Let's Yarn about a Sea Country Alliance

 ReefTO is a Traditional Owner-led initiative that honours the decades of work by Elders to assert their cultural authority and rights to sea country, and to drive genuine partnerships across the Reef. Operational since July 2024, ReefTO was set up in response to a recommendation in the Reef 2050 Traditional Owner Implementation Plan (TO Implementation Plan), which is that a Taskforce be set up to achieve three key priorities:  

• Engaging with Traditional Owners on options for a Sea Country Alliance and implementing the preferred option 
• Overseeing the delivery of strategic policy and capacity building actions in the Implementation Plan while a Sea Country Alliance is being established 
• Monitoring and reporting on the delivery of Traditional Owner actions in the TO Implementation Plan by all agencies and organisations (including ReefTO)

Visit our website to learn more.  

ReefTO is directed by a Taskforce of seven Reef Traditional Owners who were appointed based on their skills and expertise to drive the three key priorities of ReefTO. They were not appointed to represent specific regions or organisations.

Taskforce members include:

• Duane Fraser, Co-Chair
• Manuwuri Forester, Co-Chair
• Dr Cass Hunter, Member
• Dr Leah Talbot, Member
• Rev. Shayne Blackman, Member
• Yodie Batzke, Member
• Brent McLellan, Member

The Taskforce is supported by a Coordination Unit to deliver its three objectives. Get to know our Taskforce Members here.

The Traditional Owner Steering Group, with the support of an independent professional Indigenous recruitment agency, appointed the first members in 2024 (Co-Chairs Duane Fraser and Manuwuri Forester, and Dr Cass Hunter). Since then, the Taskforce has conducted two further recruitment rounds, which led to the appointment of the final four Taskforce Members. The Taskforce is now complete.

The Reef 2050 Traditional Owner Implementation Plan (TO Implementation Plan) brings Traditional Owner and supporting actions from across the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan (2021-2025) together in one place. It has six critical work areas and a set of 71 actions that deliver on Traditional Owner priorities for a Healthy Reef and Healthy People. Development of the TO Implementation Plan was led by the Traditional Owner Steering Group.

No! ReefTO is an independent, Traditional Owner-led, grassroots initiative that honours the decades of work by Elders to assert their cultural authority and rights to Sea Country and to drive genuine partnerships across the Reef. In doing so, ReefTO aims to achieve Traditional Owners’ aspirations for the health, management and protection of the Reef and interconnecting Country.  

ReefTO does receive some funding from government to progress the three key priorities, including the Queensland Government and Australian Government. However, the underlying Agreement to Partner that the Traditional Owner Steering Group negotiated with the funding partners and that is reflected in our foundational documents, protects ReefTO’s operational autonomy. In carrying out its functions, ReefTO has the autonomy and mandate to be guided by, and act in, the best interests of Traditional Owners across the Reef.

No, ReefTO is not an incorporated entity. One of the Taskforce’s key objectives is to yarn with Reef Traditional Owners on preferences for setting up a Sea Country Alliance. If that is something we as Traditional Ownersdecide we want, then the Sea Country Alliance would be set up in line with Traditional Owners’ preferences. 

For now, ReefTO is hosted by Pollination Foundation until 30 June 2026, or until a Sea Country Alliance is set up. As the Host Organisation, Pollination Foundation provides the corporate services that are needed to operate (such as entering legal contracts, employing staff, and letting us use their financial, accounting and payroll systems, etc). These are important services that allow us to operate while we set up the Sea Country Alliance.

ReefTO gets funding  from two sources to help us achieve our goals:

• The Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW): provides funding for ReefTO to progress its key objectives and to deliver a set of priority strategic policy and capacity building actions in the TO Implementation Plan, including engagement on the Sea Country Alliance (~$14 million)
• The Queensland Government Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI): provides funding that supports core operations, governance and systems that are critical in making sure ReefTO functions efficiently and effectively as it progresses the three key objectives (~$5.8 million). Some of these funds are supplied by DCCEEW, but distributed by DETSI.

Pollination Foundation, as the Host Organisation, enters into these funding agreements on behalf of ReefTO.

The Sea Country Alliance is an idea of something we could build together. It’s not set up yet, but it’s what we’re calling a possible future organisation that could bring all Reef Traditional Owners together, working as one for our Sea Country.. The idea behind it is that rather than “asking” for a seat at the table, we as Traditional Owners are setting out to build our own table when it comes to Reef governance, policy and decision-making. Together, we are stronger and they can’t ignore us.

