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  • 01 Understanding governance
    • 1.0 Understanding governance
    • 1.1 The important parts of governance
    • 1.2 Indigenous governance
    • 1.3 Governance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations
    • 1.4 Case studies
  • 02 Culture and governance
    • 2.0 Culture and governance
    • 2.1 Indigenous governance and culture
    • 2.2 Two-way governance
    • 2.3 Case studies
  • 03 Getting started
    • 3.0 Getting started on building your governance
    • 3.1 Assessing your governance
    • 3.2 Mapping your community for governance
    • 3.3 Case studies
  • 04 Leadership
    • 4.0 Leadership for governance
    • 4.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership
    • 4.2 The challenges of leadership
    • 4.3 Evaluating your leadership
    • 4.4 Youth leadership and succession planning
    • 4.5 Building leadership capacity to govern
    • 4.6 Case studies
  • 05 Governing the organisation
    • 5.0 Governing the organisation
    • 5.1 Roles, responsibilities and rights of a governing body
    • 5.2 Accountability: what is it, to whom and how?
    • 5.3 Decision making by the governing body
    • 5.4 Governing finances and resources
    • 5.5 Communicating
    • 5.6 Future planning
    • 5.7 Building capacity and confidence for governing bodies
    • 5.8 Case studies
  • 06 Rules and policies
    • 6.0 Governance rules and policies
    • 6.1 What are governance rules?
    • 6.2 Governance rules and culture
    • 6.3 Running effective meetings
    • 6.4 Policies for organisations
    • 6.5 Case studies
  • 07 Management and staff
    • 7.0 Management and staff
    • 7.1 Managing the organisation
    • 7.2 The governing body and management
    • 7.3 Managing staff
    • 7.4 Staff development and training
    • 7.5 Case studies
  • 08 Disputes and complaints
    • 8.0 Dealing with disputes and complaints
    • 8.1 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous approaches
    • 8.2 Core principles and skills for dispute and complaint resolution
    • 8.3 Disputes and complaints about governance
    • 8.4 Your members: dealing with disputes and complaints
    • 8.5 Organisations: dealing with internal disputes and complaints
    • 8.6 Practical guidelines and approaches
    • 8.7 Case studies
  • 09 Nation building and development
    • 9.0 Governance for nation rebuilding and development
    • 9.1 What is nation rebuilding?
    • 9.2 Governance for nation rebuilding
    • 9.3 Governance for sustained development
    • 9.4 Networked governance
    • 9.5 Kick-starting the process of nation rebuilding
    • 9.6 Case studies
  • Glossary
  • Useful links
  • Acknowledgements

Resources

Here you can see all the resources of the toolkit laid out on one page. You can view a single resource by clicking it’s title, or a summary of all the resources in a topic by clicking view all.

  • 01 Understanding governance

01 Understanding governance

View all
  • Video: The Marruk Project on the advantages of non-incorporation
  • Video: The Marruk Project on community governance
  • Video: Waltja women in governance
  • Video: What community-controlled governance means at IUIH
  • Video: The significance of effective governance for IUIH
  • Video: How the Yiriman Project works with young women
  • Video: The guiding principles of the NPY Women’s Council
  • Video: Martumili Artists on how their un-incorporated organisation works
  • Video: Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly and self-determination
  • Video: How MG Corporation’s governance works
  • Link: ORIC Rule Book
  • File: Check-up: Effective legitimate governance
  • File: What can we do? Organisational governance
  • File: Snapshot: Legislation websites
  • File: Comparative table of incorporation legislation (ORIC)
  • File: What can we do? Mapping community assets for governance
  • File: What can we do? Strengthening community governance
  • File: Snapshot: Different models of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governance
  • File: What can we do? Encouraging women to be active members
  • File: Snapshot: Similarities and differences between community and corporate governance
  • File: What can we do? Footy and playing the governance game
  • Diagram: Your governance culture and environment
  • Diagram: Who is in an incorporated organisation?
  • Diagram: What an Indigenous community shares
  • Diagram: The important parts of governance
  • Tips: Identiying your community assets and strengths?
  • Example: Location of ORIC registered corporations by region at 30 June 2012
  • Tips: The top 15 tips for a healthy corporation
  • 02 Culture and governance

