Dr William Sanders
BA (Hons) University of Sydney, PhD Australian National University
Honorary Senior Fellow
ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
Areas of expertise
- Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Policy 160501
- Public Policy 160510
- Australian Government And Politics 160601
- Housing Markets, Development, Management 120503
- Public Administration 160509
- Social Policy 160512
- Family And Household Studies 160301
- Political Science 1606
Biography
Will joined CAEPR as a Research Fellow in 1993 and was appointed as Fellow in 1999 and Senior Fellow in 2007. His undergraduate training was in government, public administration, and political science, and his PhD was on the inclusion of Aboriginal people in the social security system. Will's research interests cover the political and social aspects of Indigenous policy, as well the economic. He regularly works on Indigenous people's participation in elections, on housing and social security policy issues, including the Community Development Employment Projects scheme, and on federal and intergovernmental aspects of Indigenous affairs policy.
Publications
- Wright, A, Davis, V, Bourke, S et al. 2022, 'Contextualising measures of everyday discrimination experienced by Aboriginal peoples: A place-based analysis from central Australia', Journal of Rural Studies, vol. 96, pp. 53-63.
- Venn, D, Biddle, N & Sanders, W 2020, Trends in social security receipt among Indigenous Australians: Evidence from household surveys 1994-2015 .
- Markham, F & Sanders, W 2020, Support for a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice to Parliament: Evidence from opinion research since 2017 - CAEPR Working Paper 138/2020.
- Wright, A, Thurber, K, Yap, M et al. 2020, 'Who responds? An examination of response rates to a national postal survey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, 2018-2019', BMC Medical Research Methodology, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. -.
- Sanders, W 2020, 'Comparing Northern Territory Elections, 1974-2016: Independent Success in a Strong Two-Party System', Australian Journal of Politics and History, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 596-612.
- Sanders, W 2020, 'After reserves and missions: Discrete Indigenous communities in the self-determination era', in Laura Rademaker & Tim Rowse (ed.), Indigenous Self-Determination in Australia: Histories and Historiography, ANU Press, Canberra, Australia, pp. 119-141.
- Sanders, W 2019, 'Housing and Infrastructure ', in Bill Arthur & Frances Morphy (ed.), Macquarie Atlas of Indigenous Australia (Second Edition), Macquarie Dictionary Publishers, Sydney, pp. 173-183.
- Sanders, W 2019, 'Governance and political participation', in Bill Arthur & Frances Morphy (ed.), Macquarie Atlas of Indigenous Australia (Second Edition), Macquarie Dictionary Publishers, Sydney.
- Hendrix, B, Delaney, D, Witmer, R et al 2019, 'Building capacity in indigenous governance: Comparing the Australian and American experiences', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 26-40.
- Sanders, W 2019, 'Electoral Administration and Aboriginal Voting Power in the Northern Territory: Reality and Potential Viewed from the 2019 Federal Election', CAEPR, no. 132/2019, p. 19.
- Sanders, W 2018, Beware the people-focused omnibus: Revisiting Whitlam's vision for organising Indigenous affairs, Griffith Review 60: First Things First, pp126-133.
- Sanders, W 2017, 'Three accounts of the emergence of the remote jobs and communities program: changing timeframes and types of actors', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 52, no. 2, pp. 272-287.
- Sanders, W 2017, 'Administrative Arrangements in Australian Indigenous Affairs: Will they Ever Settle?', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 76, no. 4, pp. 400-402.
- Sanders, W 2016, 'Work habits and localised authority in Anmatjere CDEPs: Losing good practice through policy and program review', in Kirrily Jordan (ed.), Better Than Welfare? Work and Livelihoods for Indigenous Australians After CDEP, ANU Press, Canberra, pp. 155-174.
- Sanders, W 2016, 'Reframed as welfare: CDEP's fall from favour', in Kirrily Jordan (ed.), Better Than Welfare? Work and Livelihoods for Indigenous Australians After CDEP, ANU Press, Canberra, pp. 31-49.
- Fowkes, L & Sanders, W 2016, 'Financial penalties under the Remote Jobs and Communities Program', CAEPR, no. 108, pp. 1-14.
- Jordan, K, Fowkes, L, Altman, J et al 2016, Job Creation and Income Support in Remote Indigenous Australia: Moving Forward with a Better System. CAEPR Topical Issue No 2/2016.
- Sanders, W 2015, 'Classifying electoral systems by input rules: Building on Blais and Rae through Australian experience', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 462-479.
- Fowkes, L & Sanders, W 2015, 'A survey of Remote Jobs and Communities Program(me) providers: one year in', CAEPR, no. 97/2015, pp. 1-26.
