Centre for Appropriate Technology

The Centre for Appropriate Technology (CAT) works to secure sustainable livelihoods for communities of Indigenous people through appropriate technology. CAT provides information, knowledge and practical services across a range of areas including energy, housing and infrastructure, water, waste, telecommunications, transport and technical skills development. CAT utilises evidence based and applied problem solving approaches to assist communities of Indigenous people to access the information, services and skills required to live safe and happy lives.

Latest NEWS

Our Place magazine number 34 now available

In this issue Jeannie Liddle shares her life experiences as part of the 'Stolen Generation' and talks about the importance of education for young Indigenous people. We learn about the Western Queensland homelands project, the importance of rainwater harvesting and we also take a look at Power Up -- an online resource for Indigenous people working in or wanting to learn multimedia.

You can download the magazine here You can subscribe to receive the printed magazine here

You can download BUSH TECH 43, Cooler living in arid areas and BUSH TECH 44, Using a mobile or satellite phone in remote Australia here

Preparation of National Indigenous Infrastructure Guide well advanced.

A team from CAT and the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FAHCSIA) has been engaged for the past 18 months in developing a guide for people working with infrastructure in Indigenous communities where some or all of the services are notconnected to mainstream networks. The Guide is written for community managers, government officers, and those working in planning and developing infrastructure projects. It covers project management, water and wastewater, energy, telecommunications, waste, transport, stormwater and community involvement and maintenance. The Guide will be the first comprehensive document of its type, and complements the very successful National Indigenous Housing Guide, which deals with similar topics at the household level.

Consultations and workshops have been held on the content and structure of the Guide with infrastructure experts and community level staff from WA, SA, Qld, NSW, and the NT. Development and publication of the Guide is sponsored by FAHCSIA.

Publication is expected later in 2009 - Keep an eye out for it!

Alice Solar City - one year old!

On Friday March 20 Alice Solar City celebrations were held at Araluen with a free BBQ, face painting, a jumping castle, appearance of Yamba, live music, stalls, light bulb give-aways and free competitions. The celebrations were followed by the screening of Al Gore's film "An Inconvenient Truth" and a documentary "Telling The Truth".

Water Quality Research Australia (WQRA) Summer scholarship student working with CAT

Bonnie is working on a project titled "Managing water demand in remote Australian Indigenous communities for improved livelihoods".

On Wednesday 18 February the 305.4kw PV Solar System was launched at Crowne Plaza. This installation is the largest roof-mounted solar system in Australia and is part of a $4m investment in renewable energy efficiency at the hotel. The installation will reduce the hotel's energy consumption by 40 - 80% (depending on the time of year). The project was managed by CAT Projects and partially funded by the Australian Government.

From left: Brian Elmer General Manager, Alice Solar City;
Wilf Johnston Project Manager SunPower; Kieron Ritchards
VP Operations APNZ, IHG; Lloyd Berger, Principal Investnorth,
Crowne Plaza Alice Springs (CPAS) building owner; Frank
Hubbard, Manager, Corporate Sustainability IHG; Adam Glass,
General Manager CPAS; Damien Ryan, Mayor, Alice Springs
Town Council; Grant Behrendorff, Chairman, Alice Solar City;
Lyndon Frearson, Senior Project Manager, CAT Projects.

Left: Lyndon Frearson; Jim Bray Chairman, Centre
For Appropriate Technology; Bruce Walker, CEO,
Centre For Appropriate Technology ; Grant Behrendorff.

The TrainingPlus program focusses on creating employment opportunities in the Building and Construction industry and the Remote Area Power Supply industry.

TrainingPlus works with businesses to identify skills they are seeking in their future staff, and supports trainees to identify their skills and strengths and areas where they need assistance.

TrainingPlus matches clients to participating employers for supported work placements. During work placements a case worker will actively support the employer and clients to ensure expectations are being met by both groups. TrainingPlus also provides support in dealing with Job Networks and other government agencies if seeking Wage Assistance or other help.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED
You can download the TrainingPlus flyer here
For further information contact Nick Raymond: 8951 4380 or Michael Liddle or Eddie Sailor on 8951 4831
or email: nick.raymond@icat.org.au

The Desert Peoples Centre is a consortium of the Centre For Appropriate Technology
and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.

Go to www.dkasolarcentre.com.au to learn about the 3.1m initiative of Desert Knowledge Australia that showcases and demonstrates a range of solar technologies in commercial scale solar installations. See how solar technologies work and the different types of technologies.
Learn about Desert Knowledge Australia, Desert Knowledge Precinct and Alice Solar City.

The DKA Solar centre website was project managed by CAT, and funded by the Australian Government.

This edition features a CAT project on Bentinck Island, the PY Ku Network, recycling in Lajamanu, Wunan Construction and Maintenance, and Rural Electrification in India.

You can download the magazine here You can subscribe to receive the printed magazine here

Bush Tech 41: Maintenance of standalone Renewable Energy systems can be downloaded here and Bush Tech 42: Water treatment can be downloaded here

The Centre for Appropriate Technology is holding celebrations around the country to mark the provision of reliable energy services in 100 Indigenous communities through its award winning Bushlight project:

Communities are delighted to host representatives from governments, service providers, system installers, media and interested individuals. For more information contact Angus Thornton on 08 89514372 or angus.thornton@bushlight.org.au

Investing in the Outback: A Framework of Indigenous Development within Australia.

This submission, written by Dr Bruce W Walker, Dr Doug Porter and Dr Mark Stafford Smith and endorsed by the Board of the Centre for Appropriate Technology as a valuable contribution to the debate, can be downloaded here.