02 Culture and governance

View all
  • Video: Embedding culture at VACCA
  • Video: Girringun’s culturally-assured process
  • Video: MG Corporation on working two ways
  • Video: Ngurra-kurlu (the way yapa life is governed)
  • Video: Western Desert Diaylsis on putting cultural values at the heart of what you do
  • File: A vision and a preamble
  • Diagram: Your governance culture and environment
  • Diagram: The two-way accountability of Indigenous organisations and governing bodies
  • Diagram: Indigenous governance principles in Australia
  • Diagram: What is culture?
  • Example: Governance two ways—Kurduju Committee, Ali Curung, Northern Territory
  • Tips: Building and maintaining cultural legitimacy
  • Tips: Embedding cultural values in your governance
  • 03 Getting started

03 Getting started

View all
  • Video: How the MWG came together
  • Video: How the IUIH formed to address common goals
  • Video: How the Yiriman project started
  • Video: NPY Women’s Council on getting started
  • Video: How Western Desert Dialysis started?
  • File: Template: Governance development and action plan
  • File: Template: Mapping your governance history
  • File: Check-up: An overall governance health check-up
  • File: What can we do? Seven steps to evaluation
  • Diagram: What to evaluate?
  • Tips: How to map governance assets
  • Tips: Top 10 tips for getting started
  • 04 Leadership

04 Leadership

View all
  • Video: Young people guiding The Marruk Project
  • Video: IUIH’s vision for the future
  • Video: IUIH on the challenges of shared governance
  • Video: Murdi Paaki young leaders program
  • Video: Indigenous leadership at the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre
  • Video: Succession planning at NPY Women’s Council
  • Video: Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly’s Charter of Governance
  • Link: The Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre
  • File: Check-up: Effective capacity building practices for leaders - PDF
  • File: What can we do? Strategies for succession planning - PDF
  • File: Check-up: Your leadership health - PDF
  • File: Check-up: The qualities of effective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders - PDF
  • Tips: Important capacities for effective governance
  • 05 Governing the organisation

05 Governing the organisation

View all
  • Video: Training to empower VACCA’s governing body
  • Video: How VACCA reports back to community
  • Video: Ngnowar Aerwah on representation and accountability
  • Video: IUIH on the power of data to create accountability
  • Video: Western Desert Dialysis’s strategic planning
  • Video: WYDAC’s board and decision making
  • Video: NPY Women’s Council’s bush meetings
  • Video: NPY Women’s Council: How NPY governance works
  • Video: Governing the Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation
  • Video: MG Corporation’s road to financial independence
  • File: What can we do? Capacity development for leaders
  • File: Check-up: Effective capacity building practices for leaders
  • File: Check up: Roles of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander governing body
  • File: Check-up: Governing body decision making processes
  • File: Template: List of contents for a governance reference manual
  • File: What can we do? The basic steps in strategic planning
  • File: A framework for understanding the barriers to Indigenous financial capability
  • File: Check-up: When is there a conflict of interest?
  • File: Check-up: How do we manage change?
  • File: Template: Governance development and action plan
  • Example: The Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation, Strategic Plan 2012–14
  • Example: Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly, Charter of Governance
  • Tips: Getting started on a governance development plan
  • Tips: An informed decision is one that is
  • Example: The Anindilyakwa Land Council Code of Conduct
  • Tips: Improving accountability
  • Tips: Overview of the strategic planning process
  • Tips: Planning helps your organisation to:
  • Tips: Good practice for managing money
  • Tips: Policies for promoting effective governance in governing bodies
  • 06 Rules and policies

06 Rules and policies

View all
  • Video: The cultural foundations of Girringun’s governance
  • Video: Running Annual General Meetings – What WYDAC do
  • Video: NPY Women’s Council’s guiding principles
  • File: Template: List of contents for a governance reference manual
  • File: Template: A policy
  • File: What can we do? Steps to develop effective policies
  • File: Check-up: Our governance policies and rules
  • File: What can we do? Cultural legitimacy in governance rules and policies
  • File: Template: Sample minutes
  • File: Template: Progress report on actions
  • File: Template: Decision making
  • File: Template: Meeting agenda
  • Diagram: Weak rules and strong rules – What happens to your governance?
  • Diagram: Key Governance Policies
  • Diagram: What do policies do?
  • Diagram: Quorum meetings
  • Diagram: Good meetings
  • Diagram: What is culture?
  • Tips: Issues that benefit from making culturally legitimate rules
  • Tips: Making and reviewing policies
  • Tips: Understanding different types of policy
  • 07 Management and staff

