ninti one limited

InformatIon on • InnovatIon on • Ideas 

for remote australIa 

ninti one limited 

RepoRt foR the yeaR 2011–12

NiNti ONe Limited 

Our visiON, missiON 

aNd vaLues 

Ninti One Limited has the vision of resilient remote communities and businesses that 

enrich Australia through their vigour, cultural integrity, ability to innovate, and sustainable 

use of resources. Through our research, expertise, education and outreach we provide the 

knowledge base essential to create these communities and economies. 

Our work is based on values created by our Board, leadership team, staff and stakeholders. They reflect 

many years experience of working with people and a wise discernment of what makes a creative, effective 

and enjoyable organisational culture. As an organisation we shall: 

Much of Australia’s wealth is created in our remote 

regions, yet many of the people who live there are 

excluded from the benefits of this economic activity. 

The impact of this exclusion on remote Australians, 

particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

people, is acknowledged by the Council of Australian 

Governments as a national policy priority. 

Ninti One Limited is a national not-for-profit company 

headquartered in Central Australia that is committed 

to solutions to the major challenges facing people in 

remote areas. We aim to: 

• address the social and economic challenges of 

people in remote Australia 

• embrace and protect the natural environment 

• find solutions to economic exclusion 

• improve understanding of Australia’s remote 

regions 

• increase people’s economic participation 

• increase people’s skills and capacity 

• understand the impact of climate change on the 

environment and people. 

Analysing the mobility patterns of those who live in remote 

areas, and addressing their needs, is essential to economic 

participation and development. 

We build on the expertise of our researchers and 

partners to extend the reach and influence of our 

work. Our networks of professional practitioners 

work in high-calibre multidisciplinary teams; these 

teams are able to compete for and attract contracts 

on cross-jurisdictional projects that have national and 

international focus. 

• build relationships that improve the lives of people in remote Australia 

• have respect for cultural diversity and the cultural authority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

people 

• develop excellence in research, research application, management and governance systems 

• show courage, innovation and entrepreneurship 

• have integrity and empathy, and listen and learn 

• be responsive, open and accountable 

• create an enjoyable, stimulating and sustainable working environment. 

Our values are lived in a conscious way and are reflected in how we communicate with each other. At the 

core of Ninti One Limited is a way of doing things that values people and relationships, and this approach 

influences our work across a vast network of people and organisations throughout Australia and beyond. 

Understanding this is one of our greatest assets. 

www.nintione.com.au • 1

NINTI ONE 

ninti one partners 

our partners 

8 • www.nintione.com.au 

Ninti One Limited’s partners and stakeholders form 

part of our company; in 2011–12 we worked 

with more than 60 partners across Australia. These 

partners range from the large to the small, from 

federal government level to local community level, 

from international business to micro-business, from 

academia to hands-on end-user groups. Key research 

is provided by our major partners in the universities 

and CSIRO, with application and on-ground activities 

supported by our precinct and project partners. 

Partners help to define and plan our work. In 

some cases they contribute to a research project’s 

conception and design of its goals and programs. 

Collaborations are fundamental to the way Ninti One 

Limited operates. Bringing partners with us from the 

project inception and research through to the creation 

of the project’s outputs increases the impact of our 

work on the ground. 

Ninti One Limited also creates value for its partners in 

many ways. Partners of the CRC-REP research take 

part in a project’s governance and they contribute 

either financially or ‘in kind’, with skills, staff time, 

equipment or other resources. This participation 

entitles them access to and benefit from the results 

and outcomes of the research. There are many 

benefits in being a Ninti One Limited partner. As a 

diverse and collaborative organisation that works 

across disciplines we deliver new knowledge in the 

form of research results and research training. We 

work with our partners to broker new opportunities, 

services and employment that aim to apply our 

research results to the implementation of practical, 

on-ground projects. 

We also deliver intellectual property, commercial 

outcomes and information in a form that facilitates its 

adoption. 

The partner approach benefits our researchers too, 

providing scope to explore new fields related to the 

remote regions of the Australian continent, to develop 

their capacity to operate across very large distances 

and to partner successfully with Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander and other remote organisations and 

industries. 

Photos this page: 

TOP: Photo: Libby Kartzoff 

BOTTOM: Aerial view 

of Desert Knowledge 

Precinct, Alice Springs 

Business and end-user partners 

Advanced Dynamics 

Alinytjara Wilurara NRM Board 

(South Australia) 

Anangu Pitjantjatjara 

Yankunytjatjara Lands 

Australian Wildlife Conservancy 

Biosecurity SA 

Centrefarm 

Central Land Council 

CleanGROW 

Coles 

Community Works 

Desart 

Desert Garden Produce Aboriginal 

Corporation 

Desert Knowledge Australia 

Education Transformation 

ARE HOSTED 

Where our 

research Leaders 

are hosted 

Graham (Polly) Farmer 

Foundation 

Iga Warta 

Keringke Arts 

Kimberley Land Council 

Kungka’s Can Cook 

Lhere Artepe Aboriginal 

Corporation 

Minerals Council of Australia 

Natural Resource Management 

Board NT Inc. 

Newmont Australia Ltd 

Ngaanyatjarra Council Inc. 

North Australian Pastoral Co. 

