2019
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About the report
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef area and have a continuing connection to their land and sea country.
In 2017 the Australian Government commissioned a consortium of Indigenous and research organisations, led by the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, to engage with Great Barrier Reef Traditional Owners to better understand and reflect their aspirations for the Great Barrier Reef and deliver on existing commitments. Consortium members included: the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance, Cape York Institute, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University.
The consortium has prepared the report Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef: The Next Generation of Reef 2050 Actions, which provides advice from Great Barrier Reef Traditional Owners about their aspirations for involvement in the management, governance and protection of the Great Barrier Reef. The report offers a strategic blueprint to better support the fulfilment of Traditional Owners’ custodial responsibilities and obligations.
The Reef 2050 Plan Investment Framework identifies Traditional Owner actions as one of six priority areas for future investment. Traditional Owners of the Great Barrier Reef: The Next Generation of Reef 2050 Actions is an important contribution to the comprehensive review of the Reef 2050 Plan, due for completion in 2020.