A recent High Court case has ruled that a ‘book up’ credit scheme run from a general store in remote Australia was lawful, revealing the importance of considering communities’ needs individually rather than by generalisation, Maree Sainsbury writes.

Only learning from past mistakes will improve policies for Indigenous people, Justin McCaul writes.

An ongoing inability to consult has caused failure after failure in Indigenous policy, but a Voice to Parliament represents an opportunity for better governance and most importantly, self-determination, Melissa Castan and Kate Galloway write.

Australia’s policymakers must address the cultural and institutional barriers that exist for Indigenous Australians instead of framing them as a problem for society, Simon Jovanovic and George Denny-Smith write.

If Australia is serious about reconciliation, the Uluru Statement from the Heart presents the nation with a pivotal opportunity to empower First Nations peoples in the policymaking process, Zoe Staines and Sean Gordon write.

This NAIDOC Week, Policy Forum is encouraging debate on Indigenous policy with our special In Focus section. To start things off, Maya Bhandari looks at the conversations the nation needs to be having, and how to move forward towards a shared future.