McLaughlin, Sean --- "Working out Agreements between Local Governments and Indigenous Australians: A Practical Guide" [1999] IndigLawB 48; (1999) 4(21) Indigenous Law Bulletin 30

• Book Review Working Out Agreements Between Local Governments And Indigenous Australians: A Practical Guide

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Book Review

Working out Agreements between Local Governments and Indigenous Australians:
A Practical Guide

Australian Local Government Association, Canberra, 1998

Reviewed by Sean McLaughlin

In May 1998, the Australian Local Government Association published this guide with the support of ATSIC and the National Native Title Tribunal to assist local government in negotiating agreements with its indigenous Australian constituency.

Local government, particularly at its peak council level, has been in the vanguard of government agencies in pursuing positive engagement with indigenous organisations and developing constructive policy in response to native title. The genesis of the Guide lay in local government's endorsement and support of the work of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, and in its recognition of the (frequently overlooked) fact that the power of local government derives from its citizens who are both Indigenous and non-indigenous.

Presentation and layout of the Guide are excellent and it is written in a lucid and straightforward style which should be attractive to the busy council officer looking for guidance in what is (wrongly) perceived to be an esoteric and complex area of governance.

The Guide is divided into five clearly-labelled parts:

(1) the process of developing an agreement;
(2) the content of an agreement;
(3) implementing the agreement;
(4) reviewing/monitoring the agreement; and
(5) case studies and types of agreements.

The Guide was published prior to the amendments to the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) and thus needs updating. The ALGA already has this task in hand, with plans to publish an updated version in late July, together with a companion guide which will give a far more comprehensive analysis of native title and local government.

The Guide was distributed to every local government body and ATSIC regional council in the country. It is highly recommended to anyone involved in native title issues who is looking for practical guidance in the area of negotiated agreements.

Working with Native Title is a companion publication to Working out Agreements between Local Governments and Indigenous Australians: A Practical Guide. Published by the Australian Local Government Association, it may be ordered by ringing [phone], faxing [phone] or emailing <[e-mail]>.