Hopes for a greater voice

CALLS are being made for an Aboriginal Councillor to be among those standing for selection in the upcoming local council elections.

Amid the heightened publicity of Prime Minster Rudd’s imminent apology to the nation’s indigenous people, the NSW Minister for Local Government and Aboriginal Affairs, Paul Lynch, has encouraged Aboriginal people to stand in the September elections.

Mr Lynch has pointed to a new mentoring program as something that could help Aboriginal people into local government, and his ideas have found support among local indigenous spokespeople.

Board member of the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation Richard Davis said he thinks the time has come for Aboriginal people to make a solid bid for a place on local Councils.

“I think previously Aboriginal people sort of haven’t had the experience or the understanding to do what is required but I think we’re getting to that stage now where we’re getting Aboriginal people who are getting educated and understand the role of local councils and what they do for the community,” he said.

“It see it (happening) in the not too distant future.”

However local Aboriginal elder of the Wadi Wadi tribe Allan Carriage believes if an Aboriginal is to sit on Council they would have to have the right ancestry.

“If we could get someone who knows the country to stand in there then I think something could come of it,” he said.

“(But) they would have to be traditionally from this area and know the country.”

Mr Carriage said a possible councillor would have to have their genealogy assessed before they were made part of Wollongong City Council.

Engaging with Aboriginal Communities: A Resource Kit for Local Government in NSW provides advice for councils on how to engage Aboriginal people in local decision-making.

Wollongong City Council told the Wollongong and Northern Leader it had only been made aware of the new resource very recently, but fully supports any initiative encouraging a diverse range of community members to participate in local government.