Tackling the 'Indigenous Industry : Submission to the Senate Finance and Public Administration Reference Committee : Inquiry into Commonwealth Indigenous Advancement Strategy Tendering Processes

The submission documents the growth of the 'Indigenous industry' whereby responsibility for service provision to Indigenous people and their communities is being progressively taken over by mainstream charities and training organisations at the expense of Indigenous community-base service providers. This trend has accelerated since the demise of ATSIC in 2004, and has resulted in escalating rates of, inter alia, incarceration, child removals, mental health disorders, self harm and suicide among Indigenous people as funding support for the delivery of culturally appropriate services by Indigenous community based organisations is progressively cut. Current funding arrangements under the federal government's Indigenous Advancement Strategy is exacerbating the problem.