Fed: Govt makes pitch for ATSIC plan

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2004
Fed: Govt makes pitch for ATSIC plan

By Paul Osborne

CANBERRA, April 16 AAP - The federal government today began the hard-sell of its plan
to abolish ATSIC, signalling talks with the minor parties and independents to get it through
the Senate.

Prime Minister John Howard said today indigenous disadvantage was not solved by setting
up a separate political body.

"We can't go on with a body that has clearly become dysfunctional and lost the confidence
of the Australian community," Mr Howard told Sydney radio.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone went further, comparing the 14-year-old
representative body with the former apartheid system in South Africa.

"Where people say we have to have a separate system I say, 'Well, there was a country
once where we wouldn't play cricket because they had a separate system'," Senator Vanstone
said.

"Now (it's) more separate than we are talking about in terms of programs, but the whole
notion of separateness puts indigenous Australians into a different category and they
are not.

"They are First Australians, they are ours, and they deserve to get the same treatment
that everybody else gets."

Senator Vanstone said she would initiate talks to secure Senate support for the changes
which required new legislation.

She said ATSIC's 1,800 employees and budget would be transferred into other government
departments, but the move was not aimed at cost savings.

The minister also rejected claims that the move was triggered by the furore over suspended
ATSIC chairman Geoff Clark, who will challenge his suspension at a hearing in two weeks.

"I wouldn't say that - that is just looking at the indigenous politics of it," Senator
Vanstone said.

Independent Senator Meg Lees today acknowledged many indigenous people felt ATSIC no
longer represented them, but said she would not immediately commit to passing the laws.

"We cannot simply pass legislation to abolish ATSIC without a detailed look at where
the money will go, and without details of the process by which indigenous Australians
can be involved in decisions about their future," Senator Lees said.

Democrats indigenous affairs spokesman Aden Ridgeway said the government needed to
provide more detail on how regions would get a say and detail the future of health and
housing services.

"Until the government comes forward with some clear explanation and detail we won't
be giving them our support," Senator Ridgeway told ABC TV.

He said he would also be encouraging people not to take part in the proposed peak advisory body.

"I would certainly be encouraging anyone that's approached by the government not to
participate because clearly the government's decision is one that's designed to divide
indigenous people," Senator Ridgeway said.

Opposition indigenous affairs spokesman Kerry O'Brien said Labor would not take a position
until the details of the legislation were released next month.

Labor has previously signalled it supported ATSIC's abolition but wanted it replaced
by a directly elected national body and regional funding for services.

AAP pjo/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: ATSIC 2ND DAYLEAD

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