Indigenous Community Governance Project Understanding, Building and Sustaining Effective Governance in Rural, Remote and Urban Indigenous Communities Governance contestation and economic development in the Maningrida region, NT   Jon Altman in collaboration with Bawinanga Aborginal Corporation and its Board and Senior Management This case study seeks to track emerging forms of community and corporate governance focussing on one organisation, the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) established in 1979 as an outstation resource agency. There are a number of other Maningrida-based organisations that also play a part in Maningrida township and regional development. The Maningrida region has an unusual diversity in language groups, strong ongoing links to country and customary forms of land tenure and resource management, a complex history of engagement with the state, and numerous community organisations with diverse forms, histories and degrees of efficacy. The practical aim of the research is to facilitate a higher level of economic engagement in its many manifestations for the regional population. This case study seeks to track emerging forms of community and corporate governance at BAC, as economic development and livelihood opportunities arise and expand. Jon aims to work across all regional language groups (including Kuninjku, Burada, Gunardpa, Djinang, Rembarrnga, Gunabidji, Nakara, Gune and Gurrgoni), as well as with members of an estimated 100 patrilineal clan groups in the region. The Maningrida region comprises an area of about 10,000 sq. km on Aboriginal owned land in central Arnhem Land, about 500 km east of Darwin. The population of the region is around 2500, made up of about 700 people associated with 30–35 small outstation communities in the hinterland and around 1800 people (1600 Indigenous, 200 non-Indigenous) living in the township of Maningrida, which was established in 1957. The key organisations involved in community governance fall into three categories: a local government organisation (Maningrida Council) funded by NT DCDSCA; Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation (BAC, an outstation resource agency), the Maningrida Jobs, Education and Training (MJET) Centre, and Maningrida Health Board incorporated under the Commonwealth Aboriginal Councils Association Act; and the Maningrida Progress Association (MPA), incorporated under NT Associations Incorporation law. Each organisation has a governing board, variously elected or nominated, with Board members sometimes sitting on a number of Boards. Members of the Dekuridju local land-owning group have strong political power in Maningrida township decision-making. Research as part of the ICGP to date has included a preliminary scoping trip in 2005, and the evaluation of a governance training course for local Aboriginal Board members delivered by the MJET through a survey of both the participants and relevant CEOs. Research in 2005 also looked at the early impacts of the new arrangements in Indigenous affairs on BAC and this research will continue in 2006 with a particular focus on CDEP, land rights, and outstation policy reforms and their impacts on regional development.   Papers arising from this research include: 'The governance of outstations in the Maningrida region, north-central Arnhem Land, and the challenges posed by the new arrangements', ICGP Occasional Paper No. 11, by Jon Altman. [166 Kb PDF document] Click here to download document.