Abstract:

Governments throughout Australia have deployed Aboriginal specific positions within government departments in an effort to improve access to government services for Aboriginal people. This small-scale study uses a qualitative interpretive interview approach to explore the communication strategies that enable two Aboriginal staff to act as mediators between the bureaucracy and Aboriginal communities. The paper also reveals unique types of professional pressures, which may not be evident in the wider public service. Although focused on Australia, the findings may have implications for other intercultural communication contexts that involve interaction between indigenous people and government bureaucracies.

Author: Arthur S. Firkins