External reviews
Support and Regulation of Indigenous Corporations
In 2025, the Australian National Audit Office commenced an audit to assess whether Indigenous corporations are being effectively supported and regulated under the CATSI Act. The audit focused on the period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2025. The performance audit report was tabled in June 2026, Support and Regulation of Indigenous Corporations.
The audit findings were:
- ORIC’s support and regulation of Indigenous corporations under the CATSI Act is partly effective.
- ORIC has largely fit-for-purpose governance arrangements, provides largely effective support to corporations to encourage compliance with the CATSI Act, and is increasing its regulatory response to non-compliance.
- Effectiveness is diminished by declining annual reporting compliance.
There was one recommendation to the Australian Government to issue a statement of expectations (noted by the NIAA); one recommendation to the Department of Finance to improve the whole-of-government guidance (agreed); and one recommendation to the NIAA about performance reporting (agreed in principle). There were 2 recommendations to the NIAA and ORIC about consideration of risk in compliance planning and evaluation. The NIAA agreed in principle to these 2 recommendations and the Registrar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations agreed.
Regulating Indigenous Corporations
In September 2016 the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet commissioned KPMG to conduct a review of the CATSI Act and ORIC. The product of the review was a report finalised in December 2016, Regulating Indigenous Corporations.
The purpose of the review was to inform considerations of how the Registrar can most effectively support the capacity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations to maintain good governance and strong financial management, as well as any amendments to the CATSI Act required to meet this objective.
The overall assessment in the report of the review is that ORIC is doing a good job in the context of a challenging regulatory environment. There are many positive features, but also opportunities to enhance ORIC’s contribution to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporation are well governed.
