Handbook

This course will focus on an appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, culture and tradition, specifically as they relate to land and waters. Under the Planning Institute of Australia’s (PIA) Code of Professional Conduct the course will provide a practical understanding of how to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities in order to better understand their rights and interests, and especially the importance of their connections to their country and how that may be integrated into contemporary land use and environmental planning. Each week of the lecture will explore these ideas from the viewpoint of the international human rights norms and standards and how the UN Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples applies to indigenous rights in planning and develop ideas / models of implementation of property rights that may promote equitable, just and culturally relevant economic and social development. Considering the relevance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ knowledge and culture to contemporary planning and planning practice, the course will provide a unique opportunity for students to contextualise and interpret Indigenous policy.