Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission

First Australians can overcome the tyranny of the majority and wrest back self-determination, leaders argue. When armed with facts and fire in the belly, Pat Turner sees indigenous bureaucrats as the key to better outcomes.

Aboriginal affairs reports are going unread, the system is woefully insufficient and PM&C is actively resisting alternatives, argues Aboriginal leader Noel Pearson. Some are even nostalgic for the days of ATSIC.

Radically new fixes for Indigenous disadvantage have not had the impact hoped, and in some cases have measurable harm. An iterate approach may be more effective in sharing with Indigenous Australians the fairness, opportunity and security enjoyed by the majority, writes former Aboriginal Affairs minister Fred Chaney.