This document summarizes research on economic participation and aspirations in remote Central Australian communities. The researchers analyzed mixed-market activities like arts, natural resource use, and tourism in different communities. They found that communities with more local infrastructure and support had more diverse mixed-market opportunities and higher rates of cultural production and economic participation. However, large-scale data does not fully capture localized mixed-market activities and their importance to well-being. Recognizing diverse local opportunities and customary activities is needed to understand remote community capacity and advantage.

1. Northern Australian Aspirations
Judith Lovell and John Guenther
How is aspirational and mixed-market
opportunity contributing to economies
in remote Central Australia and why
does it matter?
This is a Synthesis and Integration project for the Cooperative
Research Centre for remote Economic Participation (CRC-REP)

2. Terminology
‘Non-Market’ is Wolf’s (1979) conceptualization. It includes
government, philanthropy, charity and others acting in the public
sector
‘Mixed-market’ includes the influence of customary (Altman, 2006)
and other market economies. In our sample mixed-market activity
intersects with non-market economic activity
non-markets
(public)
customary and
other markets
mixed-markets

3. What does Literature tell us?
Human Capital Theory ….education, mobility and employment are
causal, logical and consequential (Tan, 2012)
Neo-classical economics … income is a good proxy for wellbeing
(Colquhoun and Dockery, 2012).
Public policy should serve the interests of wellbeing (Dockery, 2015)
Remote and sparse populations need fine grained analysis to
establish how change impacts on services and business (Carson et.al
2014)
Expression of Indigenous Knowledge is a human right (UNESCO) …
and we suggest it is also a huge local and regional advantage

4. Aims and Method
Establish what sort of aspirations and capacity underpins customary
and mixed-market activity that can be ‘seen’ in data analysis, by
using a sample of remote communities in Central Australia (NT)
Arts CNRM Education
Arts Professional nfd Garden Nursery Labourers Child Carers
Visual Arts Crafts Professional Environmental Scientists Education Aides
Artistic Directors, Media
Producers and Presenters
Livestock Farm Workers Primary School Teachers
Welfare, Recreation and
Community Arts Workers
School Teachers nfd
Private Tutors and Teachers

5. Industry and mixed-market activity
The absence or presence of an active regional industry or peak
body is an indicator of community activity.
There are no records of Aboriginal Tourism businesses active in the
sample region in 2011
* There are Tourism products that involve sites within the sample
region. These are not ATSI owned or run, do not utilise local
governance or business structures, and may employ locals
intermittently as guides
* There was a regional ATSI tourism group in Central Australia in
2011, but this did not involve communities in our sample.

6. Data Sample
Cluster 1 = 3 mixed-market activities
* Ntaria, Lajamanu, Ltyentye Apurte,
Yuendumu, Papunya
Cluster 2 = 1 or 2 mixed-market activities
* Atitjere, Daguragu, Owairtilla,
Ampilatwatja, Alekerenge
Cluster 3 = 0 mixed-market activities
* Wirliyatjarrayi, Alpurrulam, Nyirripi,
Laramba, Tara

7. Labour Force and Population
The ratio of INDIG Labour Force to Population across the clusters is 1:5.6 in
Cluster One; 1:6.7 in Cluster Two; and 1:6.9 in Cluster Three
The ratio of NI-NS Labour Force to Population across the clusters is 1:1.4 in
Cluster One; 1:1.5 in Cluster Two; and 1:1.5 in Cluster Three
247 355
134 204 68 94
465
2585
287
1887
159
1089
Labour Force Population Labour Force Population Labour Force Population
Cluster One Cluster Two Cluster Three
NI-NS INDIG

8. Mixed-market (Sample)
The ratio of INDIG Mixed-Market (sample)to Labour Force by cluster is 1:4.2
in Cluster One; 1:5.5 in Cluster Two; and 1:5.7 in Cluster Three
The ratio of NI-NS Mixed-Market (sample)to Labour Force by cluster is 1:4 in
Cluster One; 1:27 in Cluster Two; and 1:17 in Cluster Three
247
62
134
5
68
4
465
111
287
52
159
28
Labour Force Sample Labour Force Sample Labour Force Sample
Cluster One Cluster Two Cluster Three
NI-NS INDIG

9. Artists selling work
465
287 159
636
106 0
2585
1887
1089
Cluster One Cluster Two Cluster Three
INDIG Labour Force INDIG Artist Sale INDIG Pop
Cluster One – active art centre in each community and active
peak body in the region.
The ratio of INDIG artists (with a sale)to INDIG population in Cluster
One is 1:4; in Cluster Two it is 1:18; and Cluster Three it is NIL.
The ratio of INDIG artists (with a sale)to Sample (OCC) for Cluster
One is 1:3.9; for Cluster Two it is 1:1.2; and nil for Cluster Three.

10. Sample, Non-market and Artist Sale
The ratio of Artist Sale to Sample (OCC) for Cluster One is 1:3.9; for
Cluster Two it is 1:1.2; and nil for Cluster Three.
The market activity of artists is opportunistic. Occupation and
economic participation are higher where local infrastructure is
available.
30 14 4
53 38 2428 0 0
50 30 26
636
106
0
Cluster One Cluster Two Cluster Three
arts cnrm research education art sales

11. Constraining factors
* The ABS classification of Occupation
captures only one primary activity
* Indicators for non-market failure and mixed-
market aspiration are not readily available at
the local level
* The centrality of locally nuanced mixed-
market activity essential to aspirations and
wellbeing
* The cost (to economies and wellbeing) of
mediating change which is driven by
successive policy shifts and political cycles

12. Findings
Non-market structures do not reflect these qualities of mixed-
market activity:
* the extent to which people in remote communities value and
participate in secondary employment
* the impetus and motivation to invest time and effort in
occupations with attainable benefits and outcomes
* customary economic activity as both essential undertaking s
and ones from which mixed-market activities may flow
* The centrality of wellbeing and the impetus to avoid ill-being

13. Findings
Paucity of information at the local level contributes to regional and
national indicators that are contrary to wellbeing:
* overstated non-market reliance
* perceived lack of mixed-market opportunity
* missed opportunity to make and experience choices
* eroded economic empowerment
* confused governance and implementation
* diminished consideration of living languages

14. Conclusion
The language barrier: has the language of deficit overcrowded
the reality and begun to promote ‘disadvantage’?
We suggest that evaluating industry pathways and regional
industry bodies in the context of local activity (and inactivity) is the
first step towards recognising remote capacity and advantage.
Local scale is required to interpret the values and variables
* cultural and knowledge capital
* natural and linguistic characteristics
* property rights
Aspiration, capacity and advantage is apparent in remote areas
through
* mixed-market activity
* customary activity

15. 15
We would like to acknowledge the contribution of:
* The Australian Government Department of Business and
Science Cooperative Research Centres Program
* The CRC-REP and project partners
* The Central Australian Research Group (CARG) of the Northern
Institute, Charles Darwin University

16. Northern Australian Aspirations
Judith Lovell and John Guenther
This is a Synthesis and Integration project for the Cooperative
Research Centre for remote Economic Participation (CRC-REP)
For further information from the
authors, or any questions please
contact us:
Judith.Lovell@cdu.edu.au
0408 081 813
John.Guenther@flinders.edu.au
0412 125 661