Although ATSIC is intended to be an organisation which is representative of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people there are many features of the organisation and its operation which are not accountable to its clients.

It should be noted that some amendments to the ATSIC Act in the last month have addressed certain parts of the shortcomings in accountability. Nevertheless, our policy still addresses these areas as part of the emphasis on open decision making.

Our attention to policy in this area is also motivated by a general concern that there is lack of flow of information between ATSIC representatives and the community where they were elected.

Our first concern is that the business of the ATSIC Regional Council, State Advisory Committee and Board of Commissioners be open to scrutiny by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ATSIC has previously claimed that its meetings and decisions were secret matters in the style of Cabinet business.

However, ATSIC is therefore denying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the same level of access to its deliberations that all Australians can enjoy to the business of parliament.

Our position is that all ATSIC meeting should be open to observation by its constituents on the basis that the business can not be interrupted by observers.

Community access should only be denied under specific rules where personal or commercially sensitive issues are being discussed. Further any confidential discussions about individuals or organisations should still be subject to scrutiny by those persons, who can then respond to either correct misinformation or to lodge additional information under specific circumstances.

The minutes of meeting of ATSIC, including the Commission meetings, should be available almost immediately for inspection at the regional office of ATSIC. The members of ATSIC must be compelled to declare their pecuniary interests and these declarations should be open to public inspection.

The business of ATSIC should be made more available to community through regular local newsletter.

The ATSIC Regional Council meeting should be held in various locations in the region and councillors should be inclined to attend organisations in their official capacity. The staff of ATSIC, principally the project officers, should be required to attend meeting with the organisations every six months and complete a certificate of competence on ATSIC financial rules.

ATSIC must have a 'quality service' standard which includes high quality procedures for appeals, grievances and Freedom of Information requests in relation to decisions by ATSIC on funding organisations.

Complaints against the conduct of ATSIC representatives should be investigated by independent persons in a structured way which will minimise doubt about ATSIC fair play.

FAIRA Aboriginal Corporation Phone +61 7 3391 4677 • Fax +61 7 3391 4551 • email letterbox@faira.org.au Post Office Box 8402 Woolloongabba Q 4102 Australia 37 Balaclava Street Woolloongabba