Esperance Shire and Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation signed an historic partnership agreement on Tuesday as part of the week-long celebrations for NAIDOC.
Shire president Ron Chambers said it was a fantastic achievement.
“I’m looking forward to working with the Traditional Owners that have a deep connection with the land that I love,” he said.
When pressed, Mr Chambers agreed that the partnership could attract more funding for projects.
“Joint projects have the potential to increase the amount of funding to carry out our projects and the ability to increase resources and knowledge we can apply to those projects,” he said.
Mr Chambers gave the recent example of Tjaltjraak Boodja park which surrounds the Duke of Orleans, a State Reserve vested in the shire on Tjaltjraak land.
“By working with them we were able to multiply by four the money and resources we were able to apply to the project, so we got four times as much value by having to work with them,” he said.
“There was other work we didn’t have to do, such as the employment of cultural monitors and cultural advice as we were working alongside them on the ground, so it was a far better outcome.”
Speaking on Monday, ETNTAC chair Gail Reynolds-Adamson said the Native Title Group had already brought $89 million into the local Esperance economy.
According to the May Council minutes, the partnership was proposed after a two-day workshop with Councillors, Shire staff and Tjaltjraak members to explore ways of promoting and advocating our shared interest and priorities; seeking opportunities to celebrate shared successes and good news stories; learning from each other for better decision making by sharing appropriate knowledge and information; and regular and open dialogue about a capacity to support and work together on a partnership.
