Are Indigenous land and sea management programs a pathway to Indigenous economic independence?

Abstract

This paper focuses on Indigenous business development, an under-researched co-benefit associated with investment in Indigenous land and sea management programs (ILSMPs) in northern Australia. More than 65% of ILSMPs undertake commercial activities that generate revenue and create jobs. In addition to generating environmental benefits, ILSMPs thus also generate economic benefits (co-benefits) that support Indigenous aspirations and help to deliver multiple government objectives. We outline key features of northern Australian economies, identifying factors that differentiate them from Western urbanised economies. We discuss literature highlighting that, if the aim is to stimulate (short-term) economic development in northern Indigenous economies, then the requirement is to stimulate demand for goods and services that are produced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (herein referred to as Indigenous people), and which generate benefits that align with the goals and aspirations of Indigenous people. We also discuss literature demonstrating the importance of promoting a socio-cultural environment that stimulates creativity, which is a core driver of innovation, business development and long-term development. ILSMPs have characteristics suggestive of an ability to kick-start self-sustaining growth cycles, but previous research has not investigated this. Using 8 years of data relating to Indigenous businesses that are registered with the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (a subset of all Indigenous businesses), we use statistical tests (Granger causality tests) to check whether ILSMP expenditure in the first year has a positive impact on Indigenous business activity in subsequent years. This analysis (of admittedly imperfect data) produces evidence to support the proposition that expenditure on ILSMPs generates positive spillovers for Indigenous businesses (even those not engaged in land management), albeit with a 3-year lag. ILSMPs have been shown to be an appropriate mechanism for achieving a wide range of short-term benefits; our research suggests they may also work as catalysts for Indigenous business development, fostering sustainable economic independence.

Indigenous Land and Sea Management Programs (ILSMPs) Enhance the Wellbeing of Indigenous Australians

“…Environmental, social and economic benefits of land management programs are many and accrue to many [5,16,24], but in this paper, we concentrate on benefits to Indigenous wellbeing. Different cultures conceptualise things differently [25]; so it is important that Indigenous peoples have the opportunity to conceptualise their own wellbeing.…”

“…The Australian Federal Government has recognised the ecological value of Indigenous land management and has encouraged it through a range of funding programs, including inter alia, Indigenous Land and Sea Management Programs (ILSMPs); see [4] for a related typology of such programs. These programs have aimed to advance biodiversity conservation and support natural resource and heritage protection as well as create sustainable employment and economic opportunities for Indigenous people [5]. For example, in 2018, there were more than 800 Indigenous rangers employed across 118 groups [6] undertaking a variety of land and sea management activities, including the promotion of environmental and cultural objectives, community and stakeholder engagement, information management and knowledge exchange.…”

“…Although investment in ILSMPs was initially designed to support improved conservation and environmental management by the increased involvement of Indigenous people, over time, it has been more frequently reported as being able to improve the wellbeing of Indigenous people [7], with growing evidence that ILSMPs generate co-benefits. "Co-benefits" are a diverse range of benefits that reach far and above those associated with the environment (e.g., health, pride, confidence, and capacity building), and can accrue to a wide and diverse range of stakeholders, including Indigenous people [3,8] and funding bodies [5]. However, impacts are not necessarily all positive.…”

“…Proper assessment of programs is thus a non-trivial task-and reducing uncertainty and complexity in the identification, evaluation, and monitoring of co-benefits is emerging as a research priority [16]. Overwhelmingly, assessments focus on financial impacts (which may typically not be of intrinsic importance to Indigenous people, [17] and on impacts which are perceived as important by non-Indigenous people (i.e., government targets in 'closing the gap' [5]). However, relatively little is known about what ILSMPs and similar natural resources management programs mean to Indigenous people from their own point of view: value systems differ across cultures and what Indigenous people value most might differ from what a government program might consider of highest importance [15].…”

Australian rangeland futures: time now for systemic responses to interconnected challenges

“…For example, successful pilot investments in new industries fail to scale because of inadequate communications infrastructure, governance support or human capacity building. Similarly, efforts to stimulate enterprises tend to target only supply or demand, not both (Jarvis et al 2018); government initiatives in regional development may conflict with programs to introduce technologies that replace people. So far we have highlighted contemporary challenges arising in five key areasmaintaining social licence to operate, a population that is becoming more Indigenous and youthful, the opportunities and threats from new technologies, governance failings that result in leakage of financial and human capital from the rangelands, and inadequate investment in that human capital.…”