Indigenous Advisory Council facts for kids
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 23, 2013 |
| Dissolved | 2019 |
| Jurisdiction | Australia |
The Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC) was a special group in Australia. It was also known as the Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council. This council worked from 2013 to 2019. Its main job was to give advice to the Australian Government. This advice was about important issues for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Contents
Understanding the Indigenous Advisory Council
The Indigenous Advisory Council was set up by the Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott. It was officially created on September 25, 2013. The first meeting of the council happened on December 5, 2013.
What Was the Council's Purpose?
The council's main goal was to help the government. It gave advice on how to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The council focused on making practical changes. It was made up of 12 people. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians were part of the group. They met three times every year to discuss important topics.
Changes to the Council Over Time
In 2015, Malcolm Turnbull became the new Prime Minister. He created a new group in 2016. This group was called the Indigenous Policy Committee of Cabinet. It was meant to help government ministers work better with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This included working with the Indigenous Advisory Council.
The Indigenous Advisory Council was temporarily paused in January 2017. Its first set of rules ended at that time.
New Members and Leadership
Six members were chosen to serve a second term on the council. This was announced in February 2017. Another member joined in May 2017. Prime Minister Turnbull decided not to appoint a single chair for this second term. Instead, co-chairs were appointed later on. The council stopped working in 2019.
Who Were the Council Members?
The council had many important members. They helped guide the government on Indigenous affairs.
First Group of Members (2013)
The first members of the Indigenous Advisory Council were:
- Warren Mundine (chair)
- Richard Ah Mat
- Leah Armstrong
- Ngiare Brown
- Josephine Cashman
- Gail Kelly
- Djambawa Marawili
- Bruce Martin
- David Peever
- Andrew Penfold
- Peter Shergold
- Daniel Tucker
Second Group of Members (2017)
New members joined the council starting in February 2017. They included:
- Chris Sarra, who founded the Stronger Smarter Institute.
- Andrea Mason, CEO of the NPY Women's Council.
- Roy Ah See, chair of the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council.
- Susan Murphy, CEO of Winun Ngari Aboriginal Corporation.
- Ngiare Brown, a Professor of Indigenous Health.
- Djambawa Marawili, a famous artist and traditional owner.
In June 2018, Roy Ah See became a co-chair after Chris Sarra left. Andrea Mason also left the council before it ended.
