Fed: Robinson calls for directly-elected ATSIC board

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2003
Fed: Robinson calls for directly-elected ATSIC board

CANBERRA, Dec 8 AAP - The ATSIC board should be directly elected by Aboriginal people,
former ATSIC deputy chairman Ray Robinson said today.

The ATSIC board has criticised a government-commissioned review which recommended the
board be replaced with a two-tier structure giving more power to regional councils.

Mr Robinson said the proposed new structure for ATSIC would take the Aboriginal community
back 50 years.

"What we're saying to them (the government) is leave the 18 commissioners there, if
you believe there's discontent in the Aboriginal community, then those commissioners should
be elected by the people on the ground," Mr Robinson told ABC radio.

ATSIC commissioner Alison Anderson said the review had been a waste of money.

"I think the taxpayers need to start jumping up and down to the Howard government asking
why we wasted $2 million review that come out (sic) with nothing," Ms Anderson told ABC
radio.

She called for Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone to reinstate suspended ATSIC
chairman Geoff Clark.

"We as a board feel that we need Geoff Clark, because you know in the current climate
with ATSIC going under the review, to think that as has been suggested, only through the
leadership of Geoff can we start to put all those things in place," she said.

Mr Clark last week successfully appealed against a conviction for riotous behaviour
in a pub brawl but was unsuccessful in getting a separate conviction overturned for obstructing
police.

AAP pj/sco/br O

KEYWORD: ATSIC

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