Indigenous Relations Strategic Framework

 
Principle 10 of Enduring Value – the Australian Minerals Industry Framework for Sustainable Development focuses on implementing effective and transparent engagement and communications with stakeholders.   

Given that more than 60% of minerals operations in Australia have neighbouring Indigenous communities, the MCA has developed a specific framework for engagement with Indigenous stakeholders.


The MCA’s engagement with Indigenous stakeholders is guided by:
 

1. the MCA Indigenous Relations Strategic Framework (pdf:204kb)
   
   
2. the MCA Indigenous Relations Engagement Strategy (pdf:104kb)
   
   
3. the MCA Australian Minerals Industry Indigenous Relations Statement (pdf:56kb)
   

These documents are based upon the strong business case and the fundamental importance of the Council ensuring it engaged strategically with Indigenous interests.  Specifically the MCA sought to establish a foundation for the relationship and partnership between the industry and Indigenous people and communities that will deliver an enduring social licence to operate for industry.

The development of the Framework arose from the recognition that whilst there was a high level of engagement between minerals companies and Indigenous communities at the operational level, there was a lack of strategic engagement by the collective minerals industry. 


One of the key initiatives developed under the Framework was the development of an Indigenous Leaders Dialogue (ILD) between the Board members and Indigenous leaders, co-chaired by Professor Mick Dodson.  The Indigenous members of the Dialogue include:

• Prof Mick Dodson
• Prof Marcia Langton 
• Mr Noel Pearson
• Mr Darryl Pearce
• Mr Peter Yu
• Mr David Ross 
• Mr Parry Agius

The dialogue between Indigenous leaders and the MCA Board members occurs twice a year and facilitates engagement between industry and Indigenous leadership, to build common understanding and discuss capacity building initiatives of mutual interest and benefit. 

The relationships developed through the Dialogue have greatly assisted in realising the MCA’s commitment to ensuring Indigenous engagement in the MCA’s approach to the current reforms to the native title system.   The Dialogue supported a series of meetings between the MCA, senior industry representatives and the National Native Title Council, the peak association for Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs) and Native Title Services, which facilitated the development of a joint approach to proposed technical amendments to the Native Title Act.