Resources and publications

The Canadian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) created this toolkit to offer assistance to First Nations governments that want to address discrimination complaints in their communities using a community-based dispute resolution process.

This paper discusses the purposes and form of the reports, their differentiation from the NNTT registration process, considerations anticipating litigation, confidentiality and potential conflicts of interest by the State as respondent.

The Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre (AILC) aims to foster and nurture a new era of Indigenous leadership by:

• Helping to Close the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by providing Indigenous leadership training and support
• Developing a network of graduates across Australia to provide support and further opportunities to learn and develop leadership skills
• Researching the primary enablers of effective leadership in an Indigenous context
• Promoting the value of Indigenous leadership nationally.

As Australia’s only national provider of accredited Indigenous leadership education programs, the AILC has transformed the lives of more than 2000 graduates since it was established in 2001.

The Northern Territory’s four Land Councils and the Northern Territory Government have today signed an historic Memorandum of Understanding (the “Barunga Agreement”), paving the way for consultations to begin with Aboriginal people about a Treaty

This is a preliminary research report from the first year of fieldwork conducted by the Indigenous Community Governance Project (ICGP). The Project is exploring the nature of Indigenous community governance in diverse contexts and locations across Australia through a series of diverse case studies—to understand what works, what doesn’t work, and why. A comparative analysis of the Project’s case studies is revealing that governance and decision-making in Indigenous community governance is shaped by multiple historical, cultural and political relationships. Family and governance histories associated with particular communities and sets of regionally-linked communities are central features in community governance dynamics and arrangements. Strengthening Indigenous community governance requires negotiating appropriate contemporary relationships among the different Indigenous people within a region or community, and adapting or creating structures and processes to reflect important relationships. Several dimensions are being identified as being fundamental to building stronger, sustainable governance at the community and regional levels. These are the impact of the wider ‘governance environment’, cultural match and cultural geography, modes of leadership and representation, institutional capacity, organisational design and relationships, representation, decision-making processes, and human resource issues. Capacity development for governance needs to be considered within a systems framework and should be a process that actively strengthens Indigenous decision-making and control over their core institutions, goals and identity, and that enhances cultural match and legitimacy. The report concludes with some emerging issues and implications for policy makers and for Indigenous organisations and their leaders.

The purpose of this Commissioner’s Interpretation Statement is to provide guidance on the ACNC’s view on the meaning and scope of the charity subtype of ‘Public Benevolent Institution’ (PBI) for ACNC purposes.

This collection of papers examines the dilemmas and challenges involved in the Indigenous struggle for the development and recognition of systems of governance that they recognise as both legitimate and effective.

ORIC fact sheet about differences between the CATSI Act and the Corporations Act.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander models of community and regional governance are based on networks of interconnected layers of leaders, groups of people, and land-ownership rights and interests. They are arranged in different ways, depending on what suits the particular community or organisation. 

This information is designed to help trustees and directors of Māori organisations with their responsibilities and role as guardians and leaders.

It aims to support those who have taken up that challenge by sharing best practice on the essential elements of effective governance. Whether it’s for a small whanau trust or a major trading company, there are sound principles for safeguarding and growing assets for the benefit of their owners.

In this report the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (the committee) considers the Stronger Futures legislation in the performance of its role of examining bills, Acts and legislative instruments for compatibility with human rights as defined in the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011. 

The final report of the Committee is intended to reflect the evidence received across the wide range of matters included in the Committee’s resolution of appointment. The report sets out the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations in relation to these matters. 

While gender and age are often noted as being important dimensions of Indigenous leadership and governance, they have rarely been examined in detail. This paper focuses specifically on the gender and age of directors on the boards of prescribed bodies corporate (PBCs), the corporations established to hold and/or manage native title rights and interests.

A predominant view persists of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women as excluded or marginalised in native title. Statistical data for the year 2011–12 reveals, however, that women’s representation on PBC boards is higher than that found in mainstream sectors, while the literature reveals a complex picture of cultural, historical, demographic, institutional and intercultural factors that influence men’s and women’s participation and power in the native title arena.

A key generational concern is the relatively low number of older people and the growing number of young people in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Viewed in relation to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population and projected changes, the pool of potential PBC directors looks likely to grow in coming years. This paper argues that, as an increasingly significant sector, PBCs have the potential to both contribute to and benefit from the strengthening of community capacity but this potential will not be realised until the constraints on the capacity of PBCs to meet their statutory obligations and pursue native title holder aspirations are addressed.

These presentation slides during National Native Title Conference 2015 present the topic, good Indigenous governance and effective native title management: Travelling companions on the road to Self Determination. 

The topic 'Governing the Organisation' from the Indigenous Governance Toolkit has nine sections.

1. Governing the organisation
2. Roles, responsibilities and rights of a governing body
3. Accountability: what is it, to whom and how?
4. Decision-making by the governing body
5. Governing finances and resources
6. Communicating
7. Future planning
8. Building capacity and confidence for governing bodies
9. Case studies

Resource sheet no. 10 produced for the Closing the Gap Clearinghouse

The Northern Territory Government engaged the Northern Institute of Charles Darwin Universityto provide research and support in governance and leadership for members of the Indigenous communities of Milingimbi, Gapuwiyak, Ntaria Ramingining and Wurrumiyanga.

The goals of this program were to improve understanding of the contemporary functioning and interactions of Aboriginal and Western governance traditions, and grow capacities and understandings in governance and leadership in remote communities.

Vimeo page by Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa. Includes videos about their,

• Leadership program
• Partnerships
• Land management

The topic 'Leadership' from the Indigenous Governance Toolkit has seven sections,

1. Leadership for governance
2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership
3. The challenges of leadership
4. Evaluating your leadership
5. Youth leadership and succession planning
6. Building leadership capacity to govern
7. Case studies