Indigenous Community Governance (ICGP)

Research team: Jon Altman, Janet Hunt, William Sanders, John Taylor, Sarah Holcombe, Frances Morphy, Benjamin Smith, Diane Smith, Kathryn Thorburn

Project status: Completed

Research type: CAEPR research

A Collaborative Action Research Project by the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research and Reconciliation Australia

The Indigenous Community Governance Project (ICGP) is supported under the Australian Research Council's Linkage funding scheme (Project No. 0348744). The project is also funded by the Northern Territory and West Australian governments, and the Australian Government through the Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (formerly the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs), each of whom also collaborate with the research.

The Project is a partnership between the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) and Reconciliation Australia, to undertake research on Indigenous community governance with participating Indigenous communities, regional Indigenous organisations, and leaders across Australia.

 

Project overview:

The Project is exploring:

  • The current state of community governance on the ground, including its cultural, social, economic, legal, policy, service delivery, and historical contexts
  • The different models of governance that have been established and are emerging in communities, and the governance processes, institutions, structures, powers and capacities involved
  • The factors influencing culturally legitimate governance arrangements in Indigenous communities
  • The shortfalls in community governance skills and capacities, as well as the governance strengths, and
  • The wider 'governance environments' and policy networks within which community governance operates, including the role and impacts of State, Territory and Federal Government policy and service delivery on the effectiveness of community governance.

Case study research is being undertaken at some 13 varied sites across Australia, in collaboration with participating communities and organisations. The Project aims to make research 'count' by using a participatory community-based approach, and by directly informing the work of Indigenous organisations, leaders and government agencies in their practical efforts to build better governance.

The Project depends on guidance from an Advisory Committee that has significant Indigenous membership, and comprises experts from across Australia as well as international researchers from the United States and Canada.

Research findings from the Project are made available in a wide range of accessible formats to the participating Indigenous community governing bodies and leaders, and to project sponsors. In addition, the Project publishes papers, reports, and a newsletter, and presents its research at workshops and conferences.