Because of the need to establish clearly the Department’s co-ordinating responsibilities in relation to both Commonwealth functional departments and State governments, the Department’s functional statement in the Administrative Arrangements Order was revised and now reads:

A functional statement for Regional Offices was approved. This gives priority to field officers being the means of effective consultation with Aboriginal communities, keeping the Government informed of the state of affairs in Aboriginal communities, and stimulating, co-ordinating and monitoring the activities of all agencies providing services to communities.

The Department will require officers, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, of rare commitment and versatility to carry out these functions.

The Department, with the advice and assistance of the Commonwealth Department of Education, is concerned to ensure that, at all levels of education, opportunities and programs are available to Aboriginals which are appropriate to their needs and in no way inferior to those available to the general community.