Converging currents: Governance of Living Waters in the West Kimberley, Australia.

Abstract

Water colonialism is embedded in Australia's water governance frameworks. Decades of Australian water reforms have failed to address this water justice issue. In this thesis, I (lead researcher Kat Taylor) partnered with Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation (WAC) representing Nyikina and Mangala peoples, in the West Kimberley, Western Australia. WAC has strong expertise and interest in water. A participatory action research orientation was underpinned by critical research theory, with attention to decolonising methodologies. The exploratory research had two objectives. First, to apply a water colonial lens to critique discourses about water governance, policy and security. Second, to outline water policy/governance options that work towards water decolonisation and/or address gaps in WA's water governance model. A variety of methods were used, including; discourse analyses, small group discussions and policy development, with a focus on 'reframing' and 'envisioning' after Smith 1999. A key goal of the discourse analysis was to contrast the body of policy work undertaken by First Peoples with the corresponding Australian Government engagement (or lack thereof). Unpacking the concept of 'water security' indicated that opaque, incoherent framings within national policy implicitly excluded First Peoples' rights and interests. Water colonialism is also embedded in international 'best practice' guidelines, such as the OECD 12 Principles on Water Governance, which fail to harmonise with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The findings in the thesis provide further evidence of the structural nature of water colonialism, and pinpoint specific areas of tension between settler state and First Peoples' discourses about water. A key goal of outlining alternative water governance frameworks is to mitigate those tensions by developing water policy options that articulate WAC's position while responding to the WA state government's current water governance framework. WAC's framework of cultural (co-)governance for Living Waters and strategies towards water decolonisation provide potential policy pathways forward. Bringing together theoretical and applied findings, this thesis provides novel insights with implications for the future of water reform in Australia. Show more