A National Indigenous Representative Body

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A National Indigenous Representative Body

• The Rudd Government will undertake discussions
  with Indigenous people about the best process to
  develop a new representative body. Through this
  process, we will strengthen links between
  government and Indigenous communities
• The Hon Jenny Macklin MP
• Minister for Families Housing, Community
• Services Indigenous Affairs (Jan 2008)

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A National Indigenous Representative Body

• At present there is not a transparent, rigorous
  process at the national level for engaging with
  Indigenous peoples in determining the policy
  settings and to hold governments accountable for
  their performance
• Tom Calma
• Social Justice Commissioner
• (July 2008)

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Helping inform the consultations

• The Social Justice Commissioners Issues Paper
  Building a Sustainable National Indigenous
  Representative Body
• History of National Indigenous Rep Bodies in
  Australia
• Current mechanisms for representation
• Comparisons with Indigenous bodies overseas

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Helping inform the consultations (cont)

• Key issues to achieve a sustainable Rep Body
• Guiding principles
• Roles and functions
• Structure
• Relationship with Government Parliament
• Funding

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Government commitment

• The Government has committed to closing the gap
  on Indigenous disadvantage - by setting specific
  targets timeframes
• close the life expectancy gap within a generation
  (by 2030)
• within five years, give all four year olds in
  remote areas an early childhood education

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Government commitment (cont)

• Within a decade, to halve the gap in
• mortality rates for children under five years of
  age
• reading, writing numeracy achievement
• employment outcomes
• By 2020, halve the gap in Year 12 schooling (or
  equivalent) attainment

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Government commitment (cont)

• Entering into a new partnership with Aboriginal
  Torres Strait Islander peoples based on mutual
  respect mutual responsibility, recognising
• the importance of working with Indigenous peoples
  at all levels, not imposing solutions critical
  to achieving sustainability

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Government commitment (cont)

• that achieving the Closing the Gap targets will
  require the effective involvement of Indigenous
  peoples where-ever they choose to live e.g. in
  urban, remote or rural communities
• Providing Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander
  peoples a voice
• through a National Indigenous Representative Body

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Government commitment (cont)

• building on the input Indigenous experts are
  already making through a range of advisory bodies
  at national regional levels
• working with Indigenous people locally to develop
  the best and most appropriate arrangements for
  the circumstances of individual communities

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Consultation process under way

• 17 regional workshops (July Sept)
• 106 written submission received by 19 Sept 2008
• A comprehensive mail-out to Indigenous
  organisations
• 47 community workshops and consultations arranged
  by State Offices and Indigenous Coordination
  Centres

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Consultation process (cont)

• Consultations with peak organisations and
  State/Territory Governments
• Minister considering next phase of consultations,
  including a National Roundtable meeting of
  Indigenous leaders (early 2009)

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Governments broad principles

• The Body
• should have representation from urban, regional
  remote areas
• will not necessarily involve separate elections
  for the members
• will not be another ATSIC
• preferably will not be involved in service
  delivery

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Governments broad principles

• The Body
• should have representation from urban, regional
  remote areas
• will not necessarily involve separate elections
  for the members
• will not be another ATSIC
• preferably will not be involved in service
  delivery

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Key Messages

• The key messages emanating out of the
  consultations include
• The body should have an advocacy role
  domestically and internationally
• It should have a role in promoting recognition of
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in
  the Constitution and also designated Indigenous
  seats in Parliament

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Key Messages

• It should be credible to both Governments and
  communities (with transparency in its operations
  decision-making)
• Be accessible to all Indigenous people
• Have fair and diverse membership, particularly
  from urban, rural and remote communities
• Be sustainable and have adequate and appropriate
  resources and funding

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Key Messages

• Have clearly articulated roles and functions
• Have a policy development and monitoring and
  evaluation role
• Have a link to COAG and/or MCATSIA
• Have a direct link to the Prime Minister and
  other Ministers
• Have gender balance as well as representation
  from elders and youth

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Key Messages

• Have a research function
• Should be independent from Government
• Should not have a service delivery/program
  delivery role

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Where to from here

• Watch out for the advertisements regarding
  participation at the National Leaders
  Roundtable
• Contact your ICC to obtain a copy of the reports
  from the local Rep Body consultations
• Check out the fahcsia.gov.au website
• for the latest Rep Body information and

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Where to from here

• to view the formal submissions and summaries of
  Regional consultations