Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Ken Wyatt AM, MP has today appointed the members that will make up the Local & Regional Co-design Group that will develop options for local and regional voices.
The Local & Regional Co-design Group will be co-chaired by Professor Peter Buckskin PSM and a senior official from the National Indigenous Australians Agency, and will be instrumental in defining a way that Indigenous voices can be heard at all levels of government.
“As I travel to communities around the country, Indigenous Australians are saying to me they just want to be heard and involved in decision-making for their communities,” Minister Wyatt said.
“They want to know who will listen to their ideas and be in a position to do something about them.”
“Following advice from the Senior Advisory Group, I have appointed members bringing a diverse range of skills and experience to identify the best approaches to affecting change on the ground for Indigenous Australians.”
“Professor Buckskin has served as a member of the Senior Advisory Group since its formation, and has now accepted this new appointment as a co-chair of the Local & Regional Co-design Group.
“Professor Buckskin will bring his wealth of experience in the education and public service sectors, as well as his extensive involvement in senior positions at a wide range of Indigenous community organisations, to his new role.”
“A local and regional voice will empower Indigenous Australians and communities by establishing a framework and guiding principles for models and options that lead to improved and enhanced decision-making, and link through to the national Indigenous voice.”
“Working in genuine partnership will improve shared decision making, and ensure shared responsibility and shared accountability for the development and delivery of government programmes at a local and regional level.”
“There will be opportunities for everyone to engage throughout the process and I encourage all Australians to get behind this important work.”
Co-chair, Professor Buckskin, said that he wants to see Indigenous communities have strong capacity to work with government and to have their say to make sure that programmes and policies work on the ground, and help advance the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“I’m happy to see a broad range of people contributing to this group. Getting this right is important, this is about our legacy to the next generation.”
“I’ve been on this journey for a long time, and this is a great opportunity, the next step, to ensure that all Indigenous Australians can be heard by government.”
More information about the Indigenous voice co-design process is available on the National Indigenous Australians Agency website, www.niaa.gov.au/indigenous-voice.
The full membership of the Local & Regional Co-Design Group is:
- Professor Peter Buckskin PSM (Co-chair)
- Cr Ross Andrews
- Ms Ruth Davys
- Ms Triscilla Holborow
- Mr Paul House
- Mr Chris Ingrey
- Mr Des Jones
- Ms Fiona Jose
- Cr Getano Lui Jr AM
- Mr Albert McNamara
- Mr Wayne Miller
- Ms Karen Milward
- Ms Lavene Ngatokorua
- Ms Vicki O’Donnell
- Dr Aden Ridgeway
- Ms Marion Scrymgour