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Editors --- "New Indigenous Representation Arrangements - Digest" [2005] AUIndigLawRpr 78; (2005) 9(4) Australian Indigenous Law Reporter 99

MINISTER ANNOUNCES NEW INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION ARRANGEMENTS

Senator Amanda Vanstone

29 June 2005

Introduction

The dissolution of ATSIC in 2004 meant the dismantling of its regional representative structure. In June 2005, Minister Vanstone announced the establishment of representative bodies in ten of the 35 regions formerly covered by ATSIC Regional Councils. Representative bodies have been developed in consultation with local indigenous people in each region. As a result, the structure of the bodies varies from region to region. The Minister welcomed the emergence of ‘diverse and flexible arrangements’ as a consequence of genuine community consultation. The representative bodies will, according to the minister, ‘help articulate community views and provide a framework for contributing to Regional Partnership Agreements’.

Murdi Paaki, Western NSW

The Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly has been in development for a number of years and is based on a Charter of Governance.

• The Regional Assembly consists of one representative from each of the 16 existing Community Working Parties and has already met a number of times.
• The regional Shared Responsibility Agreement already in place under the COAG trial, where DEST is the lead agency, could be amended to facilitate engagement with the Murdi Paaki Regional Assembly.
• The key objective of any new agreement will be the strengthening of community and regional governance.
• The Assembly would be recognised as the peak Indigenous regional body and the primary point of Indigenous community coordination and input, while the Community Working Parties will remain as the primary points of Indigenous contact at the community level.

Many Rivers, Central and Northern Coast NSW

A two-tier model has been designed to provide flexibility of representation at the local level and deliver delegates to a regional body.

• At the community level, local coalitions of organisations, groups and individuals will meet to identify needs and priorities, and have input to the development of Shared Responsibility Agreements.
• At the regional level, a coalition of organisations, consisting of representatives from the local level, will provide a liaison point for the delivery of services.

Gulf & West Queensland

An Indigenous Regional Coordination Assembly has been finalised that will consist of 15 representatives from Community Issue Groups and Community Negotiating Teams, as determined in different communities.

• The Assembly will develop and maintain working partnerships with all levels of government, monitor services, and enter into regional agreements as needed.
• The model will develop procedures to remove and replace representatives on the Assembly.

Central Queensland

A three-tiered model has been proposed for the Central Queensland region.

• Local Community Working Parties, as many as 36, will meet on a monthly basis to identify priority issues.
• The local groups feed into eight Regional Assemblies that will meet quarterly to develop strategic regional plans that focus on the delivery of services.
• An overarching Central Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Regional Forum will meet twice each year to compare initiatives that may be working across the region.
• Local communities will identify the selection processes with an emphasis on the representation of women, men, youth and elders at each level.

Cairns and District Regional Reference Group

A two level model has been agreed at a recent regional workshop after meetings with each community in the region.

• At the local level, Community Reference Groups will involve community service delivery organisations as well as representatives from youth, women and elders groups.
• At the regional level, delegates will be drawn from the Community Reference Groups to form a Regional Reference Group.
• The regional body will negotiate a Regional Partnership Agreement, provide input to government decisions, and provide regular reports to communities.
• This model focuses on community and regional planning as a central part of the relationship between Indigenous communities and governments.

Wunan, East Kimberley WA

A model of local governance has been proposed to establish Community Representative Committees or Local development Committees, depending on the preferences of communities, that provide delegates to a regional East Kimberley District Council.

• The model creates strong links between the regional body and local communities, thereby providing significant opportunities for community participation.
• Discussions are continuing with communities on selection processes, the boundaries used to define groupings, input of portfolio bodies, and the role of the Chair of the District Council.

Kullarri, West Kimberley WA

The Kullarri Regional Indigenous Body will consist of three representatives from four discrete ethnographic areas or wards.

• This body will be supported by a panel of Aboriginal experts on key issues, including education, economic development, communications, employment and training, governance and strategy, health, housing, and infrastructure, justice, land and natural resources, women’s issues, families and youth.
• The representative body proposes to provide regional plans, monitor outcomes of service providers and government agencies, offer independent advice and advocate for the improvement of the wellbeing of Indigenous people in the region.

Yamatji, Central West WA

The proposed Yamatji Regional Assembly includes nominees from 12 organisations or communities representing specific issues or groups: land, housing, health, justice, education, employment and training, women, youth, remote communities, town based communities, as well two other community representatives.

• The Assembly is designed to provide an interface between communities and government at all levels.
• The roles and responsibilities of the Assembly will include: advising governments on regional needs, policy development and program design; input to regional planning; monitoring and evaluating service delivery; promoting cultural issues; providing leadership; and advocating for the Indigenous people of the region.

Ngaanyatjarra, Warburton region WA

The Australian Government, West Australian government and Ngaanyatjarra Council have been negotiating a broad RPA since December 2004.

• The RPA will include inter alia whole-of-government engagement mechanisms on service delivery, including with communities, the development of a 20-30 vision and Strategic Investment Plan, the development of SRAs in a holistic manner, and new representative arrangements.
• This Agreement should be finalised shortly.

Nulla Wimila Kutja, North East SA

The proposed regional representative model draws a representative from eight ‘community-focused’ bodies, where the arrangement is based on the idea of ‘smaller regions co-existing within a larger representative body’.

• It is proposed that the new entity will have input to government policy and program development, monitor the effectiveness of service delivery, and identify Indigenous people or groups that can liaise with government bodies, such as the Aboriginal Housing Authority and Indigenous Land Corporation.

The full text of Senator Vanstone’s announcement is available online at <http://www.vanstone.com.au/

default.asp?Menu=vips_22.05>.

A map indicating the representation arrangements is available at <www.indigenous.gov.au/OIPC_Regional_Representational_Map.pdf>.