Northern Territory Cattlemen’s 

Association 

McPhee Andrewartha 

WHERE OUR WHERE RESEARCH OUR RESEARCH LEADERS LEADERS 

ARE HOSTED 

PERTH 

PERTH 

Host Institutions 

Remote Australia 

Host Institutions 

Remote Australia 

DARWIN DARWIN 

ALICE SPRINGS 

ALICE SPRINGS 

ADELAIDE 

Observant Pty Ltd 

Outback Communities Authority 

Outback Spirit 

Pila Nguru Aboriginal Corporation 

Precision Pastoral Pty Ltd 

Rangelands (NRM WA) 

RemoteBiz Pty Ltd 

Rio Tinto Services ltd 

Robins Foods Pty Ltd 

South Australian Arid lands NRM 

Board 

Tangentyere Council 

The Smith Family 

Titjikala Social Club 

Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi 

ADELAIDE 

LISMORE 

ARMIDALE 

LISMORE 

MELBOURNE 

MELBOURNE 

ARMIDALE 

Government partners 

Australian Bureau of Statistics 

Department of Agriculture and Food 

(WA Government) 

Department of employment, economic 

Development and Innovation (Qld 

Government) 

Department of environment and 

Conservation (WA Government) 


Natural Resources (SA Government) 


Resource Management (Qld 

Government) 

Department of Families, Housing, 

Community Services and Indigenous 

Affairs (Australian Government) 

Department of Prime Minister and 

Cabinet Office for the Arts (Australian 

Government) 

Department of Regional Australia, 

Regional Development and local 

Government (Australian Government) 

Department of education, employment 

and Workplace Relations (Australian 

Government) 

Department of Indigenous Affairs (WA 

Government) 

Department of Natural Resources, 

environment, the Arts and Sport (NT 

Government) 

Department of Sustainability, 

Environment, Water, Population and 

Communities (Australian Government) 

Northern Territory Government 

university and 

research partners 

Australian Council for 

Educational Research 

Australian Institute of 

Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander Studies 

Batchelor Institute of 

Indigenous Tertiary 

Education 

Centre for Appropriate 

Technology 

Centre for Remote Health 

Charles Darwin University 

CSIRO 

Curtin University 

Flinders University 

Griffith University 

Memorial University of 

Newfoundland, Canada 

Southern Cross University 

University of British 

Columbia, Canada 

University of the Free State, 

Karoo Development 

Foundation, South Africa 

University of New England 

University of South 

Australia 


NINTI ONE 

strategic objectives 

our structure 

What We Want to Be 

A nationally and internationally recognised centre 

for expertise in remote communities and economic 

development. 

What We do 

Ninti One Limited is an organisation with a proven 

track record in project management, financial 

compliance, research completion and technology 

transfer. Our team is made up of highly qualified 

people experienced in achieving successful outcomes 

in remote settings. Success is founded on solid 

systems and clear strategies. With that in mind, 

the Board and senior management developed a 

strategic plan that provides organisational direction 

and ensures Ninti One Limited remains focused 

on delivering to its partners, communities and 

stakeholders. 

Ninti One Limited staff are committed to these 

strategies and goals and work collaboratively with 

respect for each other, our stakeholders and end 

users. 

Our head office is located in Alice Springs at the 

Desert Knowledge Precinct with key staff also based 

in Darwin, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra. 

Ninti One Limited operates three business units: 

• Business Innovation manages the research 

activity of CRC-REP. 

• Business Development is responsible for the 

development and commercialisation of intellectual 

property and our consultancy services. 

• Business Realisation provides essential services 

to the organisation such as financial management, 

contracting, human resources, ICT, monitoring and 

reporting, and communications. 

Our Business Realisation team has been strengthened 

this year with the appointment of Fran Kilgariff AM as 

General Manager, Business Operations. Fran brings 

with her a wealth of local experience and knowledge. 

We also welcomed Russell Raggatt as our new Senior 

Finance Officer. 


TOP: Lynette Swan at 

the reception of Ninti 

One Limited head office. 

Photo: Moving Pictures, 

April Goodman 

MIDDle: Photo: Moving 

Pictures, April Goodman 

We foster partnerships and collaborations in order to 

conduct high-quality research and broker knowledge that 

meets substantial national challenges and benefits end 

users in remote Australia. 

hoW We do it 

We work in a collaborative, cross-cultural and 

interdisciplinary way to address enduring and systemic 

problems in remote Australia. 

With Whom We Work 

A diversity of partners, stakeholders and communities to 

strengthen their capacity. 

Where We do it 

Extensively across remote Australia and through a system 

of strategic nodes, in order to attract expertise and 

investment to benefit remote Australia. 

hoW We measure our performance 

We are accountable to partners, stakeholders and 

communities through effective systems for measuring 

performance and evaluating impact. 



NINTI ONE acTI 

TIvITIE 

ITIEs 

Chris Crafter, Jeff Foulkes, Alicia Whittington and Jayne 

Brim-Box developing vegetation monitoring methodology 

for the AFCMP at Simpsons Gap, Northern Territory. 

hoW We Work 


Ninti One Limited recognises that the goal of 

sustainable and healthy communities in remote 

Australia is intrinsically linked with the participation, 

ownership and partnership of the residents of those 

communities in the initiatives that affect their lives. 

Our formal collaborations with over 60 government, 

private sector and community organisations enable us 

to deliver and manage complex economic, social and 

environmental projects across remote Australia. This 

capacity is further enhanced by formal relationships 

with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations 

(who form one-third of the partners of Ninti One 

Limited) and by our staff, who have intercultural 

skills and long-standing professional relationships 

with many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 

communities. 

