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COUNCIL FOR ABORIGINAL RECONCILIATION ACT 1991 No. 127 of 1991 - SECT 6 Functions

COUNCIL FOR ABORIGINAL RECONCILIATION ACT 1991 No. 127 of 1991 - SECT 6

Functions
6. (1) The functions of the Council are:

   (a)  to undertake initiatives for the purpose of promoting reconciliation
        between Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and the wider
        Australian community, focusing in particular on the local community
        level; and

   (b)  to promote, by leadership, education and discussion, a deeper
        understanding by all Australians of the history, cultures, past
        dispossession and continuing disadvantage of Aborigines and
        Torres Strait Islanders and of the need to redress that disadvantage;
        and

   (c)  to foster an ongoing national commitment to co-operate to address
        Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage; and

   (d)  to provide a forum for discussion by all Australians of issues
        relating to reconciliation with Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders
        and of policies to be adopted by Commonwealth, State, Territory and
        local governments to promote reconciliation; and

   (e)  to advise the Minister on policies to promote reconciliation between
        Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and the wider Australian
        community; and

   (f)  to provide information and advice to the Minister in accordance with
        section 8; and

   (g)  to consult Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and the wider
        Australian community on whether reconciliation would be advanced by a
        formal document or formal documents of reconciliation; and

   (h)  after that consultation, to report to the Minister on the views of
        Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and of the wider Australian
        community as to whether such a document or documents would benefit the
        Australian community as a whole, and if the Council considers there
        would be such a benefit, to make recommendations to the Minister on
        the nature and content of, and manner of giving effect to, such a
        document or documents; and

   (i)  to report, in the Council's annual report, on progress towards
        reconciliation between Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and the
        wider Australian community; and

   (j)  in accordance with Part 3, to develop strategic plans that include a
        statement of the Council's goals and objectives in the promotion of
        the process of reconciliation and of its strategies for achieving
        them, together with indicators and targets for measuring the Council's
        performance in relation to those goals and objectives.

(2) In carrying out its functions, the Council must:

   (a)  have regard to the fact that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
        Commission has, under the
        Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act  1989 , specific
        functions and responsibilities in relation to matters involving
        Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders; and

   (b)  make use of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and
        Regional Councils established under the
        Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander  Commission Act 1989 as the
        principal means of facilitating consultation with Aborigines and
        Torres Strait Islanders; and

   (c)  co-operate with and consult Commonwealth, State, Territory and local
        government bodies and other bodies and organisations, including
        Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-based organisations;
        and

   (d)  focus on the need to promote, at the local community level, the
        process of reconciliation between Aborigines and
        Torres Strait Islanders and the wider Australian community.

(3) The Minister is to cause a copy of any recommendations made by the Council
in performing its function under paragraph (1) (h) to be laid before each
House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after they are
made to the Minister.