What we do

Current Issues

The Living Murray Indigenous Partnerships Project

MLDRIN successfully negotiated the Indigenous Partnerships Project under The Living Murray Initiative. The Project employs an Indigenous Facilitator and establishes an Indigenous Working Party at each of the Significant Ecological Assets (SEAs).

This will enable the drafting of Cultural Maps which will be owned by the Nations and utilised in the Asset Management Plans and SEA Environmental Watering Plans. These maps will ensure that any proposed works will not negatively impact on Indigenous sites – these may include hunting sites, Native fauna grazing and breeding areas, Native food and medicinal plant colonies, burial sites and Dreaming or spiritual sites.

MLDRIN is a partner in this Project and will insist in the establishment and support of Working Groups where appropriate.

Research

Being a unique body formed from ancient peoples with an ongoing connection to Country, MLDRIN and the respective Nations are often asked to be the subject of and involved in research projects.

Indigenous peoples and the Nation’s are rightly suspicious of research and researchers, given our history with some anthropologists, scientists and Museums.

The first research agreement, which has established a strong protocol, was with PhD student, Jessica Weir. Jessica is studying the political and social discourse around negotiations on water and water rights between traditional owners and Government.

Jessica has also collaborated with Monica Morgan and Dr Lisa Strelein on other papers examining Indigenous water rights, some of which are available on the Publications Page.

Furthermore, in 2006 the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) through its Water Flagship Project and in partnership with MLDRIN, the Ngarrindjeri Peoples, Charles Sturt University and Flinders University will examine connection between water, country, people and well-being. The Project will be completed by mid 2007.

In the future MLDRIN will produce and collaborate on papers with various researchers and groups, utilising appropriate negotiated research protocols. Some being drafted at the moment include: Recognition of Traditional Owners in NSW; Intellectual Property and Traditional Owners; and Native Title and MLDRIN.