EE4: Representative bodies in historical context: The lessons of ATSICAssociate Professor Alison Holland (Macquarie University)
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As an advisory body to governments, the proposed Indigenous Voice to parliament is part of a longer history of Indigenous representative bodies.
Calls by Indigenous people for an Indigenous voice to parliament date back to the 1930s. It wasn’t until the election of the Whitlam government in 1972 that a dedicated Indigenous advisory body was established, the National Aboriginal Consultative Committee (1972-1977) as well as a Department of Aboriginal Affairs and a dedicated Aboriginal affairs minister.
In making these changes, Whitlam signalled a policy shift from assimilation to self-determination. However, with a change of government in 1975 the NACC was replaced by the National Aboriginal Conference (1977-1985). This was accompanied by a greater emphasis on self-management and self-sufficiency in policy terms. Despite their important interventions both bodies faced internal and external challenges including structural weaknesses, tensions between the body and the Department and with governments, and frustrations by Indigenous representatives at the limitations on their policy making capacity and in adequately representing diverse Indigenous interests.
A bold new experiment was initiated in 1990 following the passage of the highly controversial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act in Federal Parliament. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) represented the Hawke government’s attempt to bring self-determination back into the policy frame. Following extensive community consultation across Australia, a network of regional councils were established which elected one of their members every three years to sit on a National Commission. The government of the day appointed the Chief and Deputy Commissioner and a Chief Executive Officer who headed the administrative arm of the organisation.
Unlike previous bodies, ATSIC was a statutory authority with representative and advisory powers. It had a dedicated budget targeted mostly to two of its flagship programs in employment and housing. After operating for fifteen years, it was abolished by the Howard government, in a bipartisan move, in 2004/5. Political scientist Will Sanders argues that Indigenous affairs is still recovering from its loss.
Acknowledgment
Calls by Indigenous people for an Indigenous voice to parliament date back to the 1930s. It wasn’t until the election of the Whitlam government in 1972 that a dedicated Indigenous advisory body was established, the National Aboriginal Consultative Committee (1972-1977) as well as a Department of Aboriginal Affairs and a dedicated Aboriginal affairs minister.
In making these changes, Whitlam signalled a policy shift from assimilation to self-determination. However, with a change of government in 1975 the NACC was replaced by the National Aboriginal Conference (1977-1985). This was accompanied by a greater emphasis on self-management and self-sufficiency in policy terms. Despite their important interventions both bodies faced internal and external challenges including structural weaknesses, tensions between the body and the Department and with governments, and frustrations by Indigenous representatives at the limitations on their policy making capacity and in adequately representing diverse Indigenous interests.
A bold new experiment was initiated in 1990 following the passage of the highly controversial Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act in Federal Parliament. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) represented the Hawke government’s attempt to bring self-determination back into the policy frame. Following extensive community consultation across Australia, a network of regional councils were established which elected one of their members every three years to sit on a National Commission. The government of the day appointed the Chief and Deputy Commissioner and a Chief Executive Officer who headed the administrative arm of the organisation.
Unlike previous bodies, ATSIC was a statutory authority with representative and advisory powers. It had a dedicated budget targeted mostly to two of its flagship programs in employment and housing. After operating for fifteen years, it was abolished by the Howard government, in a bipartisan move, in 2004/5. Political scientist Will Sanders argues that Indigenous affairs is still recovering from its loss.
Acknowledgment
- This contribution has been drawn from Jason O’Neil, Diana Perche, James Murphy, & Peter John Chen (eds) The First Nations Voice Referendum: A Teaching Resource for Politics, International Relations and Public Policy (2023)
Further Resources
- Colin Tatz, ‘Australia has ignored Black Viewpoints Before. Why would a constitutional ‘voice’ be any different’? (2017) The Conversation 3 August 2017
- Melbourne Law School, The ATSIC Chronicles: Reflections From the Journey and Lessons for the Voice
- Australian Human Rights Commission, Building a Sustainable National Indigenous Representative Body, Issues Paper (2008)
- Australian Human Rights Commission, Summary. Issues for Consideration in the Formation of a National Indigenous Representative Body (2008)