Artefacts about Remote servicing

Member of Parliament, Frederick Collard, pointed out the issues Aboriginal people in Western Australia faced in accessing government services, calling for a ‘fairer deal’.

The Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs questioned a high-level DSS official in 1973 and 1975. They touched on a range of issues relevant to Aboriginal people receiving payments.

In a briefing to public servants, Dr Young discussed difficulties faced by remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. She highlighted DSS servicing gaps that she believed worsened the situation.

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.

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.

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.

To train Aboriginal Liaison Officers, DSS created a video with stories from officers around the country.

DSS asked residents of Aboriginal communities in northern Australia whether social security met their needs, what problems they had getting payments and if any changes to the system were needed.