Program Overview: Policy Coordination and Development
Objectives
- To participate in the development of regional policies and the planning and coordination of initiatives undertaken by mainstream Commonwealth and State agencies to achieve a better outcome for Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people living in the region.
- To develop and maintain the Torres Strait Development Plan as required by Section 142D of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 and to assist in the review of TSRA’s corporate documents.
Achievements
Marine and Fisheries Coordination
The TSRA Chairperson together with the State and Commonwealth Ministers for Fisheries comprise the Torres Strait Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA) which is responsible for determining fisheries regulations for Torres Strait. Two PZJA meetings were held in 2005-2006 and the TSRA, at a cost of $200,000, coordinated and supported the input of Torres Strait Indigenous fishermen into the consultative meetings that informed the PZJA meetings including:
- Two Torres Strait Fisheries Management Advisory Committee meetings.
- Two Torres Strait Finfish Working Group meetings.
- Two Torres Strait Tropical Rock Lobster Working Group meetings.
- Two Torres Strait Prawn Working Group meetings.
- Two Community Fisher Group meetings.
- Two Torres Strait Scientific Advisory Committee meetings.
- Two PZJA Standing Officials meetings.
- One Latent Effort Advisory Committee meeting.
Land and Sea Management
In June of 2006, TSRA established a Land & Sea Management Unit to coordinate the delivery of regional and local level land and sea management initiatives, and to support communities in accessing additional financial and technical support and information about the sustainable management of their environments.
The Land & Sea Management Unit is comprised of a Manager, Regional Natural Resource Management Facilitator, Landcare Officer, Dugong & Turtle Project Facilitator, and an Administration Officer. TSRA is also seeking funding from partner organisations, including the Marine & Tropical Science Research
Facility, to employ a Community Liaison Officer within the Unit.
The regional indicative allocation of NHT funds for the Torres Strait region amounts to $700,000 per annum over a three year period from 2004-2005 to 2006-2007 and $547,000 for 2007-2008 TSRA hopes to leverage additional funding from partner organisations, including research organisations, government
agencies, and philanthropic entities to further support land and sea management activities.
There is currently a Ranger programme in operation on Badu Island, which has links with the NHT-funded cross-regional Dugong & Marine Turtle Management Project, as well as the Carpentaria Ghost Nets Project. Several other communities have small-scale Ranger operations, employing one to six Rangers through the Island Councils or Aboriginal Councils. There is significant interest throughout
the region in the opportunity for improved community-based land and sea
management through the employment of Rangers, who would cover off on a range of functions, including monitoring and surveillance, weed control and pest management, revegetation and protection of sensitive habitats, amongst other things. There is also potential for future service delivery arrangements to be negotiated with various government agencies in relation to the range
of local functions that could be performed by Rangers on their behalf.
The Cooperative Research Centre Torres Strait (CRC TS)
The TSRA is a key member of CRC Torres Strait which completed a three year marine research program in 2005-2006. The research, costing a total of $23M focused on 5 areas:
- Sustaining the harvest of marine resources
- Understanding ecosystem processes
- Evaluating management strategies and risks
- Education and training
- Extension and communications
Other participants in the program were AFMA, AIMS, CSIRO Marine, CRC Reef, GeoScience Australia, JCU, National Oceans Office, and QDPI&F. The TSRA’s contribution was $50,000 per year for the three years up to 2005-2006.
Torres Strait Treaty
The Torres Strait Treaty is a bilateral instrument established to delineate borders and jurisdictions between Australia and PNG. Under the Treaty, both nations have established a Protected Zone which provides administrative protection to the traditional way of life and livelihood of traditional inhabitants in the Torres Strait.
The TSRA Board is a key advisory body, providing input across a broad range of traditional life and livelihood issues. Members of the Board participate in an annual cycle of bilateral consultative meetings with both PNG traditional inhabitant counterparts and other officials, at the National and State/Provincial level.
This year, Australia hosted the annual cycle of Treaty meetings. The TSRA worked cooperatively with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to coordinate traditional inhabitant representatives and officials from the Torres Strait participation at the Treaty Liaison, Environmental Management Committee and the Joint Advisory Council Meetings.
The complete Treaty cycle was held on Thursday Island for the first time since ratification of the Treaty in 1985. Issues of bilateral interest arising from the Treaty Cycle were addressed at the Papua New Guinea and Australian Ministerial Forum held on the Gold Coast in December 2005.
Joint Torres Strait Housing and Infra structure Committee
Through the Joint Torres Strait Housing and Infrastructure Committee (JTSHIC) the TSRA continued to participate in the strategic planning for housing and infrastructure development in Torres Strait and the Northern Peninsula Area. The committee met five times during 2005-2006 and continued to progress the aims and objectives of the Joint Torres Strait Housing and Infrastructure Agreement.
