Nagoya University of Commerce and Business Administration
Faculty of Commerce
KAMADA Mayumi
In the last three decades, Australian governments have
developed policies practising the principle of indigenous
self-determination and self-management. Particularly the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), which was established
in 1990 under the 'ATSIC Act 1989', made a major step in history by
institutionalising participation of indigenous Australians into the
nation-wide decision making processes. ATSIC was more than
integration of its predecessors, Department of Aboriginal Affairs,
Aboriginal Development Commission, and the National Aboriginal
Conference. Its elected indigenous representatives are given power to
allocate federal funding of around A$1billion to nearly 2000
indigenous organisations.
The Commission's main role is to formulate and implement programs for
indigenous Australians. But in practice, allocation of funding to
appropriate organisations that deliver services in the communities is
the main concern especially of the Regional Councils. The
administrative arm of ATSIC supports the activities of the
representative arm (including the Board of Commissioners and the
Regional Councils) and assists program administration.
ATSIC certainly has limits in its 'self-determination' power due to
its institutional basis in the Commonwealth administration. One of
the objectives of ATSIC is, in fact, to promote the development of
self-management and self-sufficiency among indigenous Australians.
The elected representatives of the ATSIC do not have power to
negotiate the Budget, neither power to appoint its administrative
staff. The Minister of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Affairs
represents the ATSIC in the Federal Parliament and in the Cabinet.
Furthermore, the financial resources are not sufficient enough for
the Regional Councils and the Board of Commissioners to allocate
funds to all applications of programs submitted by indigenous
communities.
ATSIC is not, therefore, a complete form of indigenous
self-determination. It is rather one of the institutions, which
ensures indigenous voices within the Commonwealth government. Only
when diverse regional interests and conditions are taken into
account, and when various appropriate institutions are formed to meet
the concerns of indigenous and non-indigenous residents, would the
principle of self-determination be materialised as a sustainable
political framework.