"The failure of ATSIC is proof that Indigenous people can't look after their own affairs"
ATSIC was never an Indigenous creation – it was created by government and most Indigenous spending and programs, including health, education and employment were controlled by government.36 Yet ATSIC was often blamed when not enough was seen to be done in these areas.
ATSIC administered less than 50% of Australian Government expenditure in Indigenous affairs. Of the money ATSIC did receive, 85% of was quarantined for government determined program.37
It is a myth that the failure of ATSIC was a failure of Indigenous ‘self-determination’, when most of the control and decision-making remained with governments.
36 William Jonas and Darren Dick, ‘Ensuring Meaningful Participation of Indigenous Peoples in Government Processes: The Implications of the Decline of ATSIC’ (2004) 23(2) Dialogue 4, 14, p 7.
37 Ibid
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