Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples’ Regional Forum Summary Report. Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples’ Regional Forum 2021

This document is the Summary Report of the Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples (RAP) Regional Forum 2021, held in Cairns in July 2021 and hosted by the Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples’ Think Tank (RAPTT) with support from the Wet Tropics Management Authority and government partners. The report records the collective discussions, directions, and resolutions of Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples at a critical stage in the refresh of the 2005 Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Regional Agreement and the proposed development of a Supplementary and Implementation Agreement.The report strongly affirms Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples as Traditional Custodians with enduring responsibilities under traditional law and custom to care for Country, culture, and kin. It emphasises that effective management of the Wet Tropics biocultural region requires Aboriginal authority to be embedded in governance, planning, policy, and decision-making processes. Throughout the document, a clear relationship is drawn between meaningful Traditional Custodian involvement and the protection, maintenance, and use of local cultural knowledge.A central focus of the forum outcomes is the need for deep engagement grounded in Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). Engagement is described as extending beyond regional meetings into apical family structures, cultural authorities, and trusted decision-making systems. The report highlights the importance of respecting traditional laws, customs, and knowledge systems to ensure authenticity, legitimacy, and cultural safety in any documentation or use of cultural information.The document identifies persistent challenges, including limited capacity, fragmented governance arrangements, and insufficient resourcing, which constrain Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples’ ability to fully participate in shared management and economic development. In response, the forum outlines strategic priorities: building capacity for shared governance, collating and documenting cultural knowledge in culturally appropriate ways, and securing partnerships and investment to support regional-scale action.The report also addresses future economic and social opportunities, particularly through culturally informed tourism, education, and interpretation. It identifies potential products such as cultural heritage mapping, interpretive materials, educational programs, and tourism experiences, while stressing that Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples must retain control over how cultural knowledge is used and represented. Partnerships with government, industry, and research organisations are framed as necessary but must be equitable and respectful.Overall, the document captures a decisive moment in which Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples collectively articulated a rights-based, knowledge-centred vision for governance reform, cultural authority, and sustainable development in the Wet Tropics, positioning local cultural knowledge as foundational to future management and economic participation.