A Northern Territory Indigenous leader says Federal Government support
for retaining regional representative bodies has dissolved since the
abolition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC).
Representatives from 35 regional councils are meeting in Canberra this
week to discuss what will happen once their contracts expire at the end
of June.
The chairman of the Yilli Rreung regional council, Kimberley Hunter,
says the Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone is
avoiding meeting the group.
He says state and territory governments are not offering a viable
alternative.
"The reality is that the Labor Party really has no intentions in
relation to trying to help facilitate that process," he said.
"They see the establishment of regional authorities as being the
replacement for the Indigenous voice and some of us are concerned about
that, for the simple fact that regional authorities or local government
redress has not served Indigenous people well at all.
"We've seen no evidence from the Clare Martin Government in regards to
working with the current arrangements and helping facilitate and helping
to set up future representative bodies for Indigenous people.
"They see regional authorities or local government being the vehicle to
address and represent Indigenous people and a lot of us really have
concerns about that." |
