Definition – What is governance?

It is useful to think of governance as being about how people choose to collectively organise themselves to manage their own affairs, share power and responsibilities, decide for themselves what kind of society they want for their future, and to implement those decisions.
To do that they need to have in place processes, structures, traditions and rules so they can:
• determine who is a member of their group;
• decide who has power, and over what;
• ensure that power is exercised properly;
• make and enforce their decisions;
• hold their decision makers accountable;
• negotiate their rights and interests with others; and
• establish the most effective and legitimate arrangements for getting those things done.

Image: Yiriman cultural bosses, with IGA Chair Mick Dodson and judge, Gary Banks 2012 – photo Wayne Quilliam