5+3 Strategic Agenda Directions Statements. Complied by Sarah Warne and Joann Schmider with the Cultural Values Project Steering Committee for the Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples’ Alliance (RAPA) for and on behalf of the Rainforest Aboriginal peoples of the Wet Tropics biocultural region of Tropical North Queensland

This document collates a set of Strategic Agenda Direction Statements, structured as five core directions and three enabling priorities, developed through Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples’ regional governance processes. Together, the statements articulate a coherent strategic framework that brings clarity to collective priorities, sequencing, and areas for coordinated action across governance, culture, Country, and economic participation.The document functions as a synthesis tool rather than a prescriptive plan. It draws together positions, aspirations, and agreed directions that have emerged through regional forums, leadership discussions, and engagement with Traditional Custodians and partner organisations. In doing so, it translates complex and often dispersed conversations into a structured agenda that can guide decision-making, partnerships, resourcing, and implementation over time.Central to the statements is the recognition of Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples as Traditional Custodians with enduring responsibilities grounded in traditional law and custom. Cultural authority, self-determination, and collective voice are positioned as foundational, rather than ancillary, to effective governance and development. The agenda emphasises that cultural knowledge, governance capability, and Country-based responsibilities must be strengthened in parallel, not treated as separate streams of work.The five core strategic directions focus on stabilising governance, embedding cultural authority in decision-making, protecting and mobilising local cultural knowledge, strengthening land and sea management roles, and enabling sustainable economic participation. The three enabling directions address the practical conditions required to support this work, including capacity building, partnerships, and resourcing. Together, the eight directions provide a scaffold for aligning regional priorities with government, industry, and research processes without diluting Indigenous control.The document highlights the importance of structured approaches to engagement, implementation, and accountability. It implicitly supports mechanisms for verifying and endorsing cultural knowledge, coordinating action across scales (local, sub-regional, and regional), and ensuring that initiatives remain grounded in community priorities. While it does not prescribe detailed methodologies, it establishes a shared strategic language that can inform agreements, work programs, and evaluations.Overall, the collated Strategic Agenda Direction Statements capture a moment of strategic consolidation. They provide a durable reference point for Rainforest Aboriginal Peoples and their partners, supporting continuity across changing policy environments while reinforcing that cultural governance and local knowledge sit at the core of long-term regional outcomes. Five agenda (business) directions:Promoting and Protecting our Culture and HeritageLooking after Rainforest Country and Conservation AreasManaging Reef and Rainforest WatersPlanning and Acting for the Future (Integrated Planning for Rainforest Country, Culture and PeoplesBenefitting EconomicallyThree enabling directions:a) Participation by our Traditional Ownersb) Managing our Knowledge Now and into the Futurec) Coordinated Investment and Partnerships