Territory Stories

ALC 15 year strategic plan 2012-2027

Details:

Title

ALC 15 year strategic plan 2012-2027

Creator

Anindilyakwa Land Council

Collection

Anindilyakwa Land Council annual report; Anindilyakwa Land Council strategic plan; Reports; PublicationNT

Date

2012

Notes

Made available via the Publications (Legal Deposit) Act 2004 (NT).

Language

English

Subject

Anindilyakwa Land Council (N.T.) -- Periodicals; Aboriginal Australians -- Northern Territory -- Groote Eylandt -- Periodicals

Publisher name

Anindilyakwa Land Council

Place of publication

Alyangula

Volume

2012-2027

Copyright owner

Anindilyakwa Land Council

Parent handle

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/254602

Citation address

https://hdl.handle.net/10070/529654

Page content

ALC 15 year Strategic Plan Executive Summary 18 The reality is that the ALC has been performing duties outside of the legislation that underpins it and it is the view of this Strategic Plan that it is timely to question the sustainability of this arrangement, from a legislative, financial and governance point of view. GROOTE EYLANDT AND BICKERTON ISLAND ENTERPRISES ABORIGINAL CORPORATION (GEBIE) In compliance with the ALRA, the ALC established its business arm GEBIE to invest Traditional Owner royalties into business and sustainable economic return opportunities. While GEBIE businesses have grown rapidly under the influence of the RPAs, the focus of GEBIE has moved away from the core realm of business into the arena of delivering social welfare programs at its own expense. There is an inherent tension in this arrangement for both directors and staff. What was expressly established as a business has moved to become a destination for distribution of ALC royalties, a quasi-welfare organisation and a delivery mechanism for mainstream government services. ROYALTY INCOME Over the last few years, ALC has received annual royalty incomes of more than $20 million, which has been largely distributed to GEBIE to honour commitments under the RPA. Recent world events, including the global financial crisis affecting consumer demand in Europe, contractions to the US and a corresponding contraction to demand for commodities in China economy have translated into an end to the mining boom and a slowing down of demand for iron ore and simultaneously for manganese sourced from Groote Eylandt. GEMCO royalties have reduced 50% over the last six months during the formulation of the Strategic Plan. It is the advice of GEMCO that the current royalty incomes will likely remain at this new level for the life of the mine (which is currently set for a minimum of 15 years depending upon traditional owner agreement to allow more access to deposits). The community has understood this and encouraged the ALC to prepare for a future not dependent upon royalties to underpin its economy and wellbeing. The organisational dependence upon royalties must correspondingly slow down and eventually cease. Simultaneously there is a growing acknowledgement with Traditional Owners that the current economy of royalty and welfare dependence is not sustainable and changes must be made in how business is run. MOVING TOWARDS IMPROVED GOVERNANCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A REGIONAL AUTHORITY At the ALC Executive Board meeting held on 28 September 2012, there was an in-principle agreement to explore the transition of a number of current responsibilities to the management of a regional authority, properly mandated by NT Government legislation, staffed and funded to deliver a range of essential services across the Groote archipelago. It