Focused on protecting and preserving cultural heritage. The First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance is a coalition of member organisations representing First Nations Peoples from across the nation – including major Native Title, Land Rights, Traditional Owner, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Organisations.

The Alliance seeks to strengthen and modernise Cultural Heritage laws and to create industry reforms that ensure Indigenous Cultural Heritage is valued and protected for the future.

The First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance (FNHPA) has a formal partnership with the Australian government on cultural heritage reforms. The FNHPA, which is hosted by the NNTC, have been working with the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to co-design proposals to reform the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Act 1984 (Cth) to better protect the rights of Traditional Owners.

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Current laws and policies in Australia are mostly unfit for the purpose of protecting and conserving First Nations Cultural Heritage. As a result, it is incumbent on businesses and investors to reach beyond legislative standards and implement leading practice for cultural heritage as defined by First Nations Peoples.

The Dhawura Ngilan Business and Investor Initiative is a First Nations-led project that provides resources to enable investors and business to pro-actively contribute to the Dhawura Ngilan Vision by achieving best practice throughout their operations. Dhawura Ngilan means “Remembering Country” in the Ngunnawal language.

This Initiative is led by the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance in partnership with the Responsible Investment Association Australasia and UN Global Compact Network Australia. The Initiative launched two Guides on 19 March 2024 in Canberra and is now working with key industry leaders to implement the Guides.

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Committed to safeguarding sea country and marine environments. The SCA is an alliance between Australia’s Traditional Owners with responsibility for Sea Country. The formation of the Sea Country Alliance, following a national meeting of Traditional Owners in Darwin in November 2023, represents a step forward in realising our rights and responsibilities offshore.

All coastal state and territories of Australia are represented on the 56 member Alliance, ensuring that the complexity of our diverse seas, oceans and coastal areas is recognised. The Alliance has 45 Traditional Owner member corporations with statutory recognised responsibilities for Sea Country and 11 associate members, which are Traditional Owner organisations with an interest in Sea Country issues

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The Mabo Centre is an Indigenous-led partnership between the National Native Title Council and the University of Melbourne, focused on advancing Indigenous leadership and improving economic outcomes for communities through land and sea rights.

The Centre’s name has been generously gifted with permission from the Mabo family to honour the legacy of Dr Eddie Koiki Mabo, a renowned campaigner for land and sea rights and economic development, and the forefather of Native Title.

The Mabo Centre is governed by a Board of First Nations leaders and economic experts.

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The NNTC is a member of the First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance (Alliance), which is a coalition of Indigenous leaders working to transform Indigenous economic opportunity in Australia.

Hosted by the First Nations Portfolio from the Australian National University and Chaired by Professor Peter Yu, the Alliance is committed to progressing comprehensive macro-economic reforms that will transform the fiscal relationship between First Nations peoples and the Australia Government.

The Alliance works closely with their Canadian partners, primarily the First Nations Financial Management Board.

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The NNTC is a member of the Coalition of Peaks, and the lead peak responsible for economic development and the land and waters outcomes.

The Coalition of Peaks is a made up of more than 80 peak bodies representing over 800 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations. In 2020 the Coalition of Peaks signed the historic National Agreement on Closing the Gap in partnership with all Australian governments.

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