The Wire

The close of business this afternoon officially sounded the death knell for Australia’s peak indigenous representative body. That’s despite the Senate inquiry into the closure of ATSIC – but Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone says Indigenous people won’t feel any changes. Step one of the government’s plan is for most services – such as housing and employment programs – to be absorbed into mainstream government departments, from tomorrow – while Regional Councils will survive for another twelve months. Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone is promising better services for Indigenous Australians, with the planned introduction of regional Indigenous Co-ordination Centres. She spoke to Kerry Klimm.