Our Place Number 32 now available.

This edition of Our Place Magazine features articles on Greening Australia's Aboriginal Landcare Program, The future of Indigenous Housing and Sustainable Livelihoods in Nepal.

You can download the magazine here. You can subscribe to receive hard copies of the magazine here.

BUSH TECH #39 - Removing scale from household fittings and appliances can be downloaded here. BUSH TECH #40 - How to get a satellite internet connection can be downloaded here.

In 2007 CAT was commissioned by Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) to undertake a study of its Home Loan Clients in the Northern Territory and Queensland. The study sought to undertand the perceptions and attitudes of IBA clients in relation to home ownership.

The Report - Perceptions of Home Ownership among IBA Home Loan Clients - by Anna Szava and Mark Moran can be downloaded here

Our Place Number 31 is now available. Feature articles include Healthier Dogs Healthier Communities and an overview of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands.

You can download the magazine here. You can subscribe to receive a hard copy here.

BUSH TECH 37 - Smart desert gardening and BUSH TECH 38 - Windmills for Water Pumping can be downloaded here.

CAT was Project Leader for the research undertaken at the Engawala community in the Northern Territory that explored the application of the sustainable livelihoods approach to understanding the flow of resources within a community.

DKCRC Research Report 28: Transformation of Assets by M.Moran, A.Wright, P.Renehan, A.Szava, E.Rich & N. Beard.

CAT was also a partner organisation, along with FaHCSIA (lead agency), and the CRC for Water Quality and Treatment in the Remote Community Water Management Project. The project researched the application of a risk management approach to small water supplies in 5 communities - two in SA, one in the NT, one in WA and one in QLD.

CAT's submission to the Northern Territory Government on the review of the Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) can be downloaded here.

Find out about what's happening with this important initiative of the Centre for Appropriate Technology and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.

The Minister visited CAT on Monday 21st April to launch CAT's 2008 Structured Employment and Training Projects (STEP) program. This year CAT will be supporting six Indigenous employees gain skills and qualifications as trainers and assessors (Certificate IV in Training and Assessment) IT technicians and financial services officers. This builds on CAT's 2007 successful program which has seen a further seven Indigenous staff acquire skills in a range of areas including Business, administration and training.

Most initiatives in the area of extending broadband services overlook the vast majority of remote Indigenous communities. This submission argues for consideration of alternate terrestrial infrastructure to extend broadband services to remote communities where possible, and the subsidation of remote community based satellite served internet facilities to enable greater download rates and data access.

The Desert Peoples Centre, along with Desert Knowledge CRC, Desert Knowledge Australia, Batchelor Institute for Indigenous Tertiary Education and The Centre for Appropriate Technology (as part of the DPC booth), were all represented at the Central Australian Business Expo held at the Alice Springs Convention Centre on Feb 29 to March 1. The expo presented a good opportunity to promote awareness among the general public of the work of these organisations.

Photo: Keith Castle talks to a member of the public at the Desert Peoples Centres booth at the Central Australian Business Expo.

What will be the key drivers for sustainable Indigenous housing into the future? Bruce Walker, CAT's CEO, outlines the challenges and the opportunities in a new approach.

Tomorrow is Today: A Paper by Dr Bruce W Walker presented to the 2007 National Indigenous Housing Conference held in Alice Springs, October 2007.

Indigenous cricket teams converge on Alice Springs this week for the Imparja Cup.

Bruce Walker, CAT'S CEO, reflects on past efforts and future directions in Indigenous housing and economic development.

The Emperor's New Clothes: paper presented at the Northern Territory Indigenous Housing Workshop. Darwin. 2006. By Dr Bruce W Walker.

CAT produces Our Place Magazine three times per year. The magazine features articles and discusses issues affecting people and technology in remote communities. You can download the latest issue - Our Place Number 30 - here.

Past issues can be downloaded by clicking on the Our Place tab on the right hand menu and you can also subscribe to receive hard copies of the magazine.

CAT has designed a prototype fire guard for camp fires with the aim of providing protection from rolling into burning embers when sleeping outside. The prototype fireguard was developed in response to requests from NPY Women's Council and Frontier Services who are collaborating on developing an aged care facility in Alice Springs and were concerned about the safety of old people who like to sit and sleep outside around fires.

The prototype will now be tested and monitored for effectiveness and any necessary improvements incorporated into the design.

For further information about the fire guard contact Marc Seidel at CAT Alice Springs on 08 89514326

Short courses in welding and car servicing will be starting in March. The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment will also be commencing soon.

CAT delivers training onsite in communities and we are looking for expressions of interest from communities NOW.

CAT's Board has a number of longserving members who were recently acknowledged for their decade(s) of service to the organisation and Aboriginal people across Australia. James Bray, Chairman of the CAT Board has dedicated almost 20 years to guiding the organisation. The stability of the Board and the skills and knowledge they contribute is a hallmark of CAT's success in its work with communities of Indigenous people.

James is pictured here with Bruce Walker, CAT CEO, giving a speech at the presentation evening

Camel proof fence trial success!

A camel proof fence designed by CAT in association with Greening Australia has been successfully trialled at a rockhole near Santa Teresa. It has proven effective in keeping camels from damaging and dirtying the water and environs. Plans are underway to scale up the deployment of the fence across the desert regions being affected by increasing numbers of feral camels. In 2008 CAT will be working with Greening Australia to provide technical training on installing and maintaining the fences.