One of the defining characteristics of Indigenous policy during the Howard era was the emerging influence of conservative think tanks, and in particular, the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) and the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership (CYIPL). While this development mirrors other policy settings, there are some unique features of the ideologies espoused by CIS and CYIPL. Both appear to have a religious quest to transform Indigenous societies.

his seminar will provide a perspective on the Intervention from one of the largest Indigenous townships in the NT through the eyes of two doctoral research scholars who were researching in the community as the Intervention broke. The paper analyses the initial reactions of both the people of the region and their local organisations, as well as detailing their interactions with the Northern Territory Emergency Response Taskforce and other government agencies during the first month of the Intervention.

Aboriginal People in the tropical savannah of the Northern Territory (NT) own 170,000 sq km of land including 85% of the coastline. Land and sea country have great cultural, economic and social significance to Aboriginal people, underpinning their culture and society. Aboriginal landowners continue to be reliant on the natural environment for both spiritual and physical well-being. Creation ancestors form part of a living landscape and practices such as hunting, foraging, burning, caring for sacred sites and ceremony have an important place in contemporary Aboriginal life.

Analysts of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) census data have commonly observed that the census enumeration in remote Indigenous regions of Australia underestimates the actual number of Indigenous people. Such underestimations of remote population groups have dire consequences not only for appropriate service delivery in such extreme regions, but also contribute to a misguided public perception that the population in remote Indigenous regions is declining. Clearly a better approach to undertaking census counts is needed in remote Australia.

Olga Havnen has held senior positions with both the government and non-government sectors, including the Northern Territory Department of the Chief Minister, the Central and Northern Land Councils, and as Indigenous program manager with The Fred Hollows Foundation. Olga has recently taken up a newly-created position with Australian Red Cross as Head of Indigenous Strategy Development.

Please note: This seminar is available in both Streaming Audio and MP3 formats.

At the core of alcohol control policies in Australia-and indeed in any country with a system of licensing-lies a key conflict. This is the conflict between the interest of the state in reducing alcohol-related problems on the one hand, and its interest in enjoying the economic benefits produced by the alcohol beverage industry on the other. When an Indigenous corporation buys into premises licensed to sell alcohol, it is faced with a similar conflict and a moral hazard: good sales may mean more alcohol-related harms for which others largely bear the cost.

The community engagement strategy for the Cape York Welfare Reform trials was designed to represent communities and individuals under consultation strictly in terms of seven pre-determined 'community dysfunctions' only. They were: the abuse and neglect of children; alcohol abuse; drug abuse; petrol sniffing; problem gambling; poor school attendance; and dysfunctional housing tenancy arrangements. However, much of the research conducted on the ground in Aurukun suggests community members do not define themselves or their immediate families in terms of 'social-norms deficit'.

Laura Beacroft held an independent statutory position with the Australian government for the last 5 years, regulating many key Indigenous corporations, including those connected to native title and also most of those in remote Australia. She shepherded in comprehensive and modern legislation for this sector (Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006, which received tripartite support from Parliament and is being progressively implemented around Australia.

The new Federal Government has identified as one of its priorities a 'closing of the gaps' in social and economic outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians with specific reference made to health/life expectancy, education participation and attainment, housing and employment. Previous CAEPR research has shown that the structural circumstances facing Indigenous populations are increasingly diverse and locationally dispersed and that this leads to variable constraints and opportunities for social and economic participation.