Your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage is something that is personal to you. You do not need a letter of confirmation to identify as an Indigenous Australian.
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage is voluntary and very personal. You don't need paperwork to identify as an Aboriginal person. However, you may be asked to provide confirmation when applying for Aboriginal-specific jobs, services or programs (for example grants).
These statutes have generally defined an Aboriginal or Indigenous person as 'a person who is a descendant of an indigenous inhabitant of Australia', or a member or a person 'of the Aboriginal race of Australia'.
One Nation NSW has proposed to abolish self-identification and introduce a “new system” relying on DNA ancestry testing with a result requiring a finding of at least 25 per cent "Indigenous" before First Nations identification is accepted.
But for Australian Aboriginal people, or those searching their family tree, a DNA test will not necessarily give you confirmation of an indigenous Australian heritage. There's three types of different tests available, but they're not going to yield exact results for very different reasons.
Indigenous Peoples are distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced.
Self-Identification is a voluntary, confidential declaration of ancestry as First Nation, Métis or Inuit of North America. Voluntary: The choice to self-identify a student's First Nation, Métis or Inuit ancestry is up to you and does not require proof of documentation (status card).
Doing your family history may help you obtain proof of your heritage. You might find a birth, death or marriage record that traces your family to a particular Aboriginal station or reserve. Or you might have oral history stories that can connect you to a particular area or person or photograph.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the Indigenous peoples of Australia. They are not one group, but rather comprise hundreds of groups that have their own distinct set of languages, histories and cultural traditions (AIHW 2015).
We do not provide certificates to confirm Aboriginality.
For Indigenous Australians, Age Pension: 53%, Total: 53%, JobSeeker Payment: 28%, Youth Allowance (other): 20%, Disability Support Pension: 10%, Youth Allowance (student and apprentice): 1%, Parenting Payment (single): 8%, Carer Payment: 3%, Parenting Payment (partnered): 2%, ABSTUDY (Living Allowance): 2%.
We have a range of payments and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Besides the A$75,000 payment, eligible “Stolen Generations” applicants will also receive a one-off “healing assistance payment” of A$7,000 and an opportunity to tell their story to a senior government official along with “a face-to-face or written apology.”
Letter from an Indigenous organisation or Community Elder
We prefer a letter from an Indigenous organisation to confirm your heritage. However, we will also accept a letter from a Community Elder. Use the Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent letter to confirm your heritage.
There are some amounts don't need to be include as income in your tax return. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Indigenous holding entities don't need to pay income tax or capital gains tax on native title payments or benefits.
There are no personal loans created exclusively for Aboriginal Australians. However, government services and community organisations can provide financial advice for our First Nations people. If you want a loan to buy a home, you can learn more about Aboriginal home loans.
If you're an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian, you can access Medicare services that meet your needs. Including the: Medicare Safety Net. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
On 1 July 2021, Age Pension age increased to 66 years and 6 months for people born from 1 July 1955 to 31 December 1956, inclusive. If your birthdate is on or after 1 January 1957, you'll have to wait until you turn 67.
Provides access to Medicare services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. You can identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian by completing the Medicare Voluntary Indigenous Identifier form.
FREE dental care is available for all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Island Adults, children and young people.
Fear of racism, disrespect, judgement and negative government interventions were reported as barriers to Aboriginal people accessing some mainstream healthcare services.
Due to the difference in preservation age between First Nations and non-Indigenous people, that First Nations people be permitted to access their superannuation from age 50, under the same conditions that non-Indigenous people can do at age 65.
There is currently no policy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to gain access to their super and pension early, despite having shorter life expectancies.
ASFA estimates people who want a comfortable retirement need $640,000 for a couple, and $545,000 for a single person when they leave work, assuming they also receive a partial age pension from the federal government. For people who are happy to have a modest lifestyle, this figure is $70,000.