Ninti One Limited is structured to provide the best and 

most strategic delivery of our contract management, 

research and on-ground activities. Each area of our 

operations applies itself in the most appropriate way. 

For example, our CRC-REP sees the whole subject of a 

research project, not just its component parts. This is 

called a ‘whole of systems’ approach. This approach 

is most successful in identifying the key drivers and 

causes of economic disadvantage in remote areas 

and the methods required to overcome them. 

Other project areas operate differently. Our research 

into services in remote Australia has taught us that a 

picture of a system is best built through knowledge 

from different sources. For the research to arrive 

at recommendations to improve services through 

a system-based analysis, we bring together three 

different types of knowledge: local knowledge held by 

consumers and citizens; scientific knowledge held by 

researchers; and policy and administrative knowledge 

held by governments, service providers and nongovernment 

organisations. To overlook any of these 

sources risks missing an important part of the puzzle. 

This flexible, multidisciplinary approach is critical 

to our success. It is our key strength, one that is 

fundamental to the delivery of tangible benefits for 

our stakeholders. Indeed, it is the only way to work 

in remote Australia, and the only way to ensure 

that those who have the greatest needs receive the 

greatest service. 

Photo this page: 

Remote Australia boasts 

some spectacular scenery 


NINTI ONE acTIvITIE 

ITIEs 

aBoriGinaL community researchers 

Community Researchers 

using computer tablets 

to conduct How families 

look after people in Mimili 

survey. Photo: Sam Osborne 


Our approach to successful research in remote 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities 

is founded on the principle that when community 

members work as researchers in their home 

community, new knowledges and opportunities are 

created for future research, informed decision making 

and genuine on-the-ground change. This approach 

encourages innovative methodologies and works 

from community priorities and values in the research 

process. 

Ninti One Limited has a strong commitment to 

employing Aboriginal Community Researchers; the 

process is supported by our senior research staff, who 

engage a range of community members in the design, 

accountability and responsibility for their research 

work. Senior community members with high levels of 

cultural knowledge and expertise are engaged. Our 

research involves and is accountable to bodies such 

as councils and community organisations. 

The shift from ‘outsider researcher’ to ‘community 

researcher’ opens the space for authentic 

engagement, expert consideration of community 

values, languages and other dynamics that often 

inhibit research due to the lack of cultural, linguistic 

and community capacity of external researchers. 

Working as a community researcher builds 

understanding and confidence in the breadth of a 

research question and injects new skills and capacity 

into the community. Our approach supports a range of 

skills development, cultural positions, language and 

literacy. Researchers talk with the community and 

support interested team members to develop skills 

and confidence. 

Typically, skills are developed across the research 

process, including ethics and ethical research, 

methodologies, respectful and inclusive research 

practice, interviewing techniques, data collection, 

analysis and reporting. This year, for example, we 

employed community researchers in developing 

computer tablet surveys. It is envisaged that this skill 

development will be applicable to other employment 

opportunities in their communities. In 2011–12, 

41 Aboriginal Community Researchers have been 

contracted to work with Ninti One Limited research, 

including the CRC-REP. 


TOP: Ntaria Community 

Researchers review and 

discuss research findings. 

Photo: Judy Lovell 

MIDDle: Community 

Researchers developing 

questions for the Bush 

Medicine surveys 

BOTTOM: Ada Lechleitner 

conducting a safe 

driving survey with local 

residents. Photo: Judy 

Lovell 




ITIEs 

austraLian feraL cameL manaGement project 

Camels are a significant invasive species that 

roam across remote Australia, causing more 

than $10 million worth of damage to infrastructure 

and livelihoods each year. This four-year $19 million 

project completed its third year of operation in 

2011–12, and a new annual work plan for the 

fourth operational year was submitted to the 

Australian Government. It is one of the largest 

and most diverse collaborations ever to target an 

established feral species in Australia. 

The project established landholder consents for 

commercial and non-commercial feral camel removal 

across more than 1.3 million square kilometres. As 

of 30 June, around 75,000 feral camels had been 

removed, with around 15,000 of these removed from 

the more accessible areas for commercial use (pet 

meat and human consumption). The project is on 

track to achieve its aim to reduce camel densities to 

agreed targets in 18 specific biodiversity areas across 

3.3 million square kilometres. Further to this, almost 

500 Aboriginal people have been trained in monitoring 

and managing feral camel impacts. 

The project has led to improved information on feral 

camel densities, movements and impacts, which 

will be invaluable in guiding future feral camel 

management. Project partners placed 50 satellite 

collars on feral camels and flew aerial surveys over 

more than 500,000 square kilometres to inform 

current and future management activities. Based 

on recent aerial survey work, we believe that the 

population currently stands at around 750,000. We 

continue to refine this figure as we undertake further 

removal and aerial survey work. 

Another innovative outcome from this project is 

the extensive biodiversity-monitoring program that 

uses motion-activated cameras on site near inland 

waterholes across the Northern Territory. These 

images not only provide evidence of the damage that 

feral camels cause, but also confirm the large number 

of native animal species that depend on these scarce 

desert water sources. 

In June 2012, Ninti One limited hosted the ABC’s 

Lateline program to film a story which highlighted the 

impact of feral camels on the environment, cultural 

sites, inland water sources and the pastoral industry. 


