Indigenous Land Corporation gpo box 652 Adelaide sa 5001

Consultation and working with stakeholders

Recognising the importance of consultation, the ILC has embedded consultative processes into all of its activities and programmes. The ILC meets with a broad range of stakeholders, including potential applicant groups, landholders, Indigenous groups, service providers and Indigenous agencies. Calls for land acquisition and land management assistance are advertised through a range of media, including online, Indigenous print and Indigenous television, in addition to flyers and posters distributed to potential applicants during stakeholder meetings and distributed through key co-ordination agencies.

In 2013–14, the ILC undertook intensive engagement with key stakeholders in relation to the review of the ILC and Indigenous Business Australia. This review was initiated by Indigenous Affairs Minister, Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion, in December 2013. The ILC Chairperson corresponded with ILC stakeholders, as well as a range of Indigenous leaders and interested third parties, on the issues arising from the review.

The ILC Board developed draft legislation – the Draft Stronger Land Account Bill – for consideration by the Government as a means of protecting and strengthening the Land Account. The draft legislation was also the subject of consultation with ILC stakeholders.

When the Draft Bill was released on 24 March 2014 the ILC Board convened a meeting of seven senior Indigenous leaders, including Patrick Dodson, former chair of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, and Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue, Noel Pearson, David Ross and Aden Ridgeway, all of whom were involved in the original native title negotiations that gave rise to the Native Title Act 1993 and the Land Account. The leaders endorsed the Draft Bill in principle and agreed on the need to protect the Land Account.

For further information, see page 8.