The 2018–19 Budget included an announcement that the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) will move 10 Canberra-based positions to Darwin by June 2019 as part of the Australian Government’s Decentralisation Agenda.
ORIC regulates and supports over 3000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations incorporated under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006. A large majority of these corporations are located in the Northern Territory and bordering states. Moving more ORIC staff to Darwin will increase support available in this broad region, and strengthen engagement with corporations located there.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations play an important role in delivering services and supporting economic development in Indigenous communities, particularly in regional and remote Australia.
ORIC already has a significant footprint across Australia. Since 2008 ORIC has been implementing a strategy of basing staff in many of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s regional offices for the purpose of providing face-to-face regulatory support. Currently almost one third of ORIC’s workforce is located in nine locations across the country, outside of Canberra.
The government’s decision to move 10 positions to Darwin will mean that almost half of the workforce is based outside of Canberra.
ORIC is committed to its regional office structure and welcomes opportunities to work with corporations to build well-governed entities that achieve Indigenous employment and other outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Media contact
Lisa Hugg
(02) 6146 4738
ORIC MR1718-23
10 May 2018