Caring for our Country Review

Caring for our Country Consultation Summary

We have compiled a short summary of the main issues that were raised through the consultation.

Further details on how we will be using this feedback in the design of the second phase of Caring for our Country is expected by the end of the year.

Caring for our Country Consultation Summary 

Final report released on Caring for our Country Review

Report on the Review of the Caring for our Country Initiative provides information on the review process and sets out findings on the appropriateness, efficiency and effectiveness of the Caring for our Country initiative.

The review of Caring for our Country has now concluded and the government will announce details of the next phase of natural resource management delivery over coming months.

This document is available in the Caring for our Country Review website library:

• Report on the Review of the Caring for our Country Initiative 

Consultation summary report

We have pulled together the thoughts and suggestions collected during the consultation phase of the review, and share with you a summary of the consultations – The Story So Far.

It was great to see so many people sharing information and providing their frank views to help us understand the impact of the Caring for our Country initiative.

In compiling The Story So Far we pulled together key views and comments from 4000 community members, stakeholders and governments through online conversations, formal submissions, video segments, case studies, and face to face meetings.

We would like to thank everyone who contributed their thoughts, suggestions, ideas and feedback.

• Caring for our Country review - The Story So Far 

The Review

Have your say

We thank the community for taking part in the review of Caring for our Country. We heard about what works well, what we can do better, as well as completely new ideas to help shape future Australian Government support for natural resource management.

Although formal submissions closed on 20 May 2011 please continue to monitor the Caring for our Country review website www.caringforourcountryreview.com.au  to look at the conversation, view submissions, news items and hear about the progress of the review. We will be letting you know shortly what we have heard from you and how your input will help form recommendations for future delivery of natural resource management in Australia.

Key themes emerging from our consultations included:

• the importance of alignment of national, regional and local NRM priorities, and roles of the levels of government and regional NRM organisations;
• continued strong support for community skills, knowledge and engagement activities;
• the quality and accountability of NRM decision-making and funding certainty for NRM delivery agents, including community groups;
• improving efficiency of funding arrangements, and exploring potential to leverage funding from industry, private sector and philanthropy; and
• considering national environmental accounting to support monitoring progress in NRM delivery.
• the need to apply the elements of the Working on Country and Indigenous Protected Area programs that are working well (i.e. well funded, multiyear contracts, alignment with Indigenous caring for country needs and aspirations) to mainstream Caring for our Country programs

If you found our consultation approach useful, or would like to make recommendations about how we can improve our communication with the community in the future please provide your feedback to thereview@nrm.gov.au

Natural resource management questions for Indigenous engagement under Caring for our Country

An important part of the review was consulting with Indigenous people and Australia’s natural resource management stakeholders.

Indigenous people have a significant role in looking after country and undertaking natural resource management activities. We’re interested to know what you think is working, or not working, about Caring for our Country, particularly for the Indigenous programs under Caring for our Country.

Some questions were developed to provide a starting point for people involved in Indigenous natural resource management to develop a submission to the review.

• Natural resource management questions for Indigenous engagement

Summary of discussions, outcomes and key messages

A summary of discussions, outcomes and key messages from participants at a national forum, held in Canberra on the 4th of May which focused on Indigenous issues associated with the review of the Caring for our Country program is now available.

These documents are available in the Caring for our Country Review website library:

• Workshop Summary Report - Caring for our Country Review - Indigenous Forum 
• Review of Working On Country and Indigenous Protected Area Programs through telephone interviews 

Further information:

The discussion paper was designed to help inform the review.

• Read the discussion paper - The review of Caring for our Country - Australia's natural resource management investment initiative
• 2010 stakeholder consultative forum feedback