Feral camels eating 

vegetation near a remote 

waterhole in the southern 

Northern Territory 

captured using remote 

monitoring cameras. 

Feral camels – shown here at Warakurna, South Australia 

– can cause damage to infrastructure when they 

descend upon remote communities searching for water. 

Photo: Ngaanyatjarra Council 

afcmp project partners 

Alinytjara Wilurara NRM Board (South Australia) 

Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands 

Australian Wildlife Conservancy 

Biosecurity SA 

Central Land Council 

CSIRO 

Department of Agriculture and Food WA (WA 

Government) 

Department of environment and Conservation 

(WA Government) 

Department of environment and Natural 

Resources (SA Government) 

Department of environment and Resource 

Management (Qld Government) 

Department of Natural Resources, environment, 

the Arts and Sport (NT Government) 

Flinders University 

Kimberley Land Council 

Natural Resource Management Board NT Inc. 

Ngaanyatjarra Council Inc. 

Ninti One Limited 

NT Cattlemen’s Association 

Rangelands (NRM WA) 

South Australian Arid lands NRM Board 


commerciaLisation 


ITIEs 

Brunchilly Station. Photo: Tim Driver 

precision pastoraL pty Ltd 

remote Livestock manaGement 

system eLements 


Ninti One Limited manages the intellectual property 

(IP) developed through our research, including the 

CRC program. Commercialising Ninti One Limited’s 

research outputs is one of our key strengths. Our 

organisation is building an experienced team of people 

dedicated to identifying market opportunities, seeking 

out stakeholders, and negotiating and managing 

commercial agreements. 

Capturing, protecting and managing Aboriginal and 

Torres Strait Islander IP is fundamental to much of 

our activities. Ninti One limited’s five-member IP and 

Ethics Board subcommittee provides oversight and 

strategic direction to this area of our work. 

Ninti One Limited is a member of the joint venture 

start-up company Precision Pastoral Pty Ltd which 

manages the IP generated from the development of 

the Remote livestock Management System (RlMS). 

RlMS is an innovation that stands to introduce 

huge efficiencies and improvements in the pastoral 

industry. RlMS has been proved to reduce labour 

and operational expenses per animal, almost halving 

the cost per head in northern Australia, and enables 

a degree of management precision previously 

unavailable to the industry. 

In 2011–12 Precision Pastoral Pty ltd worked closely 

with Meat and Livestock Australia, the University of 

Queensland and Kidman and Co. to investigate the 

impacts of feeding cattle a phosphorous supplement. 

RlMS allows the control and treatment of animals 

to be run in the same paddock with only the control 

animals being supplied the supplement. This is the 

first time that this has been possible on an extensive 

enterprise. 

The use of the RlMS in a beef research trial in 

Richmond, Queensland, has been very successful in 

engaging the northern beef industry and connecting 

and comparing performance of animals being 

managed under the same conditions. 

Precision Pastoral Pty Ltd is an active partner 

in the work of the CRC-REP’s Precision Pastoral 

Management Tools project – an indication of the 

great synergies that are possible under the Ninti One 

Limited operating system. 

These RlMS research activities are providing 

outcomes for the pastoral industry and assisting with 

the development of a commercial RlMS product. 


TOP: The Remote Livestock 

Management System 

(RLMS) allows a degree 

of precision in drafting 

previously unavailable to 

pastoral enterprises. 

BOTTOM: RLMS is making 

measurable differences 

to operational costs 

for remote pastoral 

businesses. 



ITIEs 

We build on the expertise of our research 

and partners to extend the reach and 

influence of our work. Photo Sarah Long 

communication 


Ninti One Limited’s Communication Unit provides 

the interface between the organisation’s Board, 

researchers, partners, stakeholders, end users and 

public. Its work takes many forms, including research 

reporting and academic publications; reactive and 

proactive media activity; newsletters, website content, 

public briefing material; parliamentary submissions; 

presentations, conferences and events; promotional 

material; and award nominations. The unit manages 

the public face of the organisation with the goal of 

becoming the ‘one-stop shop’ for evidence-based 

information about remote Australia and strengthening 

the voices of local expertise. 

The unit develops and manages communication plans 

for individual projects; and maintains a contacts, 

publications and resources database, image and 

audio-visual library and media networks. It develops 

research briefing information in collaboration with 

our researchers and staff so as to maintain brand 

recognition and consistency across the organisation. 

hiGhLiGhts for 2011–12 

The Ninti One Limited website was developed and 

launched. The site, which went live in April 2012, 

hosts material from the previous nine years of Ninti 

One limited work. In this year our website received 

over 50,000 visits. 

Thirty Ninti One Limited events were held across the 

country. 

Eleven editions of our electronic newsletter were 

distributed to our 2,300 subscribers. 

Media activity this year resulted in national coverage 

about issues, including remote education, community 

values for mining, natural resource management 

through our Australian Feral Camel Management 

Project, and desert services that work. 

A new online resource centre (www.nintione.com. 

au/resourcecentre) now provides public access 

to nine years of Ninti One limited IP, including 

our publications, journal articles, conference 

presentations, audio-visual materials and outputs. 

Research publications by Ninti One Limited led to 

783 academic citations of our work in 87 journals, 

up from 527 in 63 journals last year. The average 

citation rate increased to 9, up from 8.37 last year. 

