Desert Knowledge CRC

A comprehensive independent review has found the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) is well on track to achieve its objectives and to deliver its proposed outcomes.

“The review found that we have performed extremely well in our first three years of operation,” said Desert Knowledge CRC Managing Director, Ms Jan Ferguson.

“It said that some of our research projects are likely to lead to the development of commercial processes and products. This is an exceptional result for a public good CRC.”

The review endorsed the Desert Knowledge CRC’s priorities and found that the nationwide research network had developed strong relationships with stakeholders and a reputation for making a sensitive and productive contribution.

It commended the organisation’s “unique achievements in engaging Aboriginal people in research, an outcome that is expected to be enduring”.

The panel said the organisation’s “significant Aboriginal engagement is an achievement that no other organisation or CRC could have created” as “others undertake research but do not achieve diffusion amongst local Aboriginal communities”.

The review findings were backed up by an industry survey which found that the Desert Knowledge CRC:

• is very well connected to end users and creates significant tangible and intangible value for them
•  receives strong support from end users for its approach to collaboration and engagement
•  attracts strong satisfaction from end users for its research communication, its strategies for achieving commercial outcomes from its research
•  is strongly believed to deliver improvements to the desert economy through the development of new business.

“We could not have achieved such an excellent result without the support of our partners and we would like to thank everyone who has contributed,” said Ms Ferguson.

The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) requires all CRCs to undergo an independent review after their first three years of operation.

The review …

Read More »

Aboriginal pastoral employment and enterprises across Northern Australia are coming under the spotlight as part of the most thorough review of the industry ever undertaken.

Cattle for Country is a new Desert Knowledge CRC research project that brings together pastoralists, Aboriginal organisations and enterprises, government departments and industry groups all over northern Australia.

It is the first time the cattle industry, hard hit by the national skills shortage, is funding research into Aboriginal employment initiatives.

The three-year project will find out how to best strengthen Aboriginal cattle enterprises, build productive partnerships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cattle companies and create and sustain employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal people in the industry.

The CRC’s Managing Director, Ms Jan Ferguson, said research benefits will go beyond helping to create jobready local workforces and more viable cattle businesses.

“It’s also about learning how the industry can best realise a range of cultural, environmental and social benefits.”

“Strengthening existing initiatives will lead to improvements in the governance and business management capacity of remote communities, more collaborative management operations such as joint musters between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal cattle enterprises, easier access to country for traditional owners through better roads and infrastructure and a healthier environment through the control of weeds, feral animals and fires.”

Cattle for Country has three components:

• Review of Aboriginal employment in the pastoral industry
•  Evaluation of the Indigenous Pastoral Program
•  Evaluation of Kimberley Indigenous Management Support Services (KIMSS)

In the first of these, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) are cofunding the Desert Knowledge CRC to conduct a 12-month review of Aboriginal employment initiatives in the mainstream pastoral industry.

The review will document and analyse case studies of successes and failures to develop best practice employment models.

“Many northern beef producers are struggling to source labour …

Read More »

The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) has appointed a community development champion from rural South Australia to lead its research into bush products.

Born, bred and based in Port Augusta, Ms Jenny Cleary manages a national team of researchers working on a wide range of projects aimed at strengthening the bush foods industry across desert Australia.

The Bush Products Project contributes to the development of this emerging industry in areas such as horticulture and wild harvest of bush foods, wood, fibre and craft products.

Ms Cleary said the research seeks to boost the dollar value from bush products and the number of desert people, especially Aboriginal people, making a living from the industry.

“It is one of seven core research projects of the Desert Knowledge CRC and investigates the economic benefits desert people and their communities may derive from this growing industry and the capacity they need to support it.

The project involves research on market and industry development, branding and policy related matters, on how to attract investors, the diversification of bush livelihoods and the creation of Aboriginal enterprises,” she said.

Ms Cleary joins the nationwide research network from Rural Solutions SA, a South Australian Government owned consultancy business, where she was Program Leader Community Development.

Her passion for building sustainable desert communities has seen her and her team accomplish several successful initiatives.

Among them are Outback Connect, a project funded by the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Training (DFEEST) which trains people from rural and remote communities in internet use, and a multi-agency partnership that developed an electronic tool for these communities to self-assess their capacity to take part in natural resource management.

With considerable experience in program management, community health administration and vocational education, Ms Cleary is currently completing a Masters Degree in Human …

Read More »

Ian has been appointed Business Manager at Desert Knowledge CRC and will commence on 10 April 2006. He has been a resident of the Northern Territory since 1985 with his wife Alison and their three children, and is recognised by his professional association as a Fellow of CPA Australia.

Since graduating as an accountant from Deakin University in his hometown of Geelong, Ian has gained experience in a range of positions. He initially worked as a commercial accountant in Melbourne for eight years with retail and trading companies. Since moving to the Territory 20 years ago, he has worked with a number of Aboriginal organisations and communities, which includes twelve years as financial controller with the Central Land Council (CLC).

