Standing Committee of Officials in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (SCATSIA)
MCATSIA is assisted by SCATSIA, a standing committee of officials which provides advice and recommendations to MCATSIA.
Membership of SCATSIA comprises:
- the CEOs of the Commonwealth, State and Territory departments with responsibility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs
- the CEOs of the Australian Local Government Association and the Torres Strait Regional Authority (as non-voting participating members)
- the CEO of New Zealand’s Ministry of Maori Development - Te Puni Kokiri (as an observer)
List of SCATSIA members
SCATSIA undertakes the bulk of the work arising for and from MCATSIA and provides advice to the ministers on policy and key issues relating to Indigenous affairs. SCATSIA meets prior to each MCATSIA meeting, as well as at least one other time during the period between Council meetings.
SCATSIA members are also called on to represent MCATSIA on a range of related committees, such as the Indigenous Working Group of the Productivity Commission’s Steering Committee for the Review of Commonwealth/State Service Provision.
SCATSIA Working Group
MCATSIA may establish working groups as required to consider and provide advice on areas of specific concern.
MCATSIA currently has a SCATSIA Working Group, a group of officers chaired by Western Australia, which assists MCATSIA and SCATSIA to complete their work and maintain their focus on the national reconciliation agenda.