The JTSHIC also continued to improve its efforts in maximising the planning and coordinating of housing and infrastructure activities in the region by monitoring the activities of 14 sub-committee meetings held during the year. These were the Major Infrastructure Program Steering Committee (six meetings),the Island Coordination Council Infrastructure Support Unit Steering Committee (four meetings) and the Heavy Equipment Management Training Program Steering Committee (four meetings).
The Committee continued to strengthen its partnership base with the inclusion of the Queensland Department of Transport as a regular participant in Joint Torres Strait Housing and Infrastructure Committee meetings.
Torres Strait Health Partnership Forum
The Torres Strait Health Partnership Forum consists of the TSRA, the Australian Department of Health and Ageing, Queensland Health, the Island Coordinating Council (ICC), the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area District Health Council and the Queensland Ambulance Service.
The TSRA and other Health Partnership Forum members work to meet Framework Agreement aims and to monitor the implementation of Framework for Action top ten priorities. The Partnership met five times during 2005-2006 and a primary outcome was the final development and delivery of the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area Regional Health Plan.
The focus for the Health Partnership Forum during 2005-2006 was to complete the Regional Health Plan and this included hosting the Regional Community Health Workshop held in November 2005 involving over sixty community members across the Torres Strait to endorse the issues and priorities.
The Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area District Health Council endorsed the Plan and it is now being considered by the Island Coordinating Council and the Torres Strait Regional Authority before finally being implemented by the Partnership for action. The Partnership will monitor the roll-out and implementation of the strategies once the Plan is finalised. In addition, the Partnership Forum has been active in engaging with the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Partnership in a bid to foster Partnership relations. A joint meeting between the two Partnerships is scheduled in 2006 and this will be the first of its kind.
The TSRA also delivered policy advice, information and reports on a range of other health issues, including PNG cross border matters and briefing papers to the Torres Strait Health Partnership Forum.
The TSRA also participates in the Torres Strait Treaty Health Issues Committee and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Council. The TSRA with financial assistance from the Department of Health and Ageing commenced the Community Health Management Committees project. This has involved engaging a consultant to establish the locally driven community committees across the Region.
There are four Phases involved with the project with Phase One highlighting community consultation near completion.
The Framework Agreement that governs the Torres Strait Health Partnership and sets out the Partnership’s Strategic Goals and Objectives is ready for signing. It is expected that a formal signing by the Australian Government Minister for Health, the State Government Minister for Health, TSRA Chairperson, ICC Chairperson and the District Health Chairperson will conduct a public launch and
signing in July 2006.
Torres Strait Development Plan
In accordance with TSRA’s statutory responsibilities under Section 142D of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005, the TSRA Board reviewed and developed a new Torres Strait Development Plan in 2004-2005.
The Plan sets out what the current TSRA Board aims to achieve over the next four
years under each of the TSRA Portfolio areas. The plan provides a clear and concise policy direction and in 2005-2006 was a guide for the TSRA in its consultations with other government agencies on new initiatives and programs for the Torres Strait region.
INFORMATION DELIVERY
Objectives
- To provide information to the Minister and the TSRA Board on the TSRA’s policies, goals, progress and achievements.
- To provide information to the public on the TSRA’s policies, goals, progress and achievements.
Achievements
Secretariat
During the year the Secretariat Section assisted the TSRA Chairperson, Board Members and General Manager to perform their functions as set out by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005. This included working towards the objectives and outcomes set out in the Torres Strait Development Plan.
In addition to holding four board meetings during the year the TSRA held eight Executive Committee meetings in preparation for board meetings. The Executive Committee consist of the nine Portfolio Members. In 2005-2006 the Secretariat Section liaised with relevant TSRA Sections to provide 66 briefing papers for the Board’s consideration which resulted in the Board making 44 formal decisions.
A total of 23 items of Ministerial correspondence, including nine Ministerials, were prepared for the Minister.
Public Affairs
The TSRA provided information to the public in 2005-2006 using a number of mediums, including press releases, newsletters, website placements, advertising, and production of promotional material.
A Public Affairs Assistant is responsible for delivering this TSRA objective. During the past year, 32 press releases, 24 Chairperson’s Columns published in the Torres News, 11 newsletters, 22 speeches and the 2004-2005 TSRA Annual Report were produced. Pamphlets and promotional material were also produced focusing on:
- The TSRA Development Plan 2005-2009.
- The TSRA Corporate Plan 2005-2009.
- The TSRA Service Charter 2005-2006.
- The Major Infrastructure Program (Booklet & CD Rom).
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