National Congress of Australia's First Peoples

National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
Name	National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
Type	Advocacy organisation
Founded	2010
Dissolved	2019
Location	Australia
Headquarters	Canberra
Key people	Ngahuia Te Awekotuku; Pat Anderson; Mick Gooda; Warren Mundine; Ray Robinson
Focus	Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues

National Congress of Australia's First Peoples was a representative body formed in 2010 to advocate for Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia. It sought to influence policy related to Indigenous rights, health, legal recognition, cultural heritage and social justice, engaging with institutions such as the Australian Parliament, the High Court of Australia and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The organisation participated in debates involving the Referendum Council, the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the Australian Human Rights Commission and state and territory Parliaments.

History

The organisation emerged from discussions that involved leaders connected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and the Healing Foundation. Founding delegates included figures who had worked with the Commonwealth of Australia, the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and advocacy networks linked to the Torres Strait Regional Authority and the Northern Land Council. Early milestones saw interactions with the United Nations Working Group on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, submissions to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody legacy processes, and engagement with the Lowitja Institute and Reconciliation Australia. The congress participated in national dialogues alongside the Referendum Council, the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition, the Australian Greens, the Australian Labor Party and the Liberal Party of Australia. By the mid-2010s its profile included appearances before the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, contributions to the Closing the Gap framework, and public events with the National Native Title Tribunal, the Aboriginal Legal Service, and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services.

Structure and Governance

The organisation established a national board and representative assembly drawing delegates from state and territory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies such as the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service, the South Australian Native Title Services, the Western Australian Aboriginal Health Council, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory councils. Its governance arrangements referenced models used by the National Indigenous Australians Agency, the Australian Electoral Commission for Indigenous enrollment, and frameworks advised by the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Indigenous Governance Toolkit. Key officeholders included chairs and co-chairs who had previously worked with the Community Development Program, the Aboriginal Hostels Limited board, and the National Aboriginal Sporting Organisations. Audit and compliance processes involved interactions with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the Australian National Audit Office, and accounting standards relevant to charities registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Objectives and Activities

The congress aimed to advance self-determination, implement recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, promote the Uluru Statement from the Heart, support native title recognition arising from Mabo v Queensland (No 2) and Wik Peoples v Queensland, and advocate for treaty processes similar to those in Victoria and negotiations involving the Torres Strait Treaty. Activities included policy submissions to the Productivity Commission, evidence to Senate committees, participation in the National Congress’ dialogues with the Australian Human Rights Commission, collaboration with the Lowitja Institute on health research, and partnerships with the Australian Law Reform Commission on legal frameworks. The congress organised forums with the Referendum Council, contributed to campaigns alongside Change the Record, engaged with community-controlled health services like Aboriginal Medical Services, and liaised with universities such as the University of Melbourne, Australian National University, University of Sydney and Griffith University on research and training.

Funding and Financial Issues

Funding sources included grants from the Australian Government administered through departments such as the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, philanthropic support from foundations akin to the Myer Foundation and Ian Potter Foundation, and donations coordinated through charity registration similar to models used by OXFAM Australia and Amnesty International Australia. The organisation underwent audits and scrutiny involving the Australian National Audit Office, the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission and parliamentary estimates by the Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee. Financial challenges mirrored issues faced by other Indigenous organisations including the Aboriginal Housing Company, Aboriginal Legal Service, and regional land councils, and prompted discussions about sustainability similar to those concerning the Indigenous Land Corporation and Aboriginal Benefits Trust.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques came from commentators associated with media outlets such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian Australia and national talkback programs, and from political figures in the Liberal Party of Australia, the Australian Labor Party, the National Party of Australia and One Nation. Internal disputes involved member peaks including state Aboriginal land councils and community-controlled health organisations, while external controversies touched on funding cuts by successive federal governments, disagreements over representation vis‑à‑vis treaty advocates in Victoria and Western Australia, and debates about engagement with the Uluru Statement from the Heart versus proposals supported by the Referendum Council. Legal and governance questions prompted coverage in legal journals, commentary from the Law Council of Australia, and submissions to parliamentary inquiries involving the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Impact and Legacy

The organisation influenced public debate on Indigenous recognition, contributed to policy inputs referenced by the Referendum Council, and helped shape discussions that fed into the Uluru Statement from the Heart and subsequent parliamentary and community deliberations. Its legacy is visible in ongoing work by successor and partner bodies such as the National Indigenous Australians Agency, state treaty processes in Victoria and the Larrakia Nation negotiations, and advocacy continuing through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies, the Lowitja Institute, Reconciliation Australia, Change the Record, and community-controlled organisations. The congress’ records informed scholarly work at institutions like Monash University, the University of Queensland, Charles Darwin University and the Australian National University, influencing future generations of leaders involved with the High Court of Australia, the Australian Law Reform Commission, and international fora including the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Category:Indigenous Australian organisations