Search results

1.1 Introduction In last year’s Social Justice and Native Title Report, I raised concerns about the changes resulting from the 2014-15 Budget and the restructure to Indigenous Affairs through the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS). Despite initial concerns about how these changes would impact our communities, I indicated that the streamlining of programs and the move away from a ‘one size…

Questions to consider: Using scenarios based on true stories of racial and religious discrimination and abuse under the themes of human rights, negative stereotyping and misconceptions, the hypothetical will ask the panellists ‘How would you respond’? This addresses the sets of standards policy and decision makers use to respond to incidents of discrimination and abuse.

That there be established a regular federal parliamentary committee of inquiry into the progress of the new arrangements in Indigenous affairs and progress in achieving whole-of-government service delivery to Indigenous communities.

Underpinning the Government’s partnerships approach to Indigenous policy is the belief that economic development is the key to sustainable improvement in the quality of life of residents of Indigenous communities.1

If a group’s traditional country is not in a mining area they escape the injury to country that mining represents but have little opportunity to really develop industry and commerce that could support their communities.1

Economic development can and does happen on Indigenous land, and when the preconditions are right, Indigenous Australians can and do achieve great things on the land, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma said today following the tabling of the Native Title Report 2006.

The Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) and Argyle Management Plan Agreement (AMPA) together are arguably the most comprehensive arrangements ever made between a resource company and traditional owners negotiated in Australia. They are the result of one of the most comprehensive agreement processes undertaken with traditional owners.

In 2006 the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet made a revealing statement about Indigenous affairs. He argued that his own government’s policy performance in the Indigenous portfolio had been a failure. He went further to say that while well intentioned, the policies and approaches of the past 30 years had contributed to poor outcomes for Indigenous people.

There is an urgent need for sound policy in Indigenous affairs. Chapter 1 of the Social Justice Report 2006 considers what some of the key elements of good Indigenous policy making are.

When it comes to ‘good policy’ in Indigenous affairs, a core requirement is the effective participation of Indigenous peoples in all decisions that impact on their lives. In practice, this means governments have a responsibility to actively involve Indigenous peoples in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies that affect them, and to make the necessary…

Background Shared Responsibility Agreements (SRAs) have been promoted as one of the key approaches to develop mutual obligation for the delivery of services over and above basic citizenship entitlements.

This appendix contains the survey form that my Office compiled and sent to all Indigenous communities and organisations that had entered into a Shared Responsibility Agreement (SRA) with the federal government by 31 December 2005. By this date 108 SRAs had been finalised, and they involved 124 communities.