Native Title Contact Officer role and responsibilities
What is a Native Title Contact Officer (NTCO)?
Each department and agency has an officer/s appointed as the NTCO. The NTCO is the contact person for all matters relating to native title.
This means that if an officer within your department or agency has a question about –
- addressing native title for a particular land or resource dealing; or
- a native title claim or determination of native title;
- considering native title when creating policy or new legislation,
you are the person that officer should seek advice from in the first instance. If you are unable to help, then as the NTCO you should seek advice from Indigenous Services (IS).
It is generally recommended that there be only one NTCO per department/agency to ensure a central point of contact. However, there may be areas within your department or agency responsible for very different subject matters and it may be sensible to have an NTCO for each area.
As a NTCO for your department or agency it is considered desirable that you -
- have a basic understanding of native title;
- have an ability to carry out a native title assessment in accordance with the Native Title Work Procedures;
- have an ability to carry out tenure and usage research;
- are able to identify if there is a native title training need within your department/agency;
- attend a native title training workshop every 1 to 2 years;
- attend any NTCO Meetings throughout the year;
- know your limitations as to when you need to seek advice; and
- have good oral and written communication skills.
What is the role and responsibilities of the NTCO?
Your role as an NTCO is important as you are a critical link in ensuring that your department or agency is fully aware of what they must do to ensure compliance with the law and State government native title policy.
Your responsibilities include:
- distributing native title information provided by IS to all relevant officers in your department/agency;
- providing advice to departmental/agency officers in accordance with the Native Title Work Procedures;
- seeking native title policy advice from IS or native title legal advice from Crown Law;
- coordinating your department’s/agency’s response to requests from IS, eg. a summary of departmental interests in a particular area for the purpose of negotiating a native title claim;
- creating awareness in your department/agency of native title, the Native Title Work Procedures and QNTIME; and
- liaising and building relationships with native title parties, applicants and State government officers.
However, you are not responsible for doing a native title assessment for each dealing unless your department has so decided - although there are certain native title decisions that can only be made by the NTCO or IS. The officer responsible for the progressing of the proposed dealing usually does the native title assessment in accordance with the Native Title Work Procedures.
Depending on the impact of native title on your department’s/agency’s daily business, your responsibilities as a NTCO will vary. For many NTCOs native title is just one of their many responsibilities. For a small number of NTCOs dealing with native title defines their entire role.
When is the last time you introduced yourself to your department/agency?
If you are new to the role, IS encourages you to send an e-mail to your department or agency introducing yourself as the NTCO and advising that you are there to help with any issues or questions relating to native title, the Native Title Work Procedures and QNTIME. IS also encourages existing NTCOs to send a similar reminder e-mail around each year.
How can IS help you?
IS officers are happy to help you with any questions you have in relation to native title. The first point of contact in IS should be the officers of the Policy unit, who provide a whole of government advice function in relation to native title policy.
IS can also offer native title training on a one on one basis or through native title training workshops.
Last updated: 10 March 2009