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Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Indigenous

Consultations for the proposed National Indigenous Representative Body

Giving Indigenous Australians a Voice

What's it about?

The Australian Government is committed to setting up a national Indigenous representative body to give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a voice in national affairs and policy development.

The Government wants to build a relationship with Indigenous Australians based on respect, co-operation and mutual responsibility. In doing this, it is involving Indigenous communities in the decisions which affect them to enable a collaborative approach to improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

The Government is committed to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous life outcomes. The Government has set national targets across six areas, including closing the life expectancy gap within a generation. These challenging targets mean that it is critical that Indigenous Australians are involved in developing policies and programs to improve their lives and that their views are represented to Government through credible mechanisms.

The Government is now seeking the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on a proposed national Indigenous representative body.

What's happening?

Consultations include:

This process should allow for widespread engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country to gain feedback on the Indigenous community's aspirations and preferred model(s) for a national Indigenous representative body.

Broad Principles

Lessons learnt from past Indigenous representative bodies have shown that there are some aspects of a representative body that do not work well. The Government has communicated some broad principles for this body:

The Minister has also indicated that she does not envisage that the body would have a service delivery role.

Keeping these factors in mind, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to consider and provide comment on any aspect of a national Indigenous representative body.

Issues you might want to think about

It is critical to the success of any national Indigenous representative body that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have faith in it and that the Government values its advice. The following are some questions you may wish to think about when you are considering the role and make-up of the body.

  1. What constructive roles do you want to see the body play in Indigenous and national affairs?

  2. What outcomes do you want the national Indigenous representative body to deliver?

  3. What role don't you want to see the body do, particularly from lessons learned from the past?

  4. How does the body support rather than duplicate the work of Indigenous peak organisations, and representative arrangements at the state/territory and regional level?

  5. How will the body be influential and persuasive with governments of all political backgrounds, the corporate sector and the broader public?

  6. How should people be chosen to be members of this body?

  7. What skills, experience and qualities would you expect these people to have?

  8. How can we achieve a balance of elders, youth, women, and men in positions of leadership?

  9. How can the body most accurately represent the views and priorities of Indigenous people living in urban, regional and remote parts of Australia?

  10. How will the body have its performance measured and be held to account? This includes how members of the body will be held accountable to their peers in the Indigenous community, the broader public and Government.

  11. How will this body be involved with the Australian Government? This includes whether the body will be operating within, or outside Government.

  12. What sources of funding (Government and non-Government) could be used to cover the costs of the body?

These questions are suggestions only. You may consider whatever you wish, bearing in mind the principles outlined above. Further information, including an Issues Paper from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner is outlined below. The Issues Paper contains many more questions, including the rationale for considering them.

Where to find out more information

To learn more about the structure of previous Indigenous representative bodies and understand the government's commitment to Indigenous affairs, you may find it useful to read the following documents:

This information can also be mailed to you by calling 1800 202 366.

How can you have your say?

The first round of community consultation took place during July until September, which involved face-to-face consultation meetings across Australia and a written submission process.

If you would like to provide feedback on this process or would like further information about the next stage of consultation, call 1800 202 366 or email the indigenousrepbody@fahcsia.gov.au

Regional Consultations — July - September

From late July and throughout September, the Department conducted consultation meetings in every State and the Northern Territory including more remote locations. These consultations were designed to attract Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across the surrounding region. Consultations in regional areas also catered for attendees from remote locations.

Where and when

Face-to-face consultation meetings were held across the following regions:
State City Venue Consultation Dates
VIC Melbourne Melbourne Town Hall 29 July
TAS Hobart Hotel Grand Chancellor 30 July
SA Adelaide The Shores Function Complex, West Beach 5 August
SA Ceduna The Ceduna Sailing Club 6 August
WA Geraldton African Reef Resort 5 August
WA Perth Rydges Perth 7 August
WA Kalgoorlie WMC Conference Centre 8 August
WA Broome Cable Beach Club Resort 11 August
NSW Broken Hill Musicians Club 8 August
NSW Sydney Stamford Plaza, Sydney Airport 18 August
NSW Dubbo Dubbo RSL Club Resort 19 August
NT Darwin Crowne Plaza Darwin 19 August
NT Alice Springs Voyages Alice Springs Resort 21 August
QLD Brisbane Mercure Hotel Brisbane 25 August
QLD Mt Isa Mt Isa Civic Centre 27 August
QLD Torres Strait Port Kennedy Hall 29 August
QLD Cairns Rydges Tradewinds 1 September
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from Australia-wide attended the meetings.

Written submissions for the proposed National Indigenous Representative Body closed on Friday 19 September 2008.

Getting involved

If you would like to provide feedback on this process or would like further information about the next stage of consultation, call 1800 202 366 or email the indigenousrepbody@fahcsia.gov.au.

Submissions

One hundred and six written submissions were received as part of the consultation process. You can view the submissions and explore people's ideas and recommendations on the framework for a new National Indigenous Representative Body. Submissions closed on 19 September.

Editorial guidelines

Submissions may not be published if they promote a product or a service, contain offensive language, or the sentiments expressed are liable to offend or vilify sections of the community. Submissions that significantly exceed the word limit may also be excluded. We reserve the right not to publish submissions deemed inappropriate for reasons other than those outlined above.

Privacy

FaHCSIA has in place privacy safeguards which acknowledge and respect your rights and the rights of any third party named in your submission. Personal Information (as defined in the Privacy Act 1988) about you that is contained in your submission is collected for the purpose of authenticating submissions and for publication on the website.

Submissions may be published on this website unless you indicate on your submission form that you do not consent to publication. If your submission contains Personal Information about third parties (for example, names of third parties), please note that alterations may be made to your submission to conceal the identity of the third parties so that the Australian Government satisfies its obligations under the Privacy Act 1988.