Governance as infrastructure

Understand how authority, decision-making, and accountability operate as structural systems, not abstract principles.

Evidence-based case studies

Examine real governance failures across corporate, financial, and government contexts, including the rapid repeal of Western Australia’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act.

Decision-making under scrutiny

Build governance literacy that supports clearer, more defensible decisions in complex institutional environments.

About the course

This course examines governance as authority, decision-making, and consequence, with a specific focus on how First Nations governance intersects with institutional power. It moves beyond awareness and compliance to interrogate how governance structures shape outcomes in practice. Drawing on real-world case studies from corporate, financial, and government contexts, the course explores why governance failure occurs, how authority is misallocated or obscured, and what happens when legitimacy is assumed rather than embedded. The course is designed for professionals operating where decisions have long-term impacts on land, communities, and institutional credibility. It provides a governance lens to support clearer decision pathways, stronger accountability, and more defensible outcomes.

Curriculum

6 Chapters · 46 Lessons

  1. 1

    What Is First Nations Governance? — Definition, Context, Institutional Relevance

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      What Is First Nations Governance?

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Why Governance Is the Wrongly Used Word

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Defining First Nations Governance

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Governance vs Engagement vs Representation

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Governance as a System, Not a Program

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Why Governance Matters to Decision-Makers

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      What We’ve Learned / What’s Next

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 1 Quiz

  2. 2

    The Impact of Colonisation on Governance Structures

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      The Impact of Colonisation on Governance Structures

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Pre-Colonial Governance Systems

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Colonisation as a Governance Intervention

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      The Replacement of Authority

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Contemporary Impacts on Governance

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Why This History Matters Now

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      What We’ve Learned / What’s Next

  3. 3

    Cultural Authority and Western Systems — What’s Been Disrupted

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Cultural Authority and Western Systems — What’s Been Disrupted

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      What Is Cultural Authority?

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Western Authority Models

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Where the Systems Collide

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      The Role of Incorporation and Compliance

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Why Misalignment Leads to Failure

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      What We’ve Learned / What’s Next

  4. 4

    When Governance Fails — Lessons from Practice

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      When Governance Fails - Lessons from Practice

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Failure Pattern One: Engagement Without Authority

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Failure Pattern Two: Tokenised Representation

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Failure Pattern Three: Compliance Over Legitimacy

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Failure Pattern Four: Speed Over Consent

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Failure Pattern Five: Deficit Framing

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      What We’ve Learned / What’s Next

  5. 5

    Rebuilding Governance — Cultural Legitimacy and Structural Strength

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Rebuilding Governance — Cultural Legitimacy and Structural Strength

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Rebuilding Starts With Authority

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Aligning Cultural and Formal Structures

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Governance Is Ongoing, Not Project-Based

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Accountability Flows From Legitimacy

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      The Role of External Institutions

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      What We’ve Learned / What’s Next

  6. 6

    Governance as Infrastructure

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Governance as Infrastructure

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      What Does Governance as Infrastructure Mean?

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Why ESG Alone Is Insufficient

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Governance and Decision-Making Power

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Governance as Risk and Value Infrastructure

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Embedding Governance for the Long Term

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      What We’ve Learned / Closing Reflection

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 6 Quiz

    9. (Included in full purchase)

      Course Close

    10. (Included in full purchase)

      Feedback Form

What Makes FNA Courses Different

Built from firsthand institutional experience

Each course is grounded in the real-world reforms that have shaped national policy, ESG standards, and sector-wide accountability across finance, climate, and governance.

Strategically positioned for ESG, policy, and governance professionals

Designed to meet the needs of boards, executives, and sustainability leaders, these courses translate First Nations rights and governance into actionable strategy, risk frameworks, and organisational maturity tools.

Deep alignment with UNDRIP, OECD, SDGs, and international legal instruments

Paired with real-world Australian implementation context.

Structural fluency - the ability to connect land, governance, finance, climate, and ESG into practical organisational strategy.

Created and delivered by the strategist behind the FNSAF, MSS for the Taxonomy, and national reform efforts recognised at both national and global policy tables.

No other provider combines this depth of insight with this level of institutional and cultural authority.

Ready to dive into First Nations governance?

Take the next step towards understanding First Nations governance and driving positive change in the world. Individual price: $499 Small team <10 price: $2,999 Unlimited org license: $8,999

Enroll now