Beyond stones, bones and bush tucker – Integrating Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in Environmental Impact Assessment

Indigenous people have existed on Australian Country for more than 65,000 years. Their accumulated environmental knowledge has been recognised since early colonisation, assisting Europeans to survive, explore and expand. Internationally and in Australia, there is growing utilisation of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in managing natural resources, conservation areas, and the application of fire for sustaining ecosystems and reducing extreme fire events. In the Environmental Protection Act 1986 a two-tiered definition of environment referred to as Social Surroundings, introduced for impact assessment provides scope for the integration of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in Environmental Impact Assessments. In some, but not all, Environmental Impact Assessments, Indigenous communities are consulted on matters of Aboriginal heritage; however, the breadth and depth of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge is not integrated to articulate the cultural significance of the land for the people who belong to that Country. This thesis explores the following questions: 1. To what extent is there consideration or respect of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in Environmental Impact Assessment? 2. What are the key challenges to including Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in Environmental Impact Assessment? To gain perspective on these research questions, using Western Australia as a case study, interviews were conducted with 18 participants comprising Indigenous and non-Indigenous people with experience and knowledge in this area. Each interview was analysed thematically to identify patterns across the data and develop common themes in the interview transcripts. In addition, a recently approved project was compared with the results from the thematic analysis. Based on the results of the analysis, eight themes were identified from the data: (1) The legal means exists in the Environmental Protection Act 1986, but there is confusion and a lack of guidance, standards and understanding for integrating Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in Environmental Impact Assessment. (2) Colonialism created displacement from Country, loss of access to Country and cultural activity. (3) Consultation fatigue and inadequate resourcing can impede access to knowledge holders who can speak for Country. (4) Ethical and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities requires building relationships, establishing protocols and ensuring reciprocity (5) Indigenous Ecological Knowledge needs to be seen as a valid, legitimate form of knowledge and treated equally and transparently in Environmental Impact Assessment. (6) Risks of sharing of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge without appropriate Intellectual Property Protection. (7) Early engagement with Indigenous communities is necessary to reduce timing and cost implications; and (8) Improved outcomes in environmental, social and economic development result from appropriate engagement and sharing of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge in Environmental Impact Assessment. It can be concluded from the research that the extent of consideration or respect is low; and there are a number of challenges to provide integration of IEK in EIA that are ingrained from 250 years of colonialism. Understanding of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge for proponents is inadequate, and implementation by the Environmental Protection Authority is poor. The result is a lack of integration, loss of knowledge and opportunity and limitations for Indigenous communities in the decision-making on impacts to Country. Specific challenges to integrating IEK in EIA include access to Country; consultation fatigue amongst IEK holders, and access to the right knowledge holders; ethical engagement; validity of IEK and EIA transparency; Intellectual Property protection; and the implications for timing and costs of the EIA. The overarching context for many of the challenges to integration of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge are embedded in the perpetuation of colonialism. There needs to be shift for the Western Australian EPA to take responsibility for improving the implementation of the Social Surroundings Factor of the EIA process, by integrating Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and raising the standard of Environmental Impact Assessment in WA, to provide a model for Australia, and to meet the global expectations of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, by going beyond bones, stones and bush tucker.