SA Logo

Artefacts about Aboriginal Liaison Officers

Still image from 'Iti witiwiti Aboriginal Liaison Officer' video, showing the title, with a sunset in the background.
Video shows importance of Aboriginal Liaison Officers in communities
In 1982, DSS made a video about Aboriginal Liaison Officer Andrew Thomas to show his work helping people in regional communities access government services.
Still image from 'A message from the Department' video, showing Senator Neville Bonner speaking to the camera, with an Aboriginal flag behind him.
Aboriginal Senator explains DSS payments
DSS began making their information more accessible for Aboriginal people in the 1980s. An early example is this video featuring Neville Bonner, the first Aboriginal person in federal Parliament.
Excerpt titled 'Only man on the island', alongside a photograph of a man looking to the right, and a map of Tasmania with locations labelled.
DSS servicing for Aboriginal people expands in Tasmania
It took time and activism to establish government services for Aboriginal people in Tasmania. These DSS newsletters introduce the first Tasmanian Aboriginal Liaison Officer in 1984 and show how services expanded into the 1990s.
Cover of the Report of the Committee of Review of Aboriginal Employment and Training Programs. The cover is plain, with the Australian coat of arms at the top, and a black, yellow and red border extending along the bottom and right of the cover.
The Miller report supports self-determination in employment policies
An influential report on government programs recommended changes to improve employment and education outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Aboriginal Liaison Unit in the Top End. Title Card
Aboriginal Liaison Officers explain their role to customers
DSS made a video to show the work of Aboriginal Liaison Officers in Darwin and to remind customers of what they needed to let the department know about.
An excerpt from a document titled 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services in DSS', by Eleanor A Bourke.
Senior Aboriginal public servant reflects on history of discrimination
DSS Director Eleanor Bourke presented a concise timeline of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's access to government payments at a youth conference.
Cover of 'A Report to the Minister for Social Security, The Hon. Brian Howe on Departmental Services to Remote Areas of Northern Australia'. The subtitle reads 'Remote Area Task Force'. There is an image of some native animals in an Indigenous art style. The publishing details featured at the bottom of the cover read: 'Joe Flick Chairperson Remote Area Task Force July 1986'
Task force recommends social security changes
DSS commissioned a report from the Remote Area Task Force in 1986. They recommended changes to support a more regular income flow to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers and to recognise cultural practices.
A poster with the title 'The National Aboriginal Liaison Network'. It has a map of Australia rendered in an artistic style, with many numbered yellow points marking locations across Australia. There is a silhouette of a hand on the right side of the map, with a white glow around it, to emulate a blown ochre art style. There is a long list of offices and the DSS logo is in the bottom right corner.
Poster shows Aboriginal Liaison Network
DSS made a poster to put up in offices to show staff the national network of Aboriginal Liaison Officers.
Subscribe to Aboriginal Liaison Officers