Some Indigenous people are not happy with the performance of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples.
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When the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was axed by the former Howard government in 2005, the Labor Party was in opposition and vowed to provide Indigenous Australians with a new national representative body if elected.
Labor was elected and delivered the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples with its first elected board taking office in July 2011.
But some Indigenous people are not happy with the Congress' performance in its first year and say it needs reform.
One Indigenous representative unhappy with the National Congress is Roy Ah-See, a councillor the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council.
He says a lack of co-ordination is hampering the ability of Australia's various Indigenous people to advance their interests and reduce disadvantage.
"Because of successive governments, starting from the Howard Government, the abolition of ATSIC, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, we've found ourselves in a position whereby we're uncoordinated and that's had a major impact on Aboriginal communities throughout New South Wales and nationally, Australia-wide. So we don't have that national voice whereby we can co-ordinate issues and concerns around policy development for Aboriginal communities across the country."
Roy Ah-Slee says he doubts if the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples can provide that co-ordination.
"It's hit and miss you know. Things might be happening in New South Wales that are not happening in other parts of the state or other parts of the country. There could be things that New South Wales is unaware of so we've been sort of left in the lurch and with that void. I know we've got the National Congress, but I'm not convinced that the National Congress is the right vehicle to co-ordinate and have our people come together with a united front so we're all singing off the same song sheet."
The scepticism is shared by the director of the Central Land Council in the Northern Territory, David Ross.
He says the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples falls short of the claim its title makes.
"I think the National Congress is a long way from being a national congress. The majority of people in the country didn't participate in the vote. Most people didn't have access to the electronic system and what was available to participate in the vote so I think we're a long way from having a national voice at the current time. The views that are being put forward at the moment do not include views of people in the remoter parts of the country. Look, I think there's room for everyone, but I think at the moment, they're lacking in credibility."
But Mr Ross says he doesn't think the Congress should go the same way as ATSIC.
He says it has only been in existence for a short time and should be modified rather than replaced.
But Mr Ross says to do that its representatives must speak to people in all parts of Australia.
"That's something that will happen over time with the inclusion of the Congress getting out and talking to people and including people properly. I don't think we need to go and reinvent the wheel. You can only do that so many times and the wheel has hit the ground a couple of times and been wiped out and that includes ATSIC, which was a national model and gave everyone the opportunity to be involved at different points, but unfortunately other people had other ideas about that so you know, that's come and gone. Now you've got the Congress. As I say, work on it, remodel it, improve it in order that people get the opportunity to be involved and everyone is then satisfied that they've got a voice that speaks for and on behalf of them at the national level."
The Congress itself says comparing ATSIC to the new representative body is unfair.
CEO Lindon Coombes says the Congress' budget of less than 10-million dollars a year is tiny compared to ATSIC's, and its defined role means its reach into Aboriginal communities is limited.
"It's a big task. I mean our predecessor was ATSIC which had over a billion dollars annual budget and was a really large organisation. It had regional representation, a whole range of other things, including service delivery that really brought it out into Aboriginal communities and into the lives of Aboriginal people. We're a very different organisation. We're a very small organisation. A much smaller budget we've got a staff currently of around 20. We're based in Sydney and we've got a very ambitious agenda in terms of trying to create a unified national voice. It's an incredibly difficult thing."
Mr Coombes says the Congress is trying to overcome those disadvantages by recruiting individual, community-based and peak bodies to become members of the organisation.
He says the Congress has also been active in lobbying government during the development of policy, such as in the case of constitutional recognition for Indigenous people, Stronger Futures legislation and budget initiatives.
But Mr Coombes admits the organisation faces challenges to be seen to be relevant by people at a local level.
"That's one of the initial hurdles that we've encountered in terms of trying to communicate what this model is all about. So it is about a national representative voice and I guess given our resources it is sometimes difficult to engage in those local and regional issues which are sometimes most acute and pressing and have the most impact on our people and so we have to ensure that we remain relevant to people and their needs on the ground while also trying to maintain a national focus and directing our limited resources in areas where we think we can make a difference."
Lindon Coombes says the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples is evolving, and in time might move towards a more regional structure.
But he says that would take enormous resources and change the organisation that has been set up, which followed extensive consultations by the former Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma.
"People wanted a national voice. There were obviously a whole range of views about what that particular model would look like but there were some specific things within that such as gender equity, which we have in all of our representative positions. People were also keen that we have the highest probity and professionalism and we have an ethics council as part of our structure so we're not a sort of traditional model as it were in terms of at least Aboriginal governance and we're actually quite a unique model and that will take some getting used to for people but again in saying that I think we've been able to make some real ground."
