The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) welcomes the Uluru Statement From the Heart.
PIA agrees with the call for the First Nations Voice to be enshrined in the Constitution. We also support a process of agreement-making to take place between governments and First Nations. Both would serve to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples a genuine voice in matters that affect them, including those relating to land use planning.
In 1997, following the High Court’s decision in Wik, PIA released a Background Paper and Guidance Notes for its members. At that time PIA was on the front foot making the implications of native title understood to the planning profession and the wider community.
Over the following years PIA has undertaken a range of projects and actions relating to Indigenous Planning, but it is now time to re-double our efforts.
In 2017/18 PIA is committed to take a lead role in:
• Engaging in discussions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples about how their rights and interests can be better recognised and integrated into land use planning;
• Upskilling the planning profession to engage in meaningful dialogue with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples about their rights and interests in land use planning;
• Transforming the culture behind our land use planning systems in ways that empower Indigenous people to participate on equal terms.
In May 2016, the Queensland Parliament passed the new Planning Act 2016 (Qld), replacing the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (Qld). The new Act is the first in the history of Australian planning law to require that functions performed under the Act include the “valuing, protecting and promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, culture and tradition”.
PIA President Brendan Nelson says, “This is a welcome step forward and sets an example for other states to follow. Truly engaging our Indigenous peoples in strategic land use planning and decision making will not only help ensure that outcomes are fair and sustainable, but bolster a sense of Indigenous identity and autonomy.
“Development that respects country, its traditional owners and culture also enriches the understanding and experience of non-Indigenous Australians. It balances the protection of sites and storylines for both posterity and ongoing cultural beliefs and values, with the benefits of living in a technologically advanced and integrated national economy.”
Some argue that the requisite consultation and engagement is complex, difficult and time-consuming. But it has been demonstrated through constructive engagement and local agreement making that Indigenous peoples’ values and aspirations can be integrated into contemporary planning processes that values and enhances differing world views.
As in 1997, PIA stands ready to lead Australia’s urban and regional planning profession in making this happen. We look forward to working with stakeholders on achieving land use planning outcomes that respect and reflect Indigenous rights and interests, needs and aspirations.
The Uluru Statement is significant for all Australians. Backed by a sincere commitment from our decision-makers and the population at large, it is an inspiring call to action and has the potential to represent a new chapter for our country – towards true reconciliation with, and a brighter future for, our First Peoples.