Geoff Clark (politician)
Geoff Clark (born in 1952) is an Australian Aboriginal and was the leader of the now defunct Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission from 2000 until he was suspended in 2003. ATSIC's powers were steadily curbed in the following year until it was officially abolished on 24th of March 2004.
Political career
Beginnings
Geoff Clark was raised by his Grandmother, Alice, in an Aboriginal community in western Victoria. He was a keen boxer, boxing in Jimmy Sharman's tent when it came to Warrnambool.[1] At sixteen Clark spent six months in a boys' home for assault. At age 20 he moved to Western Australia and until he was twenty six he worked as a builder's labourer and as a gardener and played football for WAFL clubs Claremont and Subiaco.
Entry into Politics
In 1979 he became the administrator for the Framlingham Aboriginal Community Trust. He cofounded the Aboriginal Provisional Government in 1983 and in the same year visited General Noriega, the then dictator of Panama. Between 1983-1996 he was active locally in indigenous affairs.
Election to ATSIC
In December of 1996 Clark was elected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) board as the Native Title spokesman. In December of 1999 he became the first chairman of ATSIC to be elected to that position.
Allegations of Rape
In July of 2000 rape charges were filed against Clark by the Victorian police. ATSIC decided to provide Clark with support against the charges in August. The charges were dismissed by a judge in November due to a lack of evidence. In June of 2001 major press coverage of the four alleged rapes began, that suppossedly took place in the sixties and seventies. Geoff Clark denied the allegations. In late 2002 Clark was narrowly re-elected as chairman of ATSIC.
Downfall
In early 2003 an agreement between ATSIC and Geoff Clark came to light, in which ATSIC agreed to fund with public money Clark's legal defence in matters relating to a pub brawl. He was later convicted of obstructing police and public pressure forced ATSIC to revoke its offer. In June 2003 Clark was forced to divulge the relevance of a trip to Ireland with his wife that was charged to the state through ATSIC. In July ATSIC's funds were reallocated to the newly formed ATSIS, and almost the entire staff were sacked. On the 13 August 2003 Clark was finally suspended from his role as chairman of ATSIC by Indigenous Affairs Minister, Amanda Vanstone, due to misconduct. Geoff Clark was reinstated amid claims of racism, though the position now held little or no power. He then attempted to sell off government property under the control of ATSIC, which eventually led to the National Audit Office declaring the organisation in breach of the Australian constitution. In 2004 the Liberal government began proceedings to abolish ATSIC. Labor initially opposed such legislation until March 2005 when ATSIC was abolished.
References
- ^ Graeme, Leech (April 27, 2006). "Master of the troupe". Features. The Australian. Retrieved 2006-06-10.