The Wire

The Rudd government has agreed to set up a new body to represent indigenous Australians following the release of a submission from the Human Rights Commission. Since the fall of ATSIC in 2004, Australia has lacked a national indigenous body and many community leaders say Aborigines have been left out of decision making. Referencing research from the Australian National University, the proposal comes off the back of the 2020 Summit debate, where many argued that it is practical, not burecratic solutions that Indigenous communities need. The Wire’s Lucy Kippist spoke to Peter Veth, Deputy Director of the National Centre for Indigenous Studies and co-author of the paper, about the precived benefits of the proposed representative body.