Vision

Strong corporations, strong people, strong communities

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations play an important role in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities, as well as in the broader Australian society. Our vision is of well-governed corporations that inspire trust in the sector and provide high-value services and benefits to members and communities.

To achieve that vision, ORIC staff operate within a framework that covers:

Anthony Beven, Registrar of Indigenous Corporations

• 2904 registered corporations; up 4.4% from last year
• 172 are RNTBCs (registered native title bodies corporate)
• Call centre inquiries up 10%.
• 97% say our online guidance is helpful (of those surveyed as part of an independent review of ORIC)
• 96.5% of corporations met reporting requirements.

About the Registrar

The Registrar of Indigenous Corporations is an independent statutory office holder who administers the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act). The CATSI Act has some unique features:

Arnhem Land, Northern Territory: Beginning in 1972 as a cooperative of community stores in seven communities, The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (ALPA) is now the highest-earning corporation under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (CATSI Act). In 2015–16 it generated income of over $95 million—with a tidy $5 million surplus for its five member communities—Galiwinku, Gapuwiyak, Milingimbi, Minjilang and Ramingining. It’s a smart, diverse operation strengthened by a passion for bridge-building.

The link below right takes you to the next section, or you can use the list of contents on the left to jump to a particular section of the report.

See also the media release about this report.

Yirrkala, Northern Territory: The Rirratjingu clan, traditional owners of land on the Gove Peninsula, is well-known for its leadership. In 1963, when the Australian Government excised over 300 square kilometres of land from the Arnhem Land reserve for bauxite mining— without consulting the traditional owners—five Rirratjingu brothers took action.