2020 Indigenous youth delegate calls for national body

An Indigenous youth representative at this weekend's 2020 summit says a new national Aboriginal body should be created to avoid some of the add-hoc policies surrounding the federal intervention.

National Indigenous Youth Movement of Australia deputy chair Tim Goodwin says issues like domestic violence and alcohol abuse in Indigenous communities can only be tackled properly with proper consultation with Aboriginal people.

"The intervention is a classic example of highlighting where the relationship just isn't right between Indigenous Australia and non-Indigenous Australia," he said.

"You need to build those foundations properly before you can build policies and programs which attack those immediate issues, such as child protection and domestic violence."

He says a treaty should be signed between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians because the agreement would be good for our the county's national identity.

"Not only something that recognises the history ... that talks about the way this country has been built on the sacrifices of Indigenous people, but also really setting the guidelines on which the relationship needs to be built, which can then contribute to how we can build practical policies and programs," he said.

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