Bill Ivory presents ‘The problem of leadership: Research from the Port Keats region of the Territory’, on Friday 7 April from 4pm.
Bill’s research is focussed in the North Western area of the Northern Territory.
Thamarrurr Regional Council, based at Wadeye (the largest town in the region), services a population of 2,300 Aboriginal people. The establishment of Thamarrurr has emerged from a customary way of resolving issues and ‘doing business’ and continues to develop albeit along a rough and rocky road.
A key issue facing Thamarrurr, and probably many communities around Australia, is the question of who are going to be the future leaders and how they will be developed.
Research so far in the Thamarrurr region indicates a partnership arrangement between senior leaders and the middle-aged with responsibility for many ‘white-fella’ issues being delegated to this middle ranking group.
However a major problem that has emerged, particularly during the last ten years, has been the disengagement of a large proportion of youth from the mainstream. They have created their own sub-groups, established leadership structures and communication lines, and are often engaged in conflict with each other.
This seminar will examine Western theories and styles of leadership, anthropological views on leadership, and attempt to situate the research in relation to such views.
Bill Ivory has previously worked for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Land Council. He transferred to the NT Government in the early 80’s and worked as a project officer and regional manager within local government and community development circles. More recently he was employed as Senior Project Officer, Department of Community Development with the Thamarrurr partnership project 2001-2005.
Bill is a PhD student with the School of Creative Arts and Humanities at Charles Darwin University.
This presentation takes place in Building 39, Room 39, ground level, Casuarina campus.
Visit the School of Creative Arts and Humanities website.