Canadian-Australian collaboration strengthens Indigenous Public Policy dialogue

Working luncheon participants (L-R) Professor Matthew Gray, Professor Jane Simpson, Dr Keats Nelms, Professor Veronica Taylor, Professor Peter Whiteford, Mr Michael Wernick, Professor Michael Dodson AM, Professor Toni Makkai, Mr Charles Reeves, Professor Jacqueline Lo, Professor Paul Pickering.

Colleagues from across the University came together for a working luncheon on Friday 20 February with a Canadian delegation to strengthen dialogues on key areas of Indigenous Public Policy.

Hosted by College of Arts and Social Sciences Dean, Professor Toni Makkai, the working luncheon followed a public lecture delivered by Mr Michael Wernick, Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and Associate Secretary of the Cabinet. Mr Wernick spoke about Indigenous Issues in Canada: How our History Shapes the Debate about the Future.

Since 2006 Mr Wernick has assisted four Ministers in advancing the Canadian Government’s Aboriginal Affairs agenda. Highlights of his tenure at AANDC include the passage of 18 pieces of legislation, as well as parts of five Budget Implementation Acts; the approval and ongoing implementation of the Indian Residential Schools settlement; conclusion of several modern treaties and new self-government arrangements; creation of the Specific Claims Tribunal; rapid expansion of the First Nations Land Management Act; deep structural reforms to child and family services, income assistance, and water/wastewater; extending human rights protections and matrimonial property protection to reserves; and an initiative to reform on-reserve education

The luncheon was attended by senior academic members of the University and the College who discussed how Canadian Public Policy and Indigenous Issues can shape the policy debate in Australia. Charles Reeves, Deputy Head of Mission, High Commission of Canada was also in attendance.

The College is home to three world class indigenous research centres and has considerable indigenous research strengths in the areas of archaeology, anthropology, history, visual arts and linguistics.

About the lecture: Indigenous Issues in Canada: How our History Shapes the Debate about the Future.

The lecture was presented as a Canada Australia Public Policy Initiative.  The webcast from the public lecture can be viewed online.