The Power of Data in Aboriginal Hands

TThis Topical Issue presents the the text prepared by Peter Yu as the opening pleniary paper at the conference Social Science Perspectives on the 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, held at The Australian National University (ANU) on 11–12 April 2011. The conference was convened by the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research and generously supported by ANU, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and The Economic Society of Australia. At the time of writing, Peter Yu was Chief Executive Officer, Nyamba Buru Yawuru Ltd, Broome and a member of the Australian Statistics Advisory Council of the Australian Bureau of Statistics