Fed: ATSIC responds to review

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2003
Fed: ATSIC responds to review

CANBERRA, Dec 5 AAP - Standards of accountability recommended in a review of ATSIC
were excessive, the indigenous organisation's board said today.

The review, made public last week, recommends the government conduct a major overhaul
of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

The board's 17 commissioners criticised the review's recommendations for tighter accountability
and for the board's structure to be scrapped.

"The report, on first analysis, seeks to raise the standards of accountability far
beyond those expected of other national elected representatives," the board said in a
statement.

The review recommended the board be replaced with a two-tier structure giving more
power to regional councils.

A 40-member national body should elect a 10-member executive, the review report.

The commissioners described the new structure as seriously flawed.

The board welcomed the review's recommendation that the new agency, Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Services (ATSIS), be integrated back into ATSIC.

The government set up ATSIS in July and transferred most of ATSIC's staff to it in
a bid remove ATSIC commissioners from spending decisions.

AAP rmg/sb/hu/br

KEYWORD: ATSIC

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