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Woppaburra 'Woppaburra' Shared Responsibility Agreement (SRA)
Date:	14 June 2006
Sub Category:	Shared Responsibility Agreement (SRA)
Place:	Great Keppel Island
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State/Country:	Queensland, Australia
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	Great Keppel Island is located off the central Queensland coast near Rockhampton.
Alternative Names:	Wappaburra Wopabura Wopaburra Wappabura Wapabura Wapaburra Woppabura
Subject Matter:	\| Cultural Heritage \| Environmental Heritage \| Economic Development \| Tourism
URL:	http://www.indigenous.gov.au/sra/search/document.aspx?id=10115
Summary Information:
The 'Woppaburra' Shared Responsibility Agreement (SRA) aims to address the following community priorities: to build connections, capacity and governance structures within the community to enable the establishment of the Land Trust; and to develop cultural uses of traditional land and sea country leading to economic independence. Shared Responsibility Agreements are voluntary agreements between governments and Indigenous communities to provide discretionary funding in return for community obligations. The new arrangements developed from an initiative of the Council of Australian Governments and replace the previous ATSIC system of funding. For more information see 'Shared Responsibility Agreement' below.
Detailed Information:
Purpose Following the Queensland Government approval for the transfer of six parcels of land on Great Keppel Island to the Woppaburra Family Group under the terms of the Aboriginal Land Act 1991 (Qld), the SRA provides for the necessary capacity development of group members to enable establishment of a Land Trust and acceptance of the land transfer. The SRA recognises that the two key community priorities—of enhancing community capacity and connections to establish an entity (Land Trust) and working towards culturally appropriate means of economic independence—are interrelated. By enabling the Woppaburra people to engage in processes such as undertaking cultural audits, mapping of land and sea country, conservation planning, and protective land care for areas of cultural significance in the Keppel Island Group, the SRA at once enables the Woppaburra people to strengthen, rebuild and renew relationships of connection and continuity with the land, with the sea, and with each other. Through these processes, the SRA intends to build on the strength, knowledge, skills and mentoring abilities of community leaders and other individuals within the Woppaburra community to facilitate the emergence of community governance structures and potential eco-cultural tourism business ventures, thereby addressing simultaneously the two key community priorities. Shared Responsibilities The SRA provides for funding within the two priorities listed above: The Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC) has proposed $179,908 towards administrative costs including the employment of project staff for one year. The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) has proposed a $25,000 contribution towards the cultural audit. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has proposed $20,000 towards identifying and developing potential business ventures. The Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH) has proposed $50,000 towards the conservation and promotion of places of cultural and environmental significance on Great Keppel Island. The funding of the SRA is subject to the parties entering into a legally binding funding agreement. As part of its contribution, the community is expected to lead and engage in a range of activities and processes. These include working together to develop the knowledge and skills required to establish and run an effective Land Trust; facilitating and overseeing activities related to documenting and caring for sites of significance across land and sea country; researching and writing personal genealogies and historical accounts as contributions to audit activities and monthly community newsletters; identifying and exploring potential business development opportunities; and, continuing to negotiate in-kind support and other contributions from Government, non-Government and/or community-based organisations in order to secure the ongoing economic viability of these and other activities listed under the SRA. The community will also build upon a number of strengths identified within the SRA, including the strong sense of family connections and Traditional Owner obligations of the Woppaburra people; the knowledge and skills of individuals with regard to issues of community governance, incorporation and business enterprise development; and a ten year relationship with the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) working on issues of environmental and cultural heritage. Performance Indicators and Key Milestones The Rockhampton Indigenous Coordination Centre (ICC) is responsible for administering the 'Woppaburra' SRA, and for monitoring and evaluating its implementation and success against five main indicators, including: the developed capacity of Woppaburra Family Group members to engage in and oversee matters relating to the establishment and operation of the Land Trust; completion of a cultural audit pertaining to areas of land and sea; development of a conservation plan to care for land and sea country; development of a business plan; and the number of Woppaburra Family Group members actively participating in workshops and activities relating to the SRA. The progress of the SRA is also measurable against a number of key milestones and their respective target dates. Assessments of the progress and success of the SRA are to be made by both the Rockhampton Indigenous Coordination Centre and the Project Coordinator. Under the SRA, these form part of the 'two-way feedback mechanisms', comprising of monthly meetings and follow-up phone calls between the ICC and the Project Coordinator, copies of monthly community newsletters provided to the ICC, and quarterly progress reports provided by the Project Coordinator to the ICC indicating performance under the SRA to date and evaluating progress against key milestones.