It’s about flipping the script. Instead of waiting to be invited to someone else’s table, we’re talking about building our own. A place where our voices lead the way in decisions about Reef governance, policy, and management.

When we stand together, we’re stronger. And when we speak together, they can’t ignore us.

Since the 1980s and even earlier, our Elders and community leaders have been coming together to talk about the importance of unity and collective power in advocating for Sea Country rights and management.

In 2018, the Reef 2050 Traditional Owner Aspirations Project delivered a report to support Traditional Owners in securing a more “joined-up” approach to governance and management across the GBR. Following extensive engagement, one of the recommendations was to establish a “GBR Traditional Owner Sea Country Alliance” as a stand-alone entity independent from government to provide more power in advocating for the strategic interests of Reef Traditional Owners in GBR management.

Establishing a Sea Country Alliance carried over as action PC-5 in the TO Implementation Plan, and was selected by Reef Traditional Owners as one of the highest priorities for delivery at the Sea Country Forum in March 2025.

You are. Our job at ReefTO is to make sure you have the information you need so you can share your views and preferences for what you think the Sea Country Alliance should do, shouldn’t do, how it should operate, how it should be structured, how decisions should be made, and who should be members.

That’s the reason we’re out yarning with Traditional Owners all up and down the GBR from July 2025 to July 2026. We want to hear what you have to say! This is your chance to shape what the future Sea Country Alliance looks like.

Our primary audience is Traditional Owner groups that have inherent Sea Country rights in the GBR World Heritage Area. Where there is a PBC, we start there.

We’re also yarning with groups and alliances in the broader Reef Catchment to gather their views about how we should work together for the benefit of Sea Country.

No. It’d be great if as many Reef Traditional Owners groups as possible came on board - because we’re strongest when we’re united and aligned. But so long as the majority of groups that represent Reef Traditional Owners with inherent Sea Country rights in the GBR World Heritage Area indicate they want a Sea Country Alliance, then we’ll go ahead and set it up to align with how Reef Traditional Owners tell us they want it to be structured and operate.

Not if you don’t want to. It’ll be “opt-in”, so if you’re not sure at first, you can wait, learn more and see how it goes and join later if you prefer. You can also exit anytime if you don’t think it’s working for you or you’re not seeing the benefits.

Yes, definitely. A Sea Country Alliance would enhance and support existing cultural decision-making structures. It would not duplicate or interfere with local, sub-regional or regional Traditional Owner responsibilities over Sea Country rights and interests, or cultural governance/protocols. Instead, the vision is that it would provide an enhanced ability for all Reef Traditional Owners to coordinate and drive strategic policy and management outcomes that are in all our interests.

No. Any agreements or contracts related to funding, programs like Ranger groups, IPAs, TUMRAS, etc will all remain administered by you and in your direct control.

No, the opposite. It’s hoped that with our collective power we’d be able to influence agencies to flow MORE money to local Traditional Owner groups to manage and protect Sea Country. While the Sea Country Alliance may attract funding and grants to support its work, this would be at the level of strategic policy, capacity building initiatives, or other value-add activities that Reef Traditional Owners direct the Sea Country Alliance to lead.

No. You retain full autonomy and authority to conduct business related to your Sea Country in the way you want. The Sea Country Alliance would not be a “gatekeeper” between local groups and government.

That’s for you to decide! Similar organisations have established a board with representatives from different regions in the geographic area of interest. It would also need staff to deliver activities and support the governance of the organisation.

While we’re engaging with mob about what the Sea Country Alliance should look like, we’re also working on setting up a long-term fund. Once established, the interest earned would provide the core operational funds to “keep the lights on” and support good governance. We’d still need to look for further funds to support activities, but the annual interest on the long-term fund should be enough to cover basic operating costs

For this perpetual fund (we’re using the “Future Fund” as the working title), three partners have committed $10 million each (Great Barrier Reef Foundation, DCCEEW and DETSI). ReefTO does not hold these funds – they’ll only be released if a Sea Country Alliance is set up and when protections are in place to ensure the funds are used in the future for the intended purpose.

The Sea Country Alliance could benefit TOs in lots of ways, such as:

• • • Empower Reef Traditional Owners by enhancing (not replacing) existing structures around cultural authority and rights-based decision-making
    • Advocate and negotiate for policy change and program investment to support Reef Traditional Owners’ aspirations for Sea Country
    • Share knowledge between mob and strengthen our collective capabilities in Sea Country management
    • Support systems change and push for genuine co-governance in Reef management and decision-making
    • Provide a platform for celebrating excellence amongst Reef Traditional Owners and sharing our achievements with other Traditional Owners in Australia