Cultures at Risk Presenter Biographies

Allison Halliday

Cultures at Risk — the Success Stories

My name is Allison Halliday and I am a Rainforest Aboriginal woman from the Mulgrave River of Far North Queensland, Australia. I am of the Mullunburra Clan of the Yidindji Nation. I have seven children and I have been actively involved in Aboriginal issues, particularly native title, cultural heritage, and land management, for over 10 years. In March 1995 the Wet Tropics Ministerial Council approved terms of reference for the development of The Review of Aboriginal Involvement in the Management of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Some 163 recommendations were outlined in the Review that then led to the establishment of an Interim Negotiating Forum (INF). The INF was held over three and a half years and has recently culminated in the Wet Tropics Regional Agreement.

Through a democratic process Rainforest Aboriginal people elected four Aboriginal negotiators for the INF including myself as the co-chairperson for the Aboriginal Negotiating Team. Negotiations with the Government Negotiating Team were completed in June 2004, and on April 29, 2005, the Rainforest Aboriginal people of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area officially signed the Wet Tropics Regional Agreement with both State and Commonwealth governments.

At present I am working as the administration/project officer of the Aboriginal Rainforest Council (ARC) to ensure that the Wet Tropics Regional Agreement is implemented by the World Heritage management agencies and to monitor and review Rainforest Aboriginal people’s continued involvement in the management of our traditional lands.