‘Global desertification: building a science for dryland 

development’, which appeared in the internationally 

recognised journal Science, continues to be our most 

highly cited publication. 


TOP: Tom Calma, AO and 

Jan Ferguson discuss 

Ninti One Limited 

research with Her 

Excellency, The Governor 

General. Photo: Sarah 

Long 

MIDDle: Photo: Sarah Long 

BOTTOM: Ngarli Ellis 

working at Keringke Art 

Centre 



ITIEs 

Community Researchers presenting their 

research finding to their local community. 

Photo: Sam Osborne 

community deveLopment 


Ninti One Limited has long been aware of the value 

and impact of research that is designed with local 

community participation from the outset. Historically, 

it is rare for local residents to work as researchers. In 

many of Ninti One Limited’s research activities, this is 

now an established practice and has shown exciting 

results in the quality and insights achieved. 

The presence of local people as members of research 

teams can lead to benefits beyond the focus of the 

research itself and contributes to the long-term goals 

of community development: 

• local researchers are often able to get to the heart 

of the matter in conducting surveys, interviews and 

focus groups. This means identifying underlying 

causes and effects for the community. 

• Confidence in research processes grows when 

residents see Aboriginal people doing the work, 

leading to a greater commitment to the research 

and the relevance of its results. 

• employment, team work and leadership all grow 

through the research and this strengthens the 

community. 

Recent Ninti One Limited research projects that have 

supported community development include: 

Remote Indigenous Household and Indigenous 

Housing, Territory 2030 Household Survey was 

commissioned by the Department of the Chief Minister 

to collect baseline data about the community’s 

awareness and understanding of the Northern Territory 

2030 Strategic Plan. Aboriginal and Torres Strait 

Islander Community Researchers were employed to 

ensure cultural and language factors were included in 

the research process and survey instruments. 

Nyangatjatjara College ‘MindMatters’ Survey was 

carried out for Nyangatjatjara College and Principals 

Australia in order to find out the perceptions of 

students in Imanpa, Mutitjulu and Docker River about 

the college and its MindMatters mental health and 

wellbeing program. 

Strengthening Community Research in Remote 

Service Delivery, for the Australian Government 

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services 

and Indigenous Affairs, focused on evaluating local 

Implementation Plans, and worked to understand 

governance and road safety, two topics identified as 

priorities by the Aboriginal Community Researchers. 


TOP: Waltja and Ninti 

One Limited working 

together on supporting 

and strengthening 

community research 

MIDDle: Patjarr 

Community at sunset, 

Ngaanyatjarra Lands, 

WA. Photo Tim Acker 

BOTTOM: Roslyn 

Raberabera surveys 

residents about safe 

driving. Photo: Judy 

Lovell 



ITIEs 

cooperative research centre for remote economic participation 

Regional Economies 

Investing in Regional Economies 

through: 

• Mobility and labour markets 

• Maximising regional impact of 

mining investment 

• Climate and energy futures 

Remote Australia holds the key to much of Australia’s 

secure, low-emission energy future through abundant 

solar, geothermal, tidal, wind and wave energy sources. 

Solar Facility, Ntaria. Photo: Libby Kartzoff 

The CRC-REP is a federally funded collaborative 

public good research program that works with 

communities, businesses and people in remote 

regions of Australia to investigate and provide 

practical responses to the complex issues that drive 

economic participation. The CRC-REP is focused 

on delivering solutions to the economic challenges 

that affect remote Australia. Through its research, 

CRC-REP provides practical responses to the complex 

issues that can restrict full economic participation. 

It is a partnership program, a platform of more than 50 

members that include the Australian 

Government and four state and 

territory government departments, 

numerous non-government 

organisations, universities and 

other research providers, private 

businesses and industries. Thirty 

percent of its partner members 

are from Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander organisations and 

communities. 

The research program is divided into three areas: 

1. Regional Economies builds robust regional 

economies throughout remote Australia through our 

partners in government, industry and communities. 

This will provide the sustainable employment and 

enterprise opportunities vital to increasing the level 

of economic participation for remote Australians. 

2. Enterprise Development creates successful 

models for micro, small and medium-sized 

enterprises (MSMes) that are appropriate to remote 

locations and inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander culture. 

3. Investing in People uses ‘soft systems’ 

approaches linked with the Sustainable livelihoods 

Framework to interpret the complex factors leading 

to chronic educational and employment challenges. 

Our ‘whole of system’ approach sets out to 

understand the key drivers and causes of the 

economic challenges in remote areas and to identify 

successful methods to overcome them. 


Photo: Moving Pictures, 

April Goodman 

Enterprise Development 

Investing in Enterprise 

Development through: 

• economic participation from 

cultural knowledge 

• Technology and innovation 

transforming remote businesses 

CRC 

for Remote 

Economic 

Participation 

Challenge: 

Addressing economic and social 

disadvantage in remote Australia 

Investing in People 

Investing I 

in People through: 

• The 

interplay between health, 

wellbeing, education and 

employment 

• Pathways to work and enterprise 

• Remote education 

and training 




ITIEs 

Ninti One Limited reaches out to every corner of remote 

Australia through its network of partners and associates. 

Photo: Murray McGregor 

cooperative research centre for remote economic participation 

hiGhLiGhts for 2011–12 

All project areas had their research and activities 

approved by the Board’s ethics committee. 

Recruitment of Principal Research Leaders (PRLs) 

was completed, as was recruitment of academic 

candidates at doctoral, masters, honours and VET 

levels. 

