Final Report: Strengthening Community Research in ... - Ninti One

to the relationship map. In the past this was a rigorous system ensuring correct management and ownership ofland, family relationships and responsibilities, cultural maintenance and transmission.Once disenfranchisement from country impacted upon people, Anparnintja was diminished. It has alwayscontinued to exist, but as has often been the case where there is no cultural equivalent, the concept remainedhidden. Anparnintja is still the underlying fabric by which Arrarnta can navigate the land, relationships,responsibilities and kinships.Wurla Nyinta members represent the community at the interface with Federal and Territory Governments, theShire and other agencies. Wurla Nyinta ideally consists of members of all the family groups at Ntaria, which is alsorepresentative of the structure of Anparnintja, although this is not overtly stated. Although Wurla Nyinta acts likea board of management in providing advice to the government agencies represented at the community, they arenot constituted and membership is voluntary and fluid. Wurla Nyinta ‘is the main way Ntaria consults andnegotiates with government on the Local Implementation Plan’ (Commonwealth of Australia 2010 p. 8). In theArrarnta sense, while Wurla Nyinta is an introduced entity it is underpinned by the fabric of Arandic culture. Mostgovernment and agency staff interacting with Wurla Nyinta do not know very much about how the kinshipsystems influence work, lifestyle, living arrangements and areas within the community boundaries.There are overlaps between Anparnintja and the capacity of the community to engage in governance andleadership. It is the intention of the Federal Government to promote stronger local governance but there is littleawareness from those new to the Arrarnta cultures that the two systems impact one another. To Arrarnta andsome people familiar with this system, it is clear that the introduced structures of governance and leadership donot represent the same authority or meaning that Anparnintja represents. Some PAR about the contemporaryinfluences of these two systems was identified as a useful extension of local community research, with benefits toall LIP priority areas.4.5.2 Wurla Nyinta, Governance and LeadershipWhile there are no formal mechanisms defining the impact of the Local Reference Group (LRG) on Government oragency decision making in RSD, Wurla Nyinta represents the only single access point for agencies to a communityadvisory group. In his November 2011 review (OCGRIS 2011b) for the Federal Government, Mr Brian Gleeson, theCoordinator General, announced that strengthening community governance is a priority. In a presentation to theInstitute of Public Administration Australia (WA) in November 2011 (OCGRIS 2011c), he said that the coordinatedRSD reflects progress such as: ‘greater recognition that new ways of working are required, including enhancedengagement and ownership by communities in developing the agenda of change and hence recognition of the needto support community capacity development’.Currently, LRGs such as Wurla Nyinta depend on ROC and FaHCSIA staff to provide the administration, planningand coordination of the meetings and of business arising from them. While community input is sought andrecorded at the Wurla Nyinta meetings, government is not obliged to accept that direction or advice from WurlaNyinta.In the event that their direction or advice is not taken, the only recourse an LRG has is to write letters to the Boardof Management representing the ROC, Shire and Governments. Failing satisfaction from the Board, they canescalate the issue through requesting meetings with government officers and administrators. The Board ofManagement that oversees the coordination of RSD LIP actions has no LRG representatives on it.4.5.3 Competing prioritiesThe table below shows the key events during the period of the research. Significant events in the communityinclude school holidays, the summer break, cultural business and significant government policy decisions affectinggovernance and change to fundamental services such as Centrelink, CDEP, MacDonnell Shire and the NorthernTerritory Emergency Response.56 Final Report: Strengthening Community Research in Remote Service Delivery at Ntaria