The Indigenous self-government landscape in Australia: A descriptive and conceptual model

Despite the increasing acceptance of Indigenous Nation Building (INB) practice in Australia, pervasive questions remain about the nature and operation of Indigenous self-government. This paper offers a descriptive and hypothetical model to conceptualise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nation self- government both within and outside of the 'Indigenous Sector'. It argues that from the perspective of an Indigenous Nation looking outward, the Sector can be reimagined as a series of differing zones of jurisdiction, both exclusive and shared. Such repositioning helps to elucidate relations between Indigenous Nations and the settler-state, highlighting the ways in which some Nations are utilising particular vehicles within the Indigenous Sector to build their self- governance.