Purpose
LEED aims to assist, coordinate and facilitate the provision of Aboriginal land enterprise and economic development advice across Government. The context of LEED’s advice should be strongly aligned with current and emerging strategic policy drivers and will draw upon prevailing and innovative practice standards in Aboriginal engagement, not only in the Western Australian context, but also nationally and internationally.
Scope
LEED’s scope is to coordinate and facilitate Government planning and decision making about Aboriginal Economic Development in the context of:
- native title agreement-making;
- the implementation of native title agreements;
- developing or implementing Government policies/strategies/programs/projects (e.g. business cases, Cabinet submissions); and
- assessing proposals by Aboriginal groups.
Principles
LEED’s guiding principles underpinning its scope are:
- Opportunities/Aspirations – pursuing initiatives empowering Aboriginal groups to unlock the economic potential of land and waters.
- Planning/Governance – addressing Aboriginal economic development considerations as early as possible and establishing an appropriate governance framework.
- Partnership and collaboration – working closely with Government partners and taking a whole-of-Government approach to Aboriginal economic development by leveraging off existing efforts within Government.
- Due diligence – when considering the potential benefits/risks of Aboriginal economic development proposals.
- Expertise – enlisting/facilitating expert advice, both from within and outside Government.
- Strategic alignment – providing advice consistent with broader State and Commonwealth policy priorities, I.e. Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy, Closing the Gap, Aboriginal Procurement Policy.
- Advocacy – promoting a greater emphasis on Aboriginal economic development across Government in the design and delivery of policies, strategies, programs and projects.
Collaboration
LEED works closely with the following teams across the Aboriginal Engagement Directorate:
- Native Title Negotiations;
- Native Title Agreement Implementation and Projects – North West and South West;
- Community Relations and Engagement; and
- Policy Development and Coordination.
Engagement
Key projects and initiatives that LEED currently provides advice on and assistance with include:
- Indigenous Land Use Agreements:
- Yamatji Nation ILUA economic development opportunities;
- Yawuru ILUA and Strategic Projects;
- Proposed Wanjina Wunggurr Wilinggin people negotiated settlement agreement
- Northern Australia Strategy and refreshed National Cabinet Agenda;
- Roadmap to Recovery;
- Review of Business Cases:
- Department of Communities North-West Aboriginal Housing Fund;
- Land and Native Title Policy Framework; and
- Sandalwood Taskforce (shared).
- Aboriginal Procurement Policy
This list will be continually updated as projects and initiatives come on stream.
Strategic Policy Drivers
The Department is currently in the process of drafting a whole-of-government Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy will allow agencies to work better together and will strengthen Government accountability to the WA community. In conjunction with the broader Aboriginal Engagement Directorate, LEED will draw upon key principles from the Strategy including Empowered Agreement Making and Boosting Economic Opportunities.
Additionally, in light of the COVID-19 restrictions gradually being lifted, the WA Government is focused on economic recovery and opportunities that align with the development of the State’s recovery plan; focusing on five key recovery areas - health, economic and infrastructure, social, industry and regions. In conjunction with the Strategy, the LEED team will utilise the State’s recovery plan to coordinate and facilitate complementary new business development, commercial enterprise and employment opportunities for locals in this recovery phase. LEED will also consider how to create opportunities for Aboriginal communities out of WA Government announcements by engaging with other central agencies to further whole-of-government collaboration and with line agencies as part of planning and project delivery to ensure a collaborative and coordinated approach is undertaken.
Responding to the current circumstances can also be assisted by reference to key policy development such as the aforementioned Strategy, the Department’s Whole of Government Land and Native Title Policy Framework, the Department’s Roadmap to Recovery Coordination of Recovery Projects, the new Commonwealth Closing the Gap Refresh agenda, and Infrastructure WA’s State Infrastructure Strategy Discussion Paper: A Stronger Tomorrow.
LEED will also provide support for the development of opportunities for new business development, commercial enterprise and employment for traditional owners informed by the Strategy, and will focus on achieving outcomes for Aboriginal people built around their views, priorities, voices and aspirations. This whole-of-government approach aims to bring a renewed strategic focus on working with Aboriginal people towards better social, economic, health and cultural outcomes.
