Governance arrangements

In the early stages of development the ranger group used the Yugul Mangi Community Council to support its activity and manage its finances. Initially, this arrangement provided some benefits but as the profile, capacity and work programme of the group grew and the number of small short-term grants increased this arrangement became problematic.

Difficulties arose with the high turn over of community council management. For example, the revolving door of community council chief executive officers, with little understanding of the customary Aboriginal governance underpinning the land and sea management programme, meant that tensions grew when a new CEO would seek to usurp decision-making from traditional owners by controlling assets, held on behalf of the land and sea management group by the community council, and directing what he or she thought the Yugul Mangi rangers should or should not be doing in regard to land and sea management activity. These actions pulled the ownership of the land and sea management programme away from traditional land owners and created tension.

Traditional owners modelled the governance of the land and sea management program on Aboriginal decision making processes, which must accommodate Aboriginal law if it is to continue to negotiate terms of access for land management activities on Aboriginal land. Local government and council structures have been unable or unwilling to accommodate this mode of operation. Furthermore, they do not have, as a primary interest, the success of the land and sea management program as it is not considered a core council service.

This situation in mid 2008 is still unfolding as the Yugul Mangi Community Government Council is absorbed into the new Roper Gulf Shire Council.

In a bid to ensure that land and sea management remained under the authority of Aboriginal traditional owners, senior rangers began discussions with senior traditional owners about an appropriate governance structure. What grew out of these discussions was the Yugul Mangi Land and Sea Management Corporation. It is an organisation that is still emerging but seeks to ensure Aboriginal customary law remains at the forefront of land and sea management activity across the clan estates. To this end a 'board of directors' has been established with representative members of each of the clan groups belonging to the Yugul Mangi Land and Sea Management Corporation. This 'board of directors' will guide land and sea management planning ensuring that decision making follows Aboriginal customary law. It aims to further empower Aboriginal decision making and strengthen the land and sea management program.

The corporation is now a legal entity and has begun negotiating the transfer of all ranger assets and funding agreements from the shire council to the corporation. The Northern Land Council will continue to play a role in administering ranger projects in the region as they will employ the rangers under WOC program.