Consultations were held with stakeholders for each 

project to ensure the integrity of the research design 

and its capacity to inform change in the long term. 

Advisory groups were formed to provide a forum for 

stakeholders and end users to provide feedback to our 

research leaders and steer future opportunities arising 

from research outputs. 

Sites for CRC-ReP projects span Australia, from the 

Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands in South 

Australia, through to the Kimberley, across the Top End 

and into Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands. The 

diversity of our fieldwork locations enables us to cover 

region-specific issues affecting remote Australia. 

This year our research generated the preparation 

of over ten papers and literature reviews, five 

submissions to the federal government, and 

presentations by our researchers at national and 

international conferences. 

The hard work of our staff resulted in excellent 

progress in the achievement of Commonwealth 

milestones for the CRC program. Fourteen of 15 

milestones were completed, our finances were 

successfully audited, and our in-kind contributions 

are on track. Our annual partner project briefing took 

place in Alice Springs in May and was extremely well 

attended. 

Our Research Quality, Monitoring and evaluation 

framework will ensure a whole-of-systems approach 

to our research while our Output to Usage to Impact 

Framework sets out our approach to achieving the 

creation, identification and extraction of value for 

participants, stakeholders and end users. 


TOP: Desert Graffiti: Patjarr 

Community, Ngaanyatjarra 

Lands. Photo Tim Acker 

MIDDle: Photo: Maryanne 

Gray 

BOTTOM: Photo: Judy Lovell 




ITIEs 

Brown Goshawk at Anna’s Reservoir, Northern Territory, 

photographed by remote monitoring camera deployed 

by Jayne Brim-Box and Pat Hodgens Northern Territory 

Department of Land Resource Management. 

naturaL resource manaGement 


Ninti One Limited has extensive experience in 

managing large natural resource management 

projects, which we do in collaboration with industry, 

peak bodies and cross-jurisdictional government 

agencies at federal, state, territory and local level. 

Management of remote Australia’s natural resources 

requires extensive collaborations and partnerships 

that operate across state and territory boundaries 

and cross-cultural networks. Ninti One Limited is 

developing a strong reputation for managing these 

complex relationships through our leadership in the 

Australian Feral Camel Management Project. 

Our expertise spans all phases of technical assistance 

in a project cycle, including scoping studies and 

appraisal, design, implementation, procurement of 

goods and services, fund management, capacity 

building, communication, sectoral research and 

monitoring and evaluation. We specialise in projects 

affecting the rangelands. 

The Australian Collaborative Rangelands Information 

System (ACRIS) provides natural resource 

management and environmental information for 

decision makers – from regional bodies responsible 

for natural resource management, to government 

policy makers – to make better decisions about 

how we manage our rangelands. This project is an 

example of our collaboration with partner CSIRO. 

ACRIS provides a structure to monitor the condition 

of the diverse environments of rangelands Australiawide. 

This service coordinates the collaboration 

of partners who collect information and data on 

the value and production of agricultural (including 

pastoral) production in the rangelands, update 

socio-economic profiles of rangeland bioregions, 

examine data collected in the Agricultural Resource 

Management Survey (ARMS) and compile data on the 

value and production of mining. ACRIS was awarded 

the 2011 Northern Territory Research and Innovation 

Award in the Desert Knowledge category. 

Pat Hodgens, Jayne 

Brim-Box, Catherine 

Nano, Quentin Hart and 

Don Waller conducting 

vegetation assessments, 

Petermann Ranges, 

Northern Territory. 


ninti one activities 

Decisions about remote Australia are rarely made in 

remote Australia. Our work at policy level has already 

had significant impact on policy makers, leading to 

direct and tangible benefits for remote Australians. 

impact 


Measuring the impact of research activities that 

focus on social and economic development 

is a challenging business for two reasons. First, in 

complex and dynamic systems there are many factors 

that lead to change, and research may be only one of 

them. Second, improvements on the ground in remote 

Australia are likely to be achieved some years in the 

future but will be due to the activities of Ninti One 

Limited now. 

This section focuses on impact in two ways: the 

influence of the work of Ninti One Limited, and the 

uptake of our research outputs. 

The potential influence of our work has been 

strengthened this year by our focus on expanding 

our policy networks, consolidating our public image 

and Ninti One Limited brand, and increasing the 

availability of our publications and resources through 

the online resource centre, www.nintione.com.au/ 

resourcecentre. Our work this year resulted in national 

opinion pieces published on issues such as remote 

education, community value from mining activity, feral 

camel management and desert services that work. 

Influence also comes from participation in national 

advisory groups and other forums. Our Managing 

Director, Ms Jan Ferguson, was appointed to three 

federal advisory boards in 2011–12: the Indigenous 

Business Policy Advisory Group; the Round Table on 

the National Food Plan green paper; and the Land 

and Sea Management Board. Jan also attended the 

Indigenous Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board 

Conference. Many of our Ninti One Limited staff 

contribute to policy and practice by participating in 

various boards and committees. 

Examples of the uptake of Ninti One Limited research 

to influence policy and practices include: 

• In November 2011, the Northern Territory Minister 

for Local Government announced major changes to 

the vote-counting system for multi-member wards 

in local government elections. This was a result 

of an official review by Professor Benjamin Reilly 

which included the research findings from a former 

DKCRC project on the basic inequities in the existing 

electoral system in the Northern Territory. 

