In recognition of National Reconciliation Week 2023, the First Peoples Environmental Regulators Community of Practice will host a panel discussion on Traditional Knowledge and Cultural values and the role it can play in environment protection.
This is taking place as a Yarning Circle discussion, chaired by Kylie Jacky, and is open to all AELERT members.
The Yarning Circle is on Tuesday, May 30, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm AEST.
Kylie Jacky is a proud Nyangbal woman from the Bundjalung nation in north coast of NSW. Currently Lead, Aboriginal Initiatives in NSW EPA to build the cultural capability that will include Aboriginal cultural values and participation of Aboriginal people to strengthen the EPA regulatory role to protect the environment and human health.
Marcus Weatherall is a proud Yuwalaraay man who was born and raised in Walgett NSW. He is the Team Leader, Community Partnerships in the Healthy Country Team in the Aboriginal Outcomes Directorate in NSW Department of Planning and Environment. The Community Partnerships Team were responsible for development of the Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) Protocol for the Planning and Environment cluster.
Te Mauri Apiata (Tūhoe, Waikato, Ngāpuhi), Senior Advisor Māori, Kaupapa Kura Taiao, Te Mana Rauhī Taiao, Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Te Mauri has spent many years working in the natural resource sector at community, educational and now the public service level. A key focus of his role at the EPA is to support greater engagement with Māori to ensure their perspectives are incorporated into decision-making processes. This involves building and maintaining relationships with Māori representative groups across Aotearoa New Zealand, including Te Herenga, the EPA’s network of regionally based kaitiaki or environmental practitioners, who provide valuable input to EPA work programmes.
More information on the mātauranga framework here
Additional Yarners will include:
• Colleen Fraser, Gamilaroi woman and Lead of the Environment Protection Country pilot at EPA Victoria
• Corey Walker, Yorta Yorta man and Senior Aboriginal Engagement Adviser at EPA Victoria
Hosting this yarning circle during Reconciliation Week allows us all to consider not only the opportunities and benefits of how cultural values can support environmental outcomes, but also its role in healing and repairing and highlighting that recognising cultural values within environmental practice is important and part of systemic change.
