Coalition renews push for inquiry into Aboriginal Land Councils

Aboriginal land councils would be scrutinised to ensure they worked ‘effectively and efficiently’ to improve lives in disadvantaged communities under the Coalition’s push for an inquiry.

The Coalition will move to hold an inquiry into Aboriginal Land Councils as a ‘practical’ measure to improve services for disadvantaged communities. Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

Aboriginal land councils would be scrutinised to ensure they worked “effectively and efficiently” to improve lives in disadvantaged communities under a renewed Coalition push for an inquiry into Indigenous governing bodies.

As debate about the looming referendum on a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament intensifies, Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and South Australian Senator Kerrynne Liddle will on Wednesday announce plans to refer land councils and similar organisations to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for an inquiry.

Ms Price, who is the Coalition’s Indigenous Australians spokeswoman, said she saw the inquiry as a more immediate and “practical” step to Closing the Gap than the Voice.

The terms of the proposed inquiry would include examining the “role, governance and accountability requirements” of the governing bodies, the scope of Indigenous services funded by the federal government and consultation methods.

The inquiry would also look at how Indigenous land councils and organisations assessed applications for funding and development, as well as “any reasons for delays” in those processes.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price will move a motion for an inquiry into Aboriginal Land Councils. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“This inquiry will allow us to see what is working and what isn’t,” Ms Price said.

“This will give us the opportunity to hold these organisations to account and ensure that they’re working effectively and efficiently to improve the lives of our most marginalised.”

Ms Price said it was important to learn how services were being delivered and whether opportunities existed to provide “greater community-led benefit”.

“The government claims they want to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians, this is a practical step that we can take now,” she said.

“There is no need for delay, no need for an expensive and divisive referendum, we can get to work right now.”

Senator Kerrynne Liddle says there must be transparency around taxpayer-funded Indigenous governance organisations.

Ms Liddle, who is Coalition spokeswoman for child protection and the prevention of family violence, said there was an “unacceptable” lack of transparency around land council operations.

“We need an inquiry into these taxpayer funded organisations to hold them to account, encourage transparency and get the best results for the people who need it.”

Ms Liddel said she wanted to know if Indigenous Australians were being “properly consulted” and what improvements were being made to existing services and organisations.

“There is no shortage of goodwill in this country, people want to see the best outcomes for their fellow Australians, we need this inquiry to ensure that is what is being delivered,” she said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese embraces a Yolngu child during Garma Festival in the Northern Territory where he spoke in favour of a Voice. Picture: Tamati Smith/Getty Images

The Coalition has continued to use Question Time to attack the Voice referendum, on Tuesday focusing on whether the Uluru Statement of the Heart was either one or 26 pages long.

Anthony Albanese said nothing exposed the “falseness” of arguments being put by the No campaign than the “conspiracy theory” over whether the additional pages were considered part of the statement or not.

“This is absolutely nonsense,” the Prime Minister said.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said a Voice was needed because for “too long” government’s had made policies for, rather than with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Originally published as Coalition renews push for inquiry into Aboriginal Land Councils