Today, I announce the establishment of the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council.
The Council will inform the policy implementation of the Coalition Government. It will focus on practical changes to improve the lives of Aboriginal people.
I am delighted that Mr Warren Mundine will chair the Council.
Warren Mundine’s expertise is widely recognised. He is a natural leader and a forthright advocate for indigenous Australia.
A new engagement with Aboriginal people will be one of the hallmarks of the Coalition Government.
While many Aboriginal people are fully participating in Australian society, too many are not. Preserving indigenous culture and building reconciliation means doing more to ensure that children go to school, adults go to work and the ordinary rule of law operates in indigenous communities.
The Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council will meet three times a year with the Prime Minister and senior government Ministers. The Chairman of the Council will meet with the Prime Minister and the Minister for Indigenous Affairs each month. It will include indigenous and non-indigenous Australians with a broad range of skills, including experience in the public sector, business acumen, and a strong understanding of indigenous culture.
The Chairman will be a part-time position and supported by a secretariat seconded from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Interested persons who wish to apply to be part of the Advisory Council can register their interest by email at indigenousadvisorycouncil@pmc.gov.au or by post at:
Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
PO Box 6500
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Australians yearn to see practical and genuine improvement in the lives of Aboriginal people.
There is so much goodwill.
The challenge, though, is to convert good sentiment into practical change for the better.
I want to be a Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and I am delighted that Warren Mundine has taken up the call to be part of this journey with me.
25 September 2013