In recent years he has been involved in Local Government and in the past two to three years as Director of Finance with the Alice Springs Town Council.

Ian has also enjoyed living and working in other parts of the Territory, including five years in the early 1990s in the Top End at Yirrkala Community and Yirrkala Business Enterprises in Nhulunbuy, and a computer company in Darwin.

Ian is no stranger to cross-cultural situations and for much of his employment at CLC was heavily involved with mineral royalty distributions through incorporated associations that were developed to encourage investment strategies. Property investments and joint venture arrangements were accessed through networks with Centrecorp Aboriginal Investment Company Pty Ltd.

Ian has a strong background in financial reporting and systems development and is very keen to participate in Desert Knowledge commercialisation.…

Read More »

Dear Network Member,

Every month from now on I’ll be sending you an email to keep you up to date with what’s happening at the Desert Knowledge CRC.

Commonwealth Review

An eventful year for the Desert Knowledge CRC has ended on a very positive note. The report from the independent Commonwealth Review team chaired by Dr John Childs is just in, and I’m pleased to say we’ve passed with flying colours.

The review found that we have performed extremely well in our first three years of operation and, while established as a public good CRC, some of our research projects are likely to lead to the development of commercial processes and products.

It endorsed our priorities for the future and commented that we have developed the strong relationships with stakeholders and reputation for making a sensitive and productive contribution that are a prerequisite for the successful conduct of social action research.

The review panel commended our ”unique achievements in engaging Aboriginal people in research, an outcome that is expected to be enduring”. It said this was “an achievement no other organisation or CRC could have created” because others “undertake research but do not achieve diffusion amongst local Aboriginal communities”.

These findings were backed up by an industry survey which found that we:

• are very well connected to end users and are creating significant tangible and intangible value for them
•  receive strong support from end users for our approach to collaboration and engagement with them • attract strong satisfaction from end users for our research communication and our strategies for achieving commercial outcomes from our research
•  are strongly believed to deliver improvements to the desert economy through the development of new business.

We could not have achieved such an excellent result without the support of our partners. A big thank you …

Read More »

A belated Happy New Year and welcome back everybody, I hope your break was as relaxing as mine. It was great to come back to Alice Springs after the recent rains which filled the waterholes, brought some welcome cooler weather and turned the Centre a vivid green. Check out the pics of the Todd in full flow!

We achieved a great deal last year and really needed this break. I’m determined that we will pace and look after ourselves a bit better this year, while still maintaining a sense of urgency about our work.

Staff News

A special welcome to our new staff members Jenny Cleary, Lynette Swan and Tahnee Brown.

Lynette and Tahnee, both from Alice Springs, are our new program assistants supporting our research, communication and commercialisation work.

Jenny takes over from Maarten Ryder as leader of the Bush Products from the Desert core project. Jenny joins us from Rural Solutions SA, a government-owned consultancy business in Port Augusta and comes with a solid reputation in community development. I’d like to acknowledge the kind support from the South Australian Outback Areas Development Trust, which allows Jenny to remain based in her home town of Port Augusta and strengthens our collaboration with our South Australian stakeholders. You can read all about her appointment in last week’s media release.

A big thank you to Maarten for helping to develop the project since 2004. He wanted more time to pursue his wider research interests but will stay involved in the Bush Products team.

Terri Harbrow has elected to return to Brisbane for family reasons. We wish her well.

The restructure of our management team has seen Craig James take on the newly created position of General Manager Communication and Commercialisation. He will shortly be moving to Canberra for family reasons.

Ruth …

Read More »

instant Steel Solutions is a high-powered worldwide steel trading business unit located in Australia. The clients’ profit and revenue are maximized by welded beams at instant steel solutions with its vibrant products. The buyers’ efficiency and productiveness are improved by Instant steel solutions. The various branches located in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and China regions. More than seventy years’ experience in the steel industry has made the business a topnotch among customers and partners. This business unit has been producing efficient quality standards and amicable market conditions for the customers. This firm has constant businesws connections on an international level which is very difficult for its competitors.

Products supplied

Instant steel solutions has the ability to supply a different range of products because it has access to an international network. The product range from Structural Steel Fabricators, Hot Dip Galvanised Building Products, QA/QC and Non-destructive Testing Services

Hollow Sections, Reinforcing ProductsmWelded Beams and Welded Columns, Hot Rolled Products and Cattle Panels, and Mesh. The firm has a business connection with the Australian fabricators for making fabricated hot rolled steel. These products are manufactured on international standards and quality. Asides general fabrications, the firm has a great experience in the welded beam and bridge girders.

The business solutions has a great compliance with the Australian government norms and are accredited Green Star accredited. The company has the best norms and latest equipment for making residential building products. The business unit has exemplary staff for making cold rolled hollow section products. The topnotch and world-class steel business company has the capacity to supply more than 20000 tonnes of steel products at a shorter period of time. The company has the efficiency of delivering the order for even short lead time.

The jaw-dropping technologies of this steel company have profound knowledge and …

Read More »