Discussion Paper 11 / 1991

This paper examines differences in Aboriginal socioeconomic status between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) regions. The administration of programs administered by ATSIC Australia-wide have been largely decentralised into 60 regions under the Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989. This is an exploratory regional analysis of Aboriginal socioeconomic status; it utilises 1986 Census data tabulations by ATSIC regions, which were produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the Commission. The methods used include a comparative examination of selected socioeconomic indicators at regional level, as well as a spatial analysis of an Aboriginal socioeconomic status index. The analyses reveal marked regional variations in Aboriginal socioeconomic status. The paper concludes with a discussion of some important implications for policy formulation.of these regional differences.