Indigenous Australian self-determination, also known as Aboriginal Australian self-determination, is the power relating to self-governance by Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander Torres Strait Islanders () are the Indigenous Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal people of the rest of Australia, they are often groupe ...

peoples in Australia. It is the right of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

peoples to determine their own political status and pursue their own economic, social and cultural interests. Self-determination asserts that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should direct and implement Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy formulation and provision of services. Self-determination encompasses both Aboriginal land rights and self-governance, and may also be supported by a treaty between a government and an Indigenous group in Australia. From the 1970s to 1990s, the Australian government supported Aboriginal groups moving from large settlements in remote areas back to outstation communities in formerly traditional lands. Also from the early 1970s, Aboriginal communities began running their own health services, legal services, and housing cooperatives.

1960s-70s

During this period, the Whitlam Government changed

Australian Indigenous Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples o ...

policy significantly by moving away from

cultural assimilation Cultural assimilation is the process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a society's majority group or assume the values, behaviors, and beliefs of another group whether fully or partially. The different types of cultural ass ...

and towards self-determination.

Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders

The Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI) was founded in 1957 as a

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...

to advance Aboriginal rights, composed of various member organisations.

Department of Aboriginal Affairs

The

Department of Aboriginal Affairs The Department of Aboriginal Affairs was an Australian government department that existed between December 1972 and March 1990. History The Department had its origins in the Office of Aboriginal Affairs (OAA), which was established ...

was founded by the Whitlam Government to replace the government agencies responsible for Indigenous affairs, the Council for Aboriginal Affairs, and the Office of Aboriginal Affairs, while also providing a route for self-determination by employing Indigneous Australians.

National Aboriginal Consultative Committee

The

National Aboriginal Consultative Committee The National Aboriginal Conference (NAC) was a national organisation established by the Australian Government to represent Indigenous Australians, that is Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The NAC was originally establi ...

(NACC) was the first elected body representing

Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

on the national level, having been established by the Whitlam Government in 1972. It was composed of 36 representatives elected by Aboriginal people in 36 regions of Australia. In 1983, the elections reached a turnout of approximately 78%. However, the organisation was marred by friction with the

, while internally lacking coherence.

National Aboriginal Conference

Following a review in 1976, the NACC was abolished by the new Fraser Government in 1977. To replace it, the

National Aboriginal Conference The National Aboriginal Conference (NAC) was a national organisation established by the Australian Government to represent Indigenous Australians, that is Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The NAC was originally establi ...

(NAC) was founded.

1980s-90s

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC)

Following the election of the Hawke Government in 1983, two reports were commissioned into a replacement of the NAC. The O'Donoghue report argued that the NAC did not effectively represent its constituents or advocate specific policies. The Coombs report made the case for an organisation with representation of regions and existing indigenous organisations. To respond to these recommendations, the

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) (1990–2005) was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting ...

was founded in 1989. Following allegations of corruption, it was abolished by the Howard Government in 2004.

Aboriginal Provisional Government

The

Aboriginal Provisional Government The Aboriginal Provisional Government (APG) is an Indigenous Australian independence movement. History Earlier activity The idea of an Aboriginal government was developed by some Aboriginal delegates of the Federation of Land Councils at its ...

has campaigned for Aboriginal sovereignty in Australia, and is headed by an Elders Council. It also issues Aboriginal passports.

2000 - current

The dissolution of ATSIC in 2004 was seen by some as an end to self-determination as a policy. Nevertheless, calls for it have continued among Indigenous Australians.

Uluru Statement

The '' Uluru Statement from the Heart'' was a call for a "First Nations Voice" and a " Makarrata Commission" to drive "agreement-making" and " truth-telling", made by a First Nations National Constitutional Convention in 2017. This suggestion was refused by the Turnbull Government.

Victorian First Peoples' Assembly

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...

the state of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

passed legislation which established the legal framework for an Aboriginal representative body with which the state could negotiate a

treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal pe ...

. This resulted in the 2019 Victorian First Peoples' Assembly election, to elect the 21 members of the First Peoples' Assembly.

Indigenous voice to government

On 30 October 2019, Wyatt announced the commencement of a "co-design process" aimed at providing an " Indigenous voice to government". The Senior Advisory Group (SAG) is co-chaired by Professor

Tom Calma Thomas Edwin Calma, (born 1953), is an Aboriginal Australian human rights and social justice campaigner. He is the sixth chancellor of the University of Canberra, a post held since January 2014, after two years as deputy chancellor. Calma is th ...

, Chancellor of the

University of Canberra The University of Canberra (UC) is a public research university with its main campus located in Bruce, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The campus is within walking distance of Westfield Belconnen, and from Canberra's Civic Centre. U ...

, and Professor Dr Marcia Langton, Associate Provost at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...

, and comprises a total of 20 leaders and experts from across the country. The models for the Voice are being developed in two stages: #First, two groups, one local and regional and the other a national group, will create models aimed at improving local and regional decision-making, and identifying how best federal government can record Indigenous peoples' views and ideas. The groups consist mainly of Indigenous members. #Consultations will be held with Indigenous leaders, communities and stakeholders to refine the models developed in the first stage. The first meeting of the group was held in Canberra on 13 November 2019.

References

External links

{{Indigenous rights footer History of Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australian politics