• The roll-out of the AFCMP, which was established as 

a result of Ninti One Limited research on assessing 

the impacts of feral camels, has resulted in 

approximately 100,000 camels being removed from 

18 biodiversity hot spots across remote Australia. 


TOP: Photo: Murray 

McGregor 

MIDDle: Photo: Maryanne 

Gray 

BOTTOM: Photo: Judy Lovell 


WHO IS NINTI ONE? 

our Board 

Ninti One Limited is governed by a Board of 

Directors, which includes the Chairperson and 

Deputy Chairperson. Under our constitution, at least 

two Directors must be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait 

Islander descent, and either the Chairperson or the 

Deputy Chairperson must be Aboriginal or Torres Strait 

Islander. Directors are appointed from nominations 

made by area-based electoral colleges of essential 

partners. The Managing Director is appointed by 

the Board and is also a Director. Currently, 60% of 

our Board is made up of Aboriginal or Torres Strait 

Islander people. 

The Board also maintains three subcommittees that 

manage key aspects our work. These subcommittees 

(Audit and Risk Management; Intellectual Property 

and ethics; and Research Quality and Innovation) 

are made up of Board members, with input from 

appropriate stakeholder representation. 

tom caLma ao 

chair 

Tom, an Aboriginal 

man from the NT, is the 

National Coordinator, 

Tackling Indigenous 

Smoking. Tom served 

as Race Discrimination 

Commissioner from 

2004 until 2009, and is 

the former Aboriginal 

and Torres Strait 

Islander Social Justice 

Commissioner with the 

Australian Human Rights 

Commission. Tom has a 

long and distinguished 

career in social justice, 

community development, 

and as a senior policy 

adviser. 

hetti perkins, 

deputy chair 

Hetti Perkins is a member 

of the Eastern Arrernte 

and Kalkadoon Aboriginal 

nations and, until 

recently, was the senior 

curator of Aboriginal and 

Torres Strait Islander art 

at the Art Gallery of New 

South Wales in Sydney. 

Hetti has worked with 

Indigenous visual art for 

over twenty years. She 

was an adviser to the 

2008 Biennale of Sydney, 

is a member of numerous 

cultural organisations, 

and is Chair of the Charlie 

Perkins Trust for Children 

and Students. 

GLenise couLthard 

Glenise is an 

Adnyamathanha woman 

from the Northern 

Flinders Ranges. She is 

the Manager Aboriginal 

Health for the Port 

Augusta Hospital Cluster 

(Roxby, Woomera, Leigh 

Creek, Hawker and 

Quorn) and a Director on 

the board of the Royal 

Flying Doctor Service 

Central Operations. She is 

one of a team of founding 

members of the Iga Warta 

Cultural Tourism Venture 

in the Northern Flinders 

Ranges. 

ian davey 

Ian is an emeritus 

Professor of the 

University of South 

Australia. He was Pro 

Vice Chancellor and Vice 

President for Research 

& Innovation at the 

University from 1994 to 

2005 and Chair of the 

Research Committee at 

the University of Adelaide 

from 1987 to 1990. 

Ian has extensive CRC 

Board experience, having 

served on the boards 

of six CRCs since the 

program was established 

in 1991. 

jan ferGuson 

Jan is the Managing 

Director of Ninti One 

Limited and the CRC-REP. 

She has a long-term 

connection to the 

Northern Flinders Ranges 

in remote Australia and 

a strong commitment 

to improving the lives, 

communities and 

prospects of remote 

people. Jan has been 

Managing Director of 

Ninti One Limited since 

2005 and has extensive 

experience in public 

administration, research 

management and desert 

living. 

haroLd furBer 

Harold grew up in the 

remote Arnhem Land 

community Minjilang. 

He holds a BA in 

Administration from the 

University of Canberra 

and has worked in the 

public and private sectors 

as an administrator 

and educator. He is the 

Deputy Chair of Desert 

Knowledge Australia and 

also Chair of the Desert 

Peoples Centre. 

tanya hosch 

Tanya is a Torres Strait 

Island woman working 

as a consultant with 

corporate, philanthropic, 

government and 

non-government 

organisations in areas 

of social policy including 

Aboriginal and Torres 

Strait Islander affairs, 

youth and leadership 

development, women’s 

issues and health. She 

serves on a range of 

boards, and is working on 

the establishment of an 

Indigenous Governance 

Institute. 

aLison paGe 

Alison is an Aboriginal 

woman with links to 

Walbanga and Wadi 

Wadi peoples of the Yuin 

nation. She is a designer, 

artist and cultural planner 

whose work explores 

links between cultural 

identity, art and the built 

environment. She is the 

Executive Officer of the 

Saltwater Freshwater Arts 

Alliance and has been a 

regular member of the 

judging panel on the 

ABC’s New Inventors. 

david ritchie 

David was, until recently, 

the Chief Executive 

Officer of the Northern 

Territory Department 

of Lands and Planning 

and has previously 

headed several agencies 

responsible for Aboriginal 

cultural heritage, the 

natural environment 

and housing and 

infrastructure in remote 

communities. He holds a 

doctorate in anthropology 

and is a fellow of the 

Australian Institute of 

Company Directors. 

tony tate 

Tony retired from 

his position as 

Director, Research 

and Development, 

Curtin University in 

December 2011. He is 

an experienced research 

manager with a long 

record of working in 

community organisations. 

