Commissioners for Aboriginal Engagement

In December 2010, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Grace Portolesi announced changes to the role of the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement.

The Commissioner’s role is now comprised of two part-time positions which began in January 2011.

Currently, Ms Khatija Thomas is fulltime Commissioner until a new Co-Commissioner is appointed.

The Commissioners serve as a voice for the Aboriginal community in South Australia and provide independent advice to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation on issues affecting Aboriginal people.

The Commissioners role includes:

publicly advocating engagement between Aboriginal people and the broader community
identifying systematic barriers to Aboriginal people's access to government, non-government and private services
mentoring emerging Aboriginal leaders
consulting with non-government organisations and peak Aboriginal bodies, and representing their views to government.

The Commissioners work alongside the Aboriginal Advisory Council, an independent body providing advice to the Government on Aboriginal matters. They also work closely with the Commissioner for Social Inclusion to reduce disadvantage in the Aboriginal community, addressing issues such as homelessness, school retention and youth offending.

Khatija Thomas

Ms Thomas was born in Port Augusta and is a proud Kokatha woman.

Directly prior to her appointment , she was a solicitor with the South Australian Native Title Services, working on projects to strengthen Aboriginal community governance, participation in and implementation of native title benefits.

She previously worked for the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement and also completed a twelve month Australian Youth Ambassador for Development placement as a legal advisor at the Community Legal Education Centre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Her work was primarily in the Land and Natural Resources Team on indigenous land titling, land law and natural resources law issues.

For the last few years, Ms Thomas has focused on delivery of legal representation and advocacy for Aboriginal women. She has travelled to rural and remote communities in the north of South Australia where she has provided advice, advocacy and community legal education to Aboriginal women regarding domestic violence and community safety.

She was previously chairperson of the Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, member of the Law Society of South Australia’s Indigenous Issues Committee and member of the South Australian Government’s Aboriginal Advisory Council.

About the Commissioners - printable document (pdf - 75kb)

Media Releases

Media Release - Constitutional Reform (20 January 2012)

Media Release - New Appointments to the Indigenous Land Corporation Board (24 October 2011)

Media Release - Commissioner to speak at Aboriginal Community Seminar (9 September 2011)

Media Statement - Passing of Malcolm Anderson (24 August 2011)

Media Statement - Passing of Matthew Rigney (24 August 2011)

Media Statement - Passing of Aunty Mona Ngitji Ngitji Tur (3 June 2011)

Media Statement - Passing of Noeline Casey (6 May 2011)

Media Statement - Passing of George Trevorrow (10 March 2011)

Media Statement - Passing of Elaine Newchurch (Lainey) (21 January 2011)

News Release - Klynton Wanganeen welcomes part time Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement, Khatija Thomas (16 December 2010)

Media Statement - Congratulating Vincent 'Jack' Buckskin and Vince Coulthard (15 November 2010)

News Release - Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution (9 November 2010)

Media Statement - Passing of Uncle Garnett Wilson (25 October 2010)

Media Statement - Film and New Media (11 October 2010)

Media Statement - K Windlass (8 October 2010)

Contact Details

Street Address:	State Administration Centre 200 Victoria Square Adelaide SA 5000
Postal address:	GPO Box 2343 Adelaide SA 5001
Telephone:	(08) 8226 2540
Fax:	(08) 8226 0560
Email:	commissioner.ae@dpc.sa.gov.au