Understanding and Engaging with Indigenous Governance - Research Evidence and Possibilities for a Dialogue with Australian Governments

Between 2004 and 2008 the Indigenous Community Governance Project (ICGP) explored Indigenous governance in diverse urban, rural and remote communities and regions across Australia. The wealth of research evidence from the Project identified several clear conclusions. First, there is such a thing as Indigenous governance in Australia. Second, culturally legitimate and practically capable Indigenous governance is a critical condition for sustained Indigenous socioeconomic development and wellbeing. Third, the poor institutional governance of all Australian governments presents an entrenched obstacle to Indigenous people building and sustaining such governance arrangements. And fourth, there is a debilitating level of contestation between governments and Indigenous people about how governance should be conducted in communities and regions. Yet with all the research evidence now available, there remains a noticeable lack of policy dialogue by governments with Indigenous people about the way forward. This paper argues that to support sustained Indigenous socioeconomic development, governments must be willing to understand and negotiate the governance space with Indigenous societies, and be open to new possibilities.