Governance is the way a group of people organise themselves credibly and effectively to collectively achieve the things that matter to them. To do that people need rules and values about who they are as a group and how they behave and relate to each other.

It is part of the Indigenous political, social and economic landscape across Australia. It means different things to different people, especially in intercultural contexts. Not surprisingly it has become a hotly contested arena both in Australia and internationally.

While Indigenous governance has often been understood by regulatory bodies and governments to be primarily about corporate compliance, financial management and the administration of programs and services, we work within a more encompassing definition. Governance is about people, power and authority and is as much about relationships and values as it is about formal structures, management and corporate technicalities.

Indigenous governance is exercised in a wide variety of contexts across rural, remote and urban locations and a diverse number of sectors, including health, housing, education and training, culture and the environment.