Presentations from Australia's leading Waste Conference, May 02 ~ 04 2017 held in Coffs Harbour, NSW.

1. Cultural awareness –
Engaging Aboriginal
communities about waste and
recycling
Panel

2. • Amber Seccombe (Chair)
• Danyelle Carter, EPA
• Kate Brown, Waste Aid
• Tash Morton, North East Waste
• Trent Lynwood, Director Northern Zone NSW
Aboriginal Land Council
2

3. • Missions: were in the control of churches and missionaries
with little or no government involvement.
• Reserves and stations: were generally run by the
government although churches, especially the United
Aborigines Mission and the Aborigines Inland Mission, were
sometimes active on Government settlements although they
didn’t always have an administrative role.
In some circumstances Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people also lived in reserves which were overseen by local
police. There was little to no food and resources available.
Aboriginal people were forcibly relocated to
Missions, reserves and stations
3

4. • 1869 - Act for "Protection and Management of Aboriginal
Natives" is passed in Victoria. By 1900, most Victorian
Aboriginal people are placed on reserves.
• 1881 - A 'Protector of Aborigines' is appointed in NSW. The
Protector has the power to create reserves and to force
Aboriginal people to live on them.
• 1897 - The Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the
Sale of Opium Act (Qld) is established. More than 7000
Aboriginal people were removed from their homelands.
• 1937 - Assimilation. Commonwealth Government that
Aboriginal people ‘not of full blood’ should be absorbed or
‘assimilated’ into the wider population. Forcible removal of
Indigenous children from their families.
History of missions and reserves – timeline
4

5. • 1939 - The Aboriginals Preservation and Protection Act
(Qld) gave the Director of Native Affairs legal guardianship
over every Aboriginal child under 21.
Aboriginal people had no authority to decide where to live,
where to work or who to marry; Government had the power to
remove Aboriginal people to reserves up until 1965
• 1940 - NSW Aborigines Welfare Board replaces the
Aborigines Protection Board.
• 1967 – Referendum
• NSW 1983 – Aboriginal Land Rights Act (1983) Reserves /
Missions handed back to Aboriginal people and managed by
Local Aboriginal Land Councils
• 1987 - Last mission in Queensland closed
History of missions and reserves – timeline
5

6. 6
Current Reality for Indigenous Communities
• Constant surveillance and interference from Governments over
time has created mistrust in the communities and lack of faith in
mainstream services and organisations
• Overwhelming social problems and intergenerational trauma
within communities has put them into ‘survival’ mode - broader
issues create further anxiety and stress
• Communities can feel they are dealing with waste issues that
arise from the end result of colonisation
• Without critical self reflection around the history of colonisation,
privilege and acknowledgement of structural racism, workers are
at risk of continuing to unconsciously perpetuate colonising
attitudes onto Indigenous communities
• The infrastructure within the communities has ongoing issues

7. Remote locations outside towns
7

8. Remote locations outside towns
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9. Remote locations outside towns
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10. Remote locations outside towns
10

11. Environmentally and culturally sensitive
11

12. Environmentally and culturally sensitive
12

13. Environmentally and culturally sensitive
13

14. Environmentally and culturally sensitive
14

15. Social issues, disadvantage and overcrowding
15

16. Social issues, disadvantage and overcrowding
16

17. Social issues, disadvantage and overcrowding
17

18. Social issues, disadvantage and overcrowding
18

19. Complex land tenure and ownership issues
19

20. Complex land tenure and ownership issues
20

21. Complex land tenure and ownership issues
21

22. Private land and no public infrastructure
22

23. Private land and no public infrastructure
23

24. Cultural and family events
24

25. Cultural and family events
25

26. No litter bins or litter clean up
26

27. No litter bins or litter clean up
27

28. No litter bins or litter clean up
28

29. No litter bins or litter clean up
29

30. No bulky waste collections
30

31. No bulky waste collections
31

32. Cars not registered to transport waste
32

33. Cars not registered to transport waste
33

34. Illegal dumping
34

35. Burning waste
35

36. Burning waste
36

37. Difficult access for service providers
37

38. Difficult access for service providers
38

39. Difficult access for service providers
39

40. Difficult access for service providers
40

41. Waste services not sufficient
or tailored for community needs
41

42. Waste services not sufficient or tailored for community needs
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43. Waste services not sufficient or tailored for community needs
43

44. Disadvantage, cheap cars and bad roads
44

45. Disadvantage, cheap cars and bad roads
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46. Disadvantage, cheap cars and bad roads
46

47. 47
Disadvantage, cheap cars and bad roads

48. Strained relationships with local councils
48

49. 49
Strained relationships with local councils

50. Education materials not reaching communities
or not tailored for communities
50

51. Education materials not reaching communities
or not tailored for communities
51

52. Education materials not reaching communities
or not tailored for communities
52

53. Education materials not reaching communities
or not tailored for communities
53

54. Education materials not reaching communities
or not tailored for communities
54

55. Education materials not reaching communities
or not tailored for communities
55

56. Cabbage Tree Island: BallinaMuli Muli: Woodenbong
Cross cultural collaboration:
56

57. Core values
for achieving
collaboration
57

58. BUILD CAPACITY & OPPORTUNITY
DEEP LISTENING
MINDFUL of your own VALUES
ALLOW TIME ADAPTIVE
Collaboration = Cooperative culture
58

59. What are your cultural values?
Language and communication style?
Customs?
World view?
History?
Environment you grew up in?
Mindful of your own values
59

60. The lens you see the world through
60

61. Cultural awareness training
Create jobs for Aboriginal people
Training opportunities
Support and mentors
Build capacity and create opportunity
61

62. Relationships
Trust & respect
Community dynamics
Communication
Allow time
62

63. • Be responsive and open to change
• Identify knowledge gaps that inhibit understanding
• Allow for delays
• Never assume you know the best solution
Be adaptive
63

64. Used with the permission of Professor Judy Atkinson 2017 64

65. • Giving your full attention to the speaker
• Not interrupting
• Don’t assume you understand
• Observe body language
• Observe tone of voice
• Allow silence
• Actively ask questions to clarify understanding
Active listening skills
65

66. EPA funding for Aboriginal communities
• $4 million over 4 years to improve waste
management in 61 former missions/reserves
in NSW ($1 million/year)
• $1 million for Aboriginal Land Clean Up and
Prevention grants (ALCUP)

67. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Widykor9c5Y
67
Courtesy of Desert Pea Media

68. The
Circular Economy
in the
Asia Pacific Region