29th Mar 2023, 4:13 PM – Senate Committees - Finance and Public Administration References Committee - Reference

The majority voted against a motion:

That the following matter be referred to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by the first sitting Thursday in November 2023:

The role, governance and accountability of key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative organisations, including land councils and native title bodies such as prescribed bodies corporate, with particular reference to:

(a) administrative, operational and governance arrangements to ensure accountability, risk mitigation, and transparency for present and future Traditional Owners, to protect their interests and deliver positive economic and social outcomes;

(b) the quality and effectiveness of consultation and engagement with Traditional Owners to ascertain their views, and opportunities for the views of Traditional Owners to be reflected in decisions of the organisations;

(c) how these organisations undertake their responsibilities to:

(i) negotiate on behalf of Traditional Owners,

(ii) manage and maintain an accurate register of members,

(iii) conciliate disputes, and

(iv) appropriately manage dissenting views;

(d) arrangements for commercial and lands trust activities;

(e) the extent to which administrative, operational and governance arrangements align with the principles contained in the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples with specific reference to the principle of free, prior and informed consent and other relevant principles and conventions;

(f) the extent to which these organisations are contributing to justice for First Nations people; and

(g) any other related matters.