9 September, 2024

Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) are invited to participate in research documenting your LALCs environmental work.  This involves a 30-minute telephone survey with the CEO or nominee. Survey respondents will be eligible to enter a draw to win $50 Mastercard vouchers (5 in total).

About the research

A research study on Local Aboriginal Land Councils and environmental enterprise will take place between 10-20 September 2024, with the support of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC). This research work is being undertaken by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group, led by Professor Heidi Norman.  This work is partially funded by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal NSW (IPART): https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au.

This research documents how LALCs are currently involved, and would like to be involved, in environmental enterprise.  Environmental enterprise refers to LALC activities that improve the environment and generate (or have the potential to generate) income and other benefits for LALCs and their members.

UNSW researchers will ring LALC offices during business hours between Tuesday 10 September and Friday 20 September. The LALC CEO, or nominee, will be invited to participate in the survey and will be asked a series of questions about your LALC’s environmental activity. The questions are available to read here: Telephone survey questions.pdf

Background information on example government programs and policy can be found here: Background information for survey participants.pdf

Survey respondents can participate anonymously or be identified by LALC or by name, if preferred. With permission, survey responses may be recorded and transcribed for use in research reports.

What are the benefits of participation?

This is the first study about LALC environmental aspirations and enterprise. NSWALC encourages the ALC network to share their views in this survey to guide future advocacy and policy. The research is intended to support interested LALCs to address climate change impacts on land and community and to participate in rapidly emerging environmental markets.

A report of the findings will be shared with each LALC and the NSWALC. The findings will be shared with IPART to inform an independent monitoring report on the NSW biodiversity credits markets and participation of Aboriginal landholders in it.  

To contact the UNSW Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group email: ILJRG@unsw.edu.au