The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) (1990–2005) was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives. A number of indigenous programs and organisations fell under the overall umbrella of ATSIC. 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Australian Aborigines are the indigenous peoples of Australia. ... Torres Strait Islander Flag Torres Strait Islanders are the indigenous people of the Torres Strait Islands, part of Queensland, Australia. ...

ATSIC was established by Bob Hawke's Labor government through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989 (the ATSIC Act), which took effect on 5 March 1990. Robert James Lee Hawke (born December 9, 1929), Australian trade union leader and politician, was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia. ... The Australian Labor Party or ALP is Australias oldest political party. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

While ATSIC's existence was always subject to the whim of governments, who represent all Australians, ATSIC was an elected body whose constituency was indigenous Australians. This included:

• people from the many aboriginal communities on the Australian mainland, Tasmania and other off-shore islands, and
• the ethnically distinct people from the many Melanesian communities inhabiting the islands of the Torres Strait, collectively known as Torres Strait Islanders. Later the Torres Strait Regional Authority took over responsibility for programs in the Torres Strait Islands. This body continues to operate.

The Chairmen of ATSIC were: Motto: Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Nickname: The Apple Isle Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Governor Premier Const. ... Melanesia (from Greek black islands) is a region extending from the west Pacific to the Arafura Sea, north and north-east of Australia. ... The Torres Strait is the body of water which lies between Australia and Papua New Guinea. ... Torres Strait Islanders are the indigenous people of the Torres Strait Islands, part of Queensland, Australia. ... The Torres Strait Islands are a group of islands, numbering more than 100, which lie in Torres Strait, the waterway separating Cape York, Queensland, Australia from Papua New Guinea. ...

• Lowitja O'Donoghue 1990-96
• Gatjil Djerrkura 1996-2000
• Geoff Clark 2000-2004

In 2003, ATSIC became embroiled in controversy over litigation surrounding the private actions of its Chairman Geoff Clark. The Howard government took the opportunity of what it claimed to be organisational mismanagement to strip ATSIC of a lot of its fiscal powers, which were transferred to a new independent organisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (ATSIS). Lowitja (Lois) ODonoghue (born 1932 in South Australia) is an Aboriginal woman who was formerly the head of ATSIC (the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission). ... Gatjil Djerrkura (1950-2004) was an indigenous (aboriginal) spokesman and leader in Australia and served as Chairman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) from 1996 to 2000. ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939), Australian politician and 25th Prime Minister of Australia, came to office on 11 March 1996 and gained re-election in 1998, 2001 and 2004. ...

The government ultimately suspended Geoff Clark as Chairman of ATSIC in 2003 (Lance Quartermaine was acting Chairman). After a court appeal Clark was briefly reinstated.

For some time after Geoff Clark's appointment, the Howard (Liberal-National) Government had been expressing doubts as to the value of continuing to have ATSIC at all. Following Mark Latham's election to the leadership of the (Labor) Opposition in December 2003, Labor also accepted that ATSIC had not worked. In March of election year 2004, both parties pledged to introduce alternative arrangements for indigenous affairs. The government's plan was to abolish ATSIC and all its regional and state structures, and return funding for indigenous programs to the relevant line departments. Labor's view was that ATSIC itself should be abolished, but many of the regional and state sub-organisations should be retained, to continue to give indigenous people a voice in their own affairs and within their own communities. It rejected the notion of merging indigenous funding into funding for Australians generally as 'tried and failed', but had not announced its alternative proposals. Mark Latham Mark William Latham (born February 28, 1961) is a former Australian politician who served as leader of the federal parliamentary Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from December 2003 to January 2005. ...

On 28 May 2004 - the start of National Reconciliation Week, one day after National Sorry Day, and one day after the sudden death of former ATSIC chairman Gatjil Djerrkura - the Howard government introduced into the Federal Parliament legislation to abolish ATSIC. After a long delay the Bill finally passed both houses of Parliament in 2005. May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... 2004(MMIV) is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Sorry Day is an Australian event held yearly on May 26. ... Gatjil Djerrkura (1950-2004) was an indigenous (aboriginal) spokesman and leader in Australia and served as Chairman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) from 1996 to 2000. ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939), Australian politician and 25th Prime Minister of Australia, came to office on 11 March 1996 and gained re-election in 1998, 2001 and 2004. ... Parliament House, Canberra The Parliament of Australia is the legislative branch of Australia. ...

ATSIC was formally abolished at midnight 24 March 2005. March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in Leap years). ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The policy and coordination role is now the responsibility of the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination in the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. The Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC) is part of the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA). ... The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) is an Australian government department, part of the part of the Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Portfolio. ...