- Sanders, W 2015, 'Indigenous politics in the Australian Journal of Political Science: A review', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 679-694.
- Gray, M & Sanders, W 2015, Australian Public Opinion on Indigenous Issues: Injustice, Disadvantage and Support for Recognition ANUPOLL March 2015.
- Sanders, W 2014, 'Experimental Governance in Australian Indigenous Affairs: From Coombs to Pearson via Rowse and the Competing Principles', CAEPR Discussion Paper, no. 291/2014, p. 19.
- Sanders, W 2013, 'Changing agendas in Australian Indigenous policy: Federalism, competing principles and generational dynamics', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 72, no. 2, pp. 156-170.
- Sanders, W 2013, 'Losing localism, constraining councillors: why the Northern Territory supershires are struggling', Policy Studies, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 474-490.
- Sanders, W 2012, 'Changing Scale, Mixing Interests: Generational Change in Northern Territory Local Government', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 473-490.
- Sanders, W 2012, 'Winning Aboriginal Votes: Reflections on the 2012 Northern Territory Election', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 691-701.
- Sanders, W 2012, 'Coombs' bastard child: The troubled life of the CDEP Scheme', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 71, no. 4, pp. 371-391.
- Sanders, W 2012, 'Recategorising Electoral Systems Analytically and Judging Some Undemocratic (Or Learning from an Australian Mistake.', IPSA World Congress of Political Science, Reshaping Power, Shifting Boundaries 2012, International Political Science Association, Madrid, Spain, p. 21.
- Sanders, W 2011, 'Analysing electoral systems through five simple questions: A journey of discovery from local government in Australia's Northern Territory to the world of electoral science', Australasian Political Studies Association Conference (APSA 2011), Conference Organising Committee, Canberra Australia, pp. 1-30.
- Sanders, W 2011, 'Alice's Unrepresentative Council: Cause for Intervention?', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 699-706.
- Sanders, W & Hunt, J 2010, 'Sorry, but the Indigenous affairs revolution continues', in C. Aulich and M. Evans (ed.), The Rudd Government: Australian Commonwealth Administration 2007-2010, ANU ePress, Canberra Australia, pp. 221-240.
- Sanders, W & Holcombe, S 2010, 'The impact of local government on desert settlement sustainability', Journal of Economic and Social Policy, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. article 4, 21.
- Sanders, W 2010, 'Ideology, evidence and competing principles in Australian Indigenous affairs: From Brough to Rudd via Pearson and the NTER', Australian Journal of Social Issues, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 307-331.
- Sanders, W 2009, 'Writing Indigenous affairs: Diverse and innovative approaches', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 737-740.
- Sanders, W 2008, 'In the name of failure: a generational revolution in Indigenous affairs', in Chris Aulich and Roger Wettenhall (ed.), Howard's Fourth Government, UNSW Press, Sydney NSW, pp. 187-205.
- Sanders, W 2008, 'Being a Good Senior Manager in Indigenous Community Governance: Working with Public Purpose and Private Benefit', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 67, no. 2, pp. 173-185.
- Sanders, W 2008, 'Is homeownership the answer? Housing tenure and Indigenous Australians in remote (and settled) areas', Housing Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 433-460.
- Sanders, W 2008, 'Equality and difference arguments in Australian Indigenous affairs: Examples from income support and housing', Public Policy, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 87-99.
- Sanders, W & Holcombe, S 2008, 'Sustainable governance for small desert settlements: learning from the multi-settlement regionalism of Anmatjere Community Government Council', The Rangeland Journal, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 137-147.
- Sanders, W 2008, 'Regionalism that respects localism: The Anmatjere Community governance Council and beyond', in J. Hunt, D.E. Smith, S. Garling, and W. Sanders (ed.), Contested Governance: Culture, Power and Institutions in Indigenous Australia, ANU ePress, Canberra Australia, pp. 283-309.
- Sanders, W 2008, 'Indigenous affairs after the Howard decade: Administrative reform and practical reconciliation or defying decolonization?', in Andrew Gunstone (ed.), History, Politics and Knowledge: Essays in Australian Indigenous Studies, Australian Scholarly Publishing Pty Ltd, North Melbourne, pp. 300-314.
- Sanders, W 2008, 'Outsiders or Insiders? Strategic choices for Australian Indigenous leadership', in Paul t'Hart and John Uhr (ed.), Public Leadership: Perspectives and Practices, ANU ePress, Canberra Australia, pp. 145-53.
- Hunt, J, Smith, D, Garling, S and Sanders, W, eds, 2008, Contested governance: Culture, power and Institutions in Indigenous Australia, ANU ePress, Canberra.
