Respecting Country – A sustainable waste strategy for First Nation communities
The Respecting Country – A sustainable waste strategy for First Nation communities (Strategy) provides a fit-for-purpose approach to delivering tailored waste management solutions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Strategy was developed collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councils and in partnership with the Local Government Association of Queensland.
The Strategy acknowledges and respects the challenges and obstacles faced by these communities including geographic isolation and high transport costs. It also identifies sustainable and fit-for-purpose waste management and resource recovery solutions which recognise the important connection that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have to Country, land and sea. These solutions aim to create innovative new business opportunities that build local employment.
The Strategy is being implemented through a series of Regional Waste Management Plans (Plans).
The Plans will align with the priorities identified by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities during the development of the Strategy. They will also support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councils to contribute at a local level towards achieving the targets in the Queensland Waste Strategy, in a way that reflects the needs of individual communities and regional collaboration.