Springs
area, the credibility and status of central Australia as an education centre has been
heightened.
E: info@nintione.com.au
Appendix: Estimated student graduations and employment
(excluding those who failed to complete)
Name
Jane Addison
Rodger Barnes
Kate Braham
Status
completed
submitted
completed
Greg Cartan
Amanda Carter
submitted
completed
Jennifer Cleary
submitted
Fiona Daly
Elizabeth Ganter
completed
completed
Jenine Godwin
Annie Kennedy
Lynette Liddle
Judy Lovell
Kado Muir
Louise Moylan
Katherine Parsons
Karissa Preuss
submitted
completed
submitted
in progress
in progress
completed
completed
continuing
Donna Savigni
Guy Singleton
completed
completed
Doris Schmallegger
Dorothy Turner
Jane Walker
Jerry Chun-Ping Wang
Mara West
completed
completed
completed
completed
completed
Employment
CSIRO
Researcher, Univ. of Qld, Institute for Social Science Research
Senior Project Officer, Indigenous Programs North West, Indigenous
Policy and Programs Branch, Department of Sustainability,
Environment, Water, Population and Communities
contract university teaching (several)
Univ. SA, Research Associate with the Centre for Accounting,
Governance and Sustainability
Univ. SA, Senior Research Development Manager, Centre for Rural
Health and Community Development at the Centre for Regional
Engagement
Assistant Director, Remote Service Delivery Policy Team, Indigenous
Economic Strategy Group, Australian Government Department of
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Ninti One, Business Development Unit
Rural Directions Pty Ltd initially
PhD candidate in wind erosion and drought at Griffith Univ.
M.Phil. candidate in community-based natural resource management at
Fenner School of Environment & Society, ANU College of Medicine,
Biology & Environment
Univ. WA, Research Assistant, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Senior Advisor, Community Relations, Environment & Social
Responsibility, Newmont Asia Pacific
University of South Australia
E: info@nintione.com.au