Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council – Land and Economic Participation Solution Brokerage Accord

The Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council – Land and Economic Participation Accord (October 2017 – September 2019) was developed under the OCHRE Solution Brokerage framework. The NSW Government entered into Solution Brokerage in response to long standing issues that the Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council continued to pursue as a result of the Regional Forestry Agreement (RFA) 1999.

The actions agreed under the Accord will support the implementation of the Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council’s Community, Land and Business Plan which aims to enhance economic participation opportunities for the Eden Aboriginal community. The report “Solution Brokerage: A coordinated approach to addressing land & economic participation issues with Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council” dated November 2016 details the pre accord work.

The Accord details commitments from various NSW agencies, the Bega Valley Shire Council and the NSW Aboriginal Land Council.

Throughout the Solution Brokerage process, key principles guided the negotiations and interactions of all parties. These same principles underpin the Accord and its ensuing collaborations.

• Aboriginal people and communities hold strong spiritual, cultural, social and economic relationships with Country and/or Place and are best placed to inform negotiations on the impact and issues arising from such relationships.
• Aboriginal cultural knowledge is acknowledged and considered in all negotiations.
• Decision making authority is present. Outcomes focused and driven, rather than process driven.
• Mutually agreed priorities.
• Investment in long term change, even if success is not evident in the short term.
• Commitment to active participation, effective coordination and support of aligned activities.
• Local solutions, tailored to meet local needs while leveraging existing resources and expertise where possible.
• Continuous improvement and adjustment where necessary.
• Collaborative relationship between Government and Eden LALC.
• Responsibility, accountability and transparency in decision making.
• Adaptive and flexible approaches and a willingness to learn from other stakeholders.
• Commitment to work innovatively where necessary and appropriate, including realignment of resourcing.
• Respectful consultations and negotiations between government and Eden LALC and its members, with the free, prior consent of those members.
• Sufficient trust to ensure significant innovation and risk taking, both politically and financially.