First Nations

The First Nations Program embeds Indigenous governance and knowledge systems within the One Basin CRC, advancing a model of Indigenous-led, Country-centred inquiry to address water, environmental, and economic sustainability across the Murray–Darling Basin.

Program Purpose

To elevate First Nations-led solutions to water, environmental, and economic challenges across the Basin. We will: 

• Co-design research with communities
• Foster Indigenous research leadership
• Build enduring capabilities
• Uphold data sovereignty
• Translate knowledge into actionable policy outcomes

Program Outcomes

• A portfolio of Indigenous-led, locally governed research initiatives
• Policy-relevant insights grounded in cultural knowledges and lived experience
• Strengthened institutional capacity for ethical and reciprocal engagement with First Nations communities
• Development of culturally governed data infrastructures and protocols
• Tangible outcomes for community wellbeing, ecological restoration, and economic empowerment

Partnerships

Key to the program’s success will be sustained partnerships with:

• First Nations communities, cultural authorities, and representative organisations
• Commonwealth, state, and local government agencies
• Research institutions committed to Indigenous-led scholarship
• Water authorities and natural resource management bodies
• Industry and not-for-profit partners aligned with principles of ethical collaboration and Indigenous self-determination

Program Lead