07 Management and staff

View all
  • Video: Ngnowar Aerwah building skills in a growing organisation
  • Video: Ngnowar Aerwah Board and CEO working together
  • Video: Girringun CEO and Board’s close relationship
  • Video: Two-way governance at the Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation
  • Video: The partnership between Martumilli Artists and the Shire of East Pilbara
  • File: What can we do? Building a strong internal culture in our organisation - PDF
  • File: Check-up: Signs of management problems in your organisation - PDF
  • File: What can we do? Footy and playing the governance game - PDF
  • Diagram: A partnership of separate powers—the governing body and top manager
  • Diagram: The responsibilities and rights of staff members
  • Diagram: How do managers ‘manage’?
  • Tips: Expanding local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment
  • Tips: Sharing decision making across the organisation
  • Tips: Our staff
  • Tips: A performance review for an organisation’s top manager
  • Example: The Anindilyakwa Land Council Code of Conduct
  • Tips: Attracting and retaining staff
  • Tips: Doing the top manager job well
  • 08 Disputes and complaints

08 Disputes and complaints

View all
  • File: Check-up: Our dispute resolution processes
  • File: What can we do? Solving the dispute as a group
  • File: What can we do? A conflict analysis tool
  • Diagram: Snapshot: Some differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous processes for the resolution of disputes and wrongdoing
  • Diagram: Snapshot: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mechanisms for settling disputes
  • Tips: Managing controversy or disputes in meetings
  • Tips: Managing issue-based conflict
  • Tips: Getting long lasting results from dispute resolution
  • Tips: Dealing with conflict between staff and management
  • Tips: Dealing with conflict between the top manager and governing body
  • Tips: Building capacity of governing bodies to deal with conflict and misconduct
  • Tips: Organisational hotspots for conflict and complaints
  • Tips: Handling disputes and complaints from members
  • Tips: Governance hotspots for conflict and complaints
  • Tips: Skills needed for dispute resolution
  • 09 Nation building and development

09 Nation building and development

View all
  • Video: The MWG working together for the whole community
  • Video: How common goals united Girringun
  • Video: ALPA empowerment of Yolngu communities
  • Video: Building the Murdi Paaki governance structure
  • Link: What does nation building mean to us?
  • File: The ladder of self-governance for nation rebuilding: where are you?
  • File: What can we do? Managing our stakeholders
  • File: Template: Our culture scan
  • File: Template: Our governance stakeholder influence
  • File: Template: Monitoring our governance environment
  • File: What can we do? Improving our networking
  • File: Template: Governance development and action plan
  • File: Template: Mapping your governance history
  • Diagram: Snapshot: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander networked governance at work
  • Diagram: Snapshot: Different approaches to governance and development
  • Tips: Ten steps for the foundations of strong governance
  • Tips: How to manage problems with your networks
  • Tips: How networks and networking can improve governance
  • Tips: Building your governance capability for development
  • Tips: Managing and maintaining relationships with professionals
  • Tips: How to balance different interests
  • Tips: Improving consultation
  • Tips: How to map governance assets

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Case Studies

NPY Women’s Council – strong culture, strong women, strong communities

  NPY Women’s Council (NPYWC) was set up in 1980 and incorporated in 1994.  The organisation was founded in response to the concerns of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women throughout the APY lands.   The women were concerned about the …

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Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly

Self-determination and community control The Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly (MPRA) is comprised of the Chairs or representatives of 16 Aboriginal Community Working Parties (CWP’s) across the Murdi Paaki Region of NSW. MPRA see self-determination as the key success to their …

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NPY Women’s Council: Building your cultural guiding principles into your rulebook

The NPY Women’s Council became incorporated under new legislation in 2008. The council undertook a significant period of consultation with its members—spread across a large geographic region—in the lead-up to lodging its new rulebook (formally known as the constitution) with …

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News

ORIC Top 500 Report 2014-15

The Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) released the 2014-2015 top 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations report in December 2015. This is ORIC’s seventh report on the top 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations. It collates and …

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Social Justice Commissioner launches 2014 Social Justice and Native Title Report

Mr Mick Gooda is the current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. The Commissioner has a unique role at the Australian Human Rights Commission, responsible for advocating for the recognition of the rights of Indigenous Australians. As part …

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Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2014 Report

The Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report: Key Indicators 2014 (OID Report) was released by the Productivity Commission in November 2014. The OID Report measures the wellbeing of Australia’s Indigenous peoples. The report provides information about outcomes across a range of strategic …

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The Australian Indigenous Governance Institute

The Australian Indigenous Governance Institute is a unique Indigenous led national centre of governance knowledge and excellence. We know that practically effective and culturally legitimate governance is the staple building block for delivering real change.

We assist Indigenous Australians in their diverse efforts to determine and strengthen their own sustainable systems of self-governance by identifying world-class governance practice, informing effective policy, providing accessible research, disseminating stories that celebrate outstanding success and solutions, and delivering professional education and training opportunities.

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