He has been involved 

with a significant number 

of CRCs, and comes 

from a background 

of meteorology and 

oceanography. He has 

also held senior positions 

at TAFE and Murdoch 

University. 



WHO IS NINTI ONE? 

Ochre cliffs at Iga Warta, Northern Flinders Ranges, South 

Australia. Ochre is integral to Aboriginal culture. Each colour 

has a range of different uses and meanings. Photo: Skye Akbar 

our people our peopLe 

The Ninti One Limited 

Executive Group 

is made up of the key 

managers in the areas 

of research, innovation, 

operations and business 

development. This 

group provides strategic 

direction to Principal 

Research Leaders and is 

the key point of contact 

between our Board and 

our staff. 

staff 

Our staff are either employed by Ninti One limited or through our partner organisations. 

Tammy Abbott, senior research Officer 

Tim Acker, prl, aboriginal and torres strait islander art economies 

Melodie Bat, rO, remote education systems 

Boyd Blackwell, rO, enduring community value from mining 

Andy Bubb, australian feral camel management project 

Sheree Cairney, prl, interplay between health, wellbeing, education and employment 

David Campbell, rO, interplay between health, wellbeing, education and employment 

Jane Cooper, executive Officer to the managing director 

Linda Cooper, communication manager 

Mike Dockery, prl, population mobility and labour markets 

Tim Driver, md, precision pastoral pty ltd 

Chris Duncan, rO, remote education systems 

Kelly Franklin, program assistant, corporate 

John Guenther, prl, remote education systems 

Quentin Hart, National director, australian feral camel management project 

Charity Hinchliffe, program assistant, finance 

Damien Jacobsen, prl, aboriginal and torres strait islander tourism product 

Apolline Kohen, senior research Officer 

PRL = Principal Research Leader 

RO = Research Officer 

Slade Lee, prl, plant business 

Sally Leigo, prl, precision pastoral management tools 

Judy Lovell, senior research Officer 

Tim Maddocks, communication Officer 

Iona Matthews, student liaison 

Fiona McKenzie, prl, enduring community value from mining 

Eva McRae-Williams, prl, pathways to employment 

Sam Osborne, senior research Officer 

Digby Race, prl, climate adaptation energy futures and carbon economies in remote 

australia 

Russell Raggatt, senior finance Officer 

Lisa Stefanoff, rO, aboriginal and torres strait islander art economies 

Lynette Swan, receptionist 

Peter Twigg, prl, aboriginal and torres strait islander cultural enterprise 

Ange Vincent, program coordinator 

Karina Walker, human resources Officer 

Alice Woodhead, rO, aboriginal and torres strait islander art economies 

The Ninti One Limited Executive Group: (left to right) Mark Ashley, General Manager Business Development; Murray 

McGregor, General Manager Research, Quality and Innovation; Jane Cooper, Executive Officer; Jan Ferguson, Managing 

Director; Fran Kilgariff AM, General Manager Operations; and Kevin Williams, General Manager Research, Evaluation 

and Impact. 



The fuTure 

ure 

NINTI ONE LIMITED PARTNERS 

Building on the strength of the past nine years of 

Ninti One Limited practice, the Board made the 

decision in December 2011 to move Ninti One limited 

to an on-going entity structure. 

The aspiration is for Ninti One Limited to be an 

independent, well-resourced, nationally and 

internationally recognised organisation undertaking 

research and community development with the 

capacity to speak authoritatively on issues affecting 

remote regions of Australia. To achieve this, the 

management team is currently undertaking feasibility 

work to develop a business plan and future funding 

models. 

Limited constitutional base, and legal and operational 

systems provides strong governance and capacity to 

accommodate this growth. 

Earlier this year we commenced a series of 

workshops with our partners and stakeholders to 

assist us in shaping our future work agenda and 

refining a business model for the organisation. 

RemoteBIZ 

Pty Ltd 

Desert Garden Produce 

Aboriginal Corporation 

Karoo Development 

Foundation 

Precision Pastoral 

Pty Ltd 

The enduring Ninti One Limited organisation will 

build on the best aspects of our work with the CRC 

Program and successful business development 

activities. It will tackle new areas of research 

and research application that will benefit remote 

Australians and build the capacity to enable our 

extensive remote regions to become a source of 

global competitive advantage. The existing Ninti One 


TOP: Mark Inkamala using 

Ipad to run the Comunity 

Perception survey with 

Tuwunpa Rangers 

MIDDle: Photo: Jan 

Ferguson 

BOTTOM: Hugh Gorge 

WRITTeN AND PRODUCeD BY NINTI ONe lIMITeD AND BRUDeRlIN MacleAN PUBlISHING SeRvICeS. 

36 • www.nintione.com.au

cover photo: Droughtmaster 

cows at Old Man Plains 

Research Station, Alice 

Springs. Agricultural produce 

from Australia’s rangelands 

contributes $8.4 billion dollars to 

the nation’s economy. 

Photo: Sally Leigo 

ninti one limited 

email: info@nintione.com.au 

phone: +(61) 08 8959 6000 

web: www.nintione.com.au 

street address 

Business & Innovation Centre 

Desert Knowledge Precinct 

South Stuart Highway 

Alice Springs NT 0870 

Australia 

postal address 

PO Box 3971 

Alice Springs NT 0871 

Australia

ninti one limited

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