At the ‘Shaping Indigenous RD&E Forum’ a key outcome was the development of a revised Indigenous Reference Group (IRG) which was tasked with a number of responsibilities including;

- determining a meeting schedule and work program
- developing terms of reference for the group
- developing processes under which the IRG will operate
- building communication channels within the IRG, to broader forum participants and beyond
- working towards processes to identify a more permanent arrangement with respect to representative(s) for the National Priorities Forum
- working towards developing a ‘futures plan’ from the Cairns workshop outcomes and principles to provide more solid actions for progression
- key outcomes have been developed and there is a need to identify the RD&E to deliver on the key principles
- providing advice on a process for getting the Cairns forum group back together to review the IRG outcomes and processes
- providing advice to FRDC, National Priorities Forum, people development program and assistance with the scholarship selection promotion.

This project seeks to provide a means to support the IRG so it can achieve the tasks it has been requested to address. These tasks could not be achieved without logistical, financial and human resource support for the group. Without the support of FRDC none of these actions will be able to take place.