NRM planning behind the 8-ball in the NT

Figure 1: Chain of command in the Victorian NRM decision making process. This structure is being used as an NRM model for other states, and may suit the Northern Territory

Definitions VCMC=Victorian Catchment Management Council (the NT Landcare Council equivalent) CMA=Catchment Management Authority (Regional NRM statutory bodies, there is no NT equivalent) DPI=Dept of Primary Industry (DBIRD equivalent) DSE= Dept of Sustainability and Environment (DIPE equivalent)

Royce Sample , facilitator for the Victoria River District Conservation Association, provides food for thought on how NHT 2 could operate in the Northern Territory.

How the NT implements NHT initiatives | Future direction? Some questions | Figure 1 | Figure 2 | Acknowledgements | About the author | Contact details |

The long-awaited announcement that the bilateral agreement with the Commonwealth Government was signed in June of 2003—releasing NHT 2 funds for Natural Resource Management (NRM). However this release continues to be only an ‘Interim Bid’, meaning the Northern Territory’s Natural Resource Management funding continues on an ad hoc basis annually.

The process of obtaining more coherent and strategic long-term NRM funding from the Commonwealth hinges on the Northern Territory developing an Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan (INRM) and a Regional Investment Bid that have to be accredited by the Federal Government. Having been an interested observer and participant in developing these prerequisites in Victoria, I know this is not done overnight. In fact, it took Victoria the best part of five years. Also it is necessary to have some organisational structure and community consultation process in place to achieve the desired results.

From my observations these elements are only in their infancy in the Northern Territory—despite having several years to prepare for the not unexpected requirements of the Federal Government.

Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss has said that the new NHT will be “much more regionally focused, with projects being identified at the local level and funding going to achieving larger-scale objectives.” Clearly there is a perception the old way the states and territories handled NHT funds was not achieving national NRM goals, with the majority of funding never reaching the ground.

How the NT implements NHT initiatives

The NT Landcare Council will perform the role of the main regional body for the purposes of implementing Commonwealth NRM initiatives such as the extension of NHT 2. Being familiar with how its counterparts in Victoria and New South Wales operate, and the role other organisations play in catchment management arrange­ments, I believe it is a tall order for this advisory group to perform all the functions expected of it.

This does not imply any criticism of the Council, only of the tasks allotted to it as I understand them.

I believe it may be useful for people interested in NRM matters to examine Victoria’s structure as it is the state with the longest experience with these arrangements. This is not because it is the preferred model but because it is being used as a model by other states and, with modifications, may suit the Northern Territory.

Figure 1 (above right) shows the chain of command in NRM decision making. Note Victoria has 10 catchment management authorities (CMAs) which are professionally staffed, based on river catchments and have minister-appointed community boards that set regional strategic direction. The Victorian Departments of Primary Industry (DBIRD equivalent) and Sustainability and Environment (DIPE equivalent) are primary service delivery agencies who are contracted to deliver NRM outcomes and advise on strategic direction.

Figure 2: The necessary components needed to satisfy federal requirements prior to receiving NHT 2 funding and how they relate to one another

Figure 2, directly above, shows the components needed to satisfy federal requirements before receiving NHT 2 funding and how they relate to one another.

Future direction? Some questions

The Northern Territory will be treated as a single region despite its large size but obviously there will have to be some input by sub-regions to cater for the huge variations in issues, climate and landscape. The real challenge is how to achieve ownership of the strategies and the INRM plan by the various stakeholders via the community public consultation process in such a short time frame.

So far natural resource planners are being appointed but the consultation process details are unknown though initial indications are these generally will be directed by DIPE. In Victoria and NSW strategic planning functions are undertaken by community boards—supported by professional organisations separated from previous bureaucratic structures.

Is it possible for the NT Landcare Council to act as the government advisor, reflect community aspirations, determine the strategic direction, oversee the preparation of the INRM plan, assess and determine the plan’s investment bid and report on the outcomes of the plan without any of the new professional organisational structures used by other states? Or is institutional reform in the too-hard basket? In Victoria and New South Wales there is much reliance on partnership funding arrangements between community (Landcare, etc.) groups, NGOs (Greening Australia, etc.) and various government agencies to implement programs. Is this a model being actively pursued in the NT?

It appears NHT 2 has finally set sail to the NT—but is it with the correct chart and compass?

Acknowledgements

Thanks to David Cummings, Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment for the diagrams used in this article.

About the Author

Royce Sample has spent 15 years in extension and consulting work, mostly on sustainable agricultural production. He has managed integrated pest animal programs, national and regional grazing programs, national land use change programs and worked for a Catchment Management Authority. He has undertaken postgraduate study in regional policy making and adaptive management, and is currently employed by the Victoria River District Conservation Association and based in Katherine, Northern Territory. The views expressed in this article are his personal opinions.