New National Rep for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

26 August 2009

This long awaited Report - Our future in our hands - Creating a
sustainable National Representative Body for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander peoples - will outline the model designed and developed
from 12 months of intensive consultations with Indigenous peoples.

The journey to this historic moment commenced in June last year when
Commissioner Calma presented the federal government with an Issues Paper
on considerations for a national Indigenous representative body

The Government commenced a consultation process soon after.

Mr Calma was subsequently asked by Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny
Macklin in December 2008 to convene an independent Indigenous Steering
Committee to undertake phase two of consultations and develop a model
for a new national Indigenous representative body.

Mr Calma has been leading this challenging process ever since and will
formally hand the final report to Minister Macklin on the day of the
address.

Arriving at this stage has required an unprecedented level of
consultation and negotiation in the highly contentious and
politically-charged area of Indigenous affairs. Firstly, Mr Calma
facilitated a process to recruit 10 influential and innovative
interlocutors from among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
community to comprise a Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee then oversaw a rigorous, open and transparent
selection process to select 100 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples to attend a three-day workshop to maximise participation and
contribution to developing the model.

The Steering committee used the workshop outcomes, online submission and
survey processes, as well as focus groups, to guide the process and
ultimately develop a preferred model for a new national representative
body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Commissioner Calma's address will announce the model for the new body,
and more importantly, outline how establishing such a body is the most
significant step in reconciliation and resetting the relationship
between government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
since the National Apology.

The handover of this model to government is an historic moment for the
nation's Indigenous people.

Tickets for the luncheon address are $55 for National Press Club members
and $75 for non-members.

To register your attendance please go the the NPC website at
http://www.npc.org.au/assets/files/documents/speakers/TomCalma270809.pdf

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