Geoff Clark (politician)

Geoff Clark (born August 1952) is an Australian Aboriginal politician and activist. Clark led the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) from 1999 until it was effectively disbanded in 2004.

Clark was raised by his grandmother, Alice, in an Aboriginal community in western Victoria. He was a keen boxer, boxing in Jimmy Sharman's tent when it came to Warrnambool. At age 20 Clark moved to Western Australia and until he was 26 he worked as a builder's labourer and as a gardener; he also played Australian rules football for West Australian Football League (WAFL) clubs Claremont and Subiaco. Geoff also represented Norwood Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) for three games in 1978.

In 1979 Clark became the administrator for the Framlingham Aboriginal Community Trust. He co-founded the Aboriginal Provisional Government in 1983 Between 1983 and 1996, he was active locally and internationally in indigenous affairs.

In December 1996 Clark was elected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) board as the Native Title spokesman. In December 1999 he became the first chairperson of ATSIC to be elected to that position. Clark served two terms in this position before the organisation was disbanded in 2004. Clark's tenure was increasingly overshadowed by allegations of misconduct and ongoing criminal proceedings against him.

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