Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
The Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (MCATSIA) is charged by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) with ensuring that all levels of government, that is national, state and territory and local, work together to improve the life and well-being of Australia's Indigenous people.
It is a forum where all Indigenous Affairs Ministers meet to exchange ideas and develop Indigenous - related policies that will have an impact at a local, state and national level.
The Chairs of the Torres Strait Islander Authority and the Australian Local Government Association can participate on MCATSIA but they cannot vote on issues. The New Zealand Minister for Maori Development has observer status.
The Chair of MCATSIA rotates every two years. The current chair, for the 2008 to 2010 period, is the Western Australian Minister for Indigenous Affairs, the Honourable Michelle Roberts MLA. MCATSIA meetings are usually held twice a year.
All the decisions of MCATSIA meetings are forwarded to the COAG, which is Chaired by the Prime Minister and whose members are the Premiers and Chief Ministers of the states and territories.
Issues on the agenda for this and the coming years include to:
- Promote and support the use of the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators report to drive action required to redress Indigenous disadvantage; and
- Support other Ministerial Councils to continue to work towards reconciliation through the implementation of existing Ministerial Action Plans and the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage indicator framework.
MCATSIA is advised by the CEOs of the Departments of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs around Australia, and the CEOs of the Torres Strait Regional Authority and the Australian Local Government Association. This group is known as the Standing Committee for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (SCATSIA).
For more information about MCATSIA visit www.mcatsia.gov.au
