National Aboriginal Conference

National Aboriginal Conference
Name	National Aboriginal Conference
Formation	1973
Dissolution	1985
Type	Advisory body
Headquarters	Canberra
Region served	Australia
Languages	English

National Aboriginal Conference

The National Aboriginal Conference was an Australian advisory body established in 1973 to represent Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders at the national level during the Whitlam government era and subsequent administrations. It aimed to provide Indigenous input into policy-making involving Prime Minister of Australia offices, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs portfolios, and national forums such as the Commonwealth-level consultations and treaty discussions. The Conference operated amid interactions with organisations including the Aboriginal Advancement League, National Aboriginal Legal Service, and activist networks formed during the 1965 Freedom Ride legacy.

Background and Establishment

The Conference emerged from debates following the 1967 Australian referendum which amended constitutional recognition and spurred formation of consultative mechanisms like the Council for Aboriginal Affairs. Influences included campaigns by figures such as Gough Whitlam, Vincent Lingiari, Faith Bandler, and organisations like the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and the Aborigines Advancement League of South Australia. The establishment was set against the backdrop of land rights struggles exemplified by the Wave Hill walk-off and parliamentary initiatives including the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 and proposals debated in the Parliament of Australia. International pressure from bodies like the United Nations Human Rights Committee and advocacy tied to the World Council of Indigenous Peoples also shaped its creation.

Structure and Membership

The Conference comprised elected representatives from state and territory ATSIC-like arrangements and community-based organisations, drawing delegates from groups such as the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, National Aboriginal and Islander Legal Service, and regional councils like the Central Land Council and Northern Land Council. Prominent attendees included leaders connected to Charlie Perkins, Lowitja O'Donoghue, Mick Miller, and Maggie Hickey networks. Institutional links stretched to academic centres like the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and service bodies such as the Aboriginal Medical Service movement. Meetings were held in venues across Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra with administrative coordination involving officers appointed under the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.

Roles and Functions

The Conference functioned as an advisory and consultative body, formulating positions on issues including land rights initiatives like the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, cultural heritage protections under frameworks similar to debates over the Aboriginal Heritage Act, and welfare models discussed with agencies such as the Commonwealth Grants Commission. It drafted submissions to parliamentary inquiries in the House of Representatives and the Senate committees, contributed to policy papers circulated to ministers including the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and participated in international dialogues like sessions with the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations. It also produced policy proposals aligned with campaigns run by organisations such as Aboriginal Legal Service and unions like the Australian Council of Trade Unions when industrial and land issues intersected.

Key Activities and Campaigns

The Conference campaigned on land rights cases related to the Gove land rights case and responses to decisions from the High Court of Australia including implications after the Mabo precedent debates. It coordinated national strategies around the Aboriginal Tent Embassy demonstrations, collaborated with health initiatives like the Royal Flying Doctor Service for remote community care, and addressed incarceration concerns raised by advocacy groups including the Aboriginal Legal Service and civil liberties organisations like the Australian Council for Civil Liberties. The Conference engaged with cultural campaigns linked to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies collections, educational reforms involving the Australian National University and state education departments, and employment schemes such as those connected to the Commonwealth Employment Service and trade unions.

Relationships with Government and Aboriginal Organisations

The Conference maintained a complex relationship with successive administrations including the Whitlam Ministry, the Hawke Ministry, and the Fraser Ministry, negotiating roles with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and interfacing with statutory entities such as the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination precursors. It interacted with community-controlled bodies like the Aboriginal Housing Company and national bodies such as the National Indigenous Australians Agency predecessors, while sometimes clashing with activist groups like the Aboriginal Tent Embassy and legal advocacy networks exemplified by Noel Pearson-linked debates in later decades. The Conference also linked to research organisations like the Lowitja Institute and engaged with state governments of New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory over jurisdictional disputes.

Dissolution and Legacy

The Conference was dissolved in the mid-1980s following critiques from politicians including members of the Parliament of Australia and analyses by bodies like the Australian National Audit Office predecessors that questioned its mandate and effectiveness. Its termination preceded the creation of new structures such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and later institutions including the Indigenous Advisory Council and the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples. The Conference left a legacy influencing land rights jurisprudence, contributions to constitutional recognition debates culminating in discussions post-1992 High Court decisions and the ongoing dialogues about a Voice to Parliament. Many former delegates continued activism through organisations like the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and academia at institutions including the University of Melbourne and University of Sydney.

Category:Indigenous Australian politics