It is the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to determine their own political status and pursue their own economic, social and cultural interests.
Self-determination encompasses both Aboriginal land rights and self-governance,[1][2] and may also be supported by a treaty between a government and an Indigenous group in Australia.
[3] From the 1970s to 1990s, the Australian government supported Aboriginal groups moving from large settlements in remote areas back to outstation communities in formerly traditional lands.
[4] During this period, the Whitlam government changed Australian Indigenous policy significantly by moving away from cultural assimilation and towards self-determination.
The O'Donoghue report argued that the NAC did not effectively represent its constituents or advocate specific policies.
On 30 October 2019, Wyatt announced the commencement of a "co-design process" aimed at providing an "Indigenous voice to government".