Six Noongar Regional Corporations will represent and directly assist the six Noongar Agreement Groups. The Central Services Corporation will provide support, such as IT and accounting, to all of the Noongar Regional Corporations.
The WA Government will provide operational funding of $10 million yearly for 12 years for the operation of the Noongar Corporations.
Once established the Noongar Regional Corporations will:
- benefit, advance and promote the six Noongar Agreement Groups
- manage and care for Cultural Land
- develop a Strategic Plan based on regional priorities
- develop key policies, for example, a Cultural Advice Policy to guide cultural decision making
- engage with government and relevant stakeholders to further Noongar community interests and priorities
- maintain, protect, promote and support their culture, customs, language and traditions
- manage and use the land and waters within the region to which they have a traditional connection, and
- manage their benefits and meet their obligations under the Settlement.
Establishment of the Noongar Corporations
The Noongar Agreement Groups facilitated by the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) are currently working on the establishment of the Noongar Corporations.
In late 2016 SWALSC released Transition Programs setting out how the Noongar People can participate in the development and establishment of the Noongar Corporations:
- Transition Program: Establishment of the Regional Corporations
- Transition Program: Central Services Corporation.
See information about these programs in the documents below.
Engagement with the Noongar Corporations - Once the Settlement Commences
The Noongar Regional Corporations will be the key conduit for engagement with a range of relevant stakeholders including government, non-government and the private sector. Collaboration with the Noongar Regional Corporations will improve social and economic outcomes for the wider Noongar community, and provide for targeted service delivery and capacity building as identified by the Regional Corporations.
The Regional Corporations will also have the ability to provide advice to government and non-government organisations through the various formalised mechanisms in the Settlement, including but not limited to:
- joint management
- Aboriginal heritage management
- economic participation
- community development arrangements
WA Government agencies seeking information about how they can connect and work with the Noongar Regional Corporations once the Settlement commences can contact the South West Settlement Implementation Team at the Aboriginal Policy and Coordination Unit on the phone number opposite.