Dialogue in a Colonised Space: Reclaiming Indigenous Nations in Australia

Despite the assertion of the right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination in the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, many First Nations struggle to establish an effective dialogue with government to achieve recognition of their status. In Australia, Indigenous nations face difficult challenges in asserting their identity and rights. No treaties were signed at the time of colonisation and for many years State regimes defined Aboriginal people collectively as a category, ignoring tribal and linguistic diversity. Using international comparisons, this paper reviews recent developments in Australia that offer opportunities for improved self-determination in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In particular it will examine the achievements of the Ngarrindjerri nation in reworking its relationship with government through negotiation and agreements that provide some control over its engagement with government and provide a framework for the assertion of its own priorities in managing country and resources.