Inclusive Practices and Innovative Governance Structures From Cultural Perspectives of Indigenous Peoples: Highlighting a North American and Australian Experience

Abstract

Many Australian government and other institutional programs espouse supportive frameworks inclusive of policy ideals that purport to empower First Nation Peoples and rural communities through a collaborative governance approach. However, the actual outcomes are too often the antithesis of the professed policy objectives. Tribal and agricultural land in Australia accounts for at least 76% of the landmass, with fragile agro-ecological systems dominating the landscape. In this urban-dominated country (89% urbanized population), such policies ultimately demand that First Nation Peoples and rural people deliver environmental, social and cultural outcomes on behalf of all Australians. Sadly, the resources provided are habitually insufficient in measure to achieve a genuine empowerment and a sharing of responsibilities. Policy failures, therefore, result from institutional issues associated with the perpetuation of a dominant colonization paradigm. Such institutional environments are antithetical to those innovative collaborative systems pivotal when addressing the many environmental, social and cultural issues that challenge our very survival. This paper will explore current collaborative governance regimes through case studies of rural communities and First Nation Peoples of Australia and North America. Demonstrating the inherent patterns present in current dysfunctional policy environment, we will identify key attributes required, as well as future research, for a true collaborative governance approach. Our research aligns with the Colloquium themes of "environmental justice, sustainable management and sustainable ethics" and "indigenous wisdoms" and will inform the larger discussion on the key emerging themes of international, comparative and domestic environmental law and our journey in responding to them.