IMPLEMENTATION PATHWAYS TO ACHIEVE NGUNNAWAL, FIRST NATIONS PEOPLES, AND AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY GOVERNMENT TREATIES

Karabena Consulting was contracted by the ACT Government to produce this report on considerations needed to facilitate self-determination in the region over which the Australian Capital Territory boundaries lie. We used three interlinked strategies: face to face workshops, surveys and interviews conducted by Ngunnawal elders themselves. Karabena Consulting was not able to engage with Ngunnawal families to the degree that they, and we, would like to have, the feed received has enabled us to propose three key elements to the Treaty process. First is reparation – to compensate Ngunnawal Traditional Owners in the ACT region through the establishment of a Ngunnawal Future Fund. Participation is the second element – to initiate Truth telling and other Treaty related programs for the wider community. Thirdly, we advocate for representation – to install a Voice to Parliament, in this case, the ACT Legislative Assembly.

We have identified key mechanisms to progress the Treaty for Ngunnawal and for the wider community. These mechanisms include an ACT Ngunnawal Government Treaty Unit, a Ngunnawal Future Fund and for the current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body to be enhanced to deliver the ACT Treaty as an ACT Treaty Commission. The Treaty Commissioners , we propose, will promote self-determination and provide greater independence in the Treaty process for Traditional Owners and First Nations residents in the ACT.