- Sanders, W & Holcombe, S 2007, 'The Ti Tree Creek Camp study: A contribution to good governance', Ngiya: Talk the Law, vol. 1, no. June, pp. 72-92.
- Morphy, F, Sanders, W & Taylor, J 2007, 'Producing powerful numbers', in F. Morphy (ed.), Agency, Contingency and Census Process: Observations of the 2006 Indigenous Enumeration Strategy in Remote Aboriginal Australia, ANU ePress, Canberra Australia, pp. 1-8.
- Sanders, W 2007, 'The political economy of self-government', in J. Altman and M. Hinkson (ed.), Coercive Reconciliation: Stabilise, Normalise, Exit Aboriginal Australia, Arena Printing and Publishing Pty Ltd, Melbourne, pp. 63-67.
- Holcombe, S & Sanders, W 2007, 'Accommodating difference?: The socio-politics of an Aboriginal fringe camp in a small north Australian town', International Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Science, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 339-48.
- Morphy, F, Sanders, W & Taylor, J 2007, 'Accommodating agency and contingency: Towards an extended strategy for engagement', in F. Morphy (ed.), Agency, Contingency and Census Process: Observations of the 2006 Indigenous Enumeration Strategy in Remote Aboriginal Australia, ANU ePress, Canberra Australia, pp. 111-24.
- Holcombe, S & Sanders, W 2007, Community Governance: The Ti Tree Creek camp studyDesert Knowledge CRC Working Paper #10, Desert Knowledge CRC, Alice Springs, Australia.
- Sanders, W 2007, 'A vast improvement: The 2006 enumeration in the Alice Springs town camps', in F. Morphy (ed.), Agency, Contingency and Census Process: Observations of the 2006 Indigenous Enumeration Strategy in Remote Aboriginal Australia, ANU ePress, Canberra Australia, pp. 19-29.
- Sanders, W 2007, 'ATSIC', in Brian Galligan and Winsome Roberts (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Australian Politics, Oxford University Press, Oxford UK, pp. 49-50pp.
- Sanders, W 2007, 'Aboriginal politics (contemporary)', in Brian Galligan and Winsome Roberts (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Australian Politics, Oxford University Press, Oxford UK, pp. 6-8pp.
- Sanders, W 2007, 'CDEP under DEWR: Policy changes and the new contractualism', Impact, vol. Autumn, pp. 6-7.
- Sanders, W 2006, 'Indigenous affairs after the Howard decade: Administrative reform and practical reconciliation or defying decolonisation?', Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, vol. 9, no. 2-3, pp. 43-53.
- Sanders, W 2006, 'Understanding housing outcomes for Indigenous Australians: What can the 2002 NATSISS add?', Indigenous Socioeconomic Outcomes: Assessing Recent Evidence, ed. B.H. Hunter, ANU ePress, Canberra, pp. 79-90.
- Sanders, W & Gray, W 2006, Views from the top: Secretaries perspectives on the new administrative arrangements in Indigenous Affairs, Discussion Paper 286, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian National University.
- Sanders, W & Holcombe, S 2006, Informing diverse interests: The Ti Tree Camp study, Community Governance Newsletter, 2 (2).
- Johns, M & Sanders, W 2005, 'Debating Indigenous issues: More continuity than change', Australian Journal of Social Issues, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 55-71.
- Sanders, W 2005, 'Never even adequate: Reconciliation and Indigenous affairs', in C. Aulich and R. Wetttenhall (ed.), Howard's Second and Third Governments: Australian Commonwealth Administration 1998-2004, UNSW Press, Sydney, pp. 152-72.
- Sanders, W 2005, 'CDEP and ATSIC as bold experiments in governing differently - but where to now?', Aborigines, Culture and Economy: The Past, Present, and Future of Rural and Remote Indigenous Lives, ed. D. Austin-Broos and G. Macdonald, University of Sydney Press, Sydney Australia, pp. 203-212.
- Sanders, W 2005, 'Indigenous centres in the policy margins: The CDEP scheme over 30 years', Australian Council of Social Service Congress 2005, Unknown, Strawberry Hills, NSW, pp. 75-82.
- Sanders, W & Jones, R 2005, 'Housing and infrastructure', in Bill Arthur & Frances Morphy (ed.), Macquarie Atlas of Indigenous Australia, Pan Macmillan Publishers Australia, Sydney, Australia, pp. 172?181.
- Sanders, W 2005, 'CDEP under DEWR: The flexibility challenge', Impact, vol. Summer 05, p. 7.
- Sanders, W 2005, 'Survey of Indigenous interests and local governments in the NT', Local Government Reporter, vol. 3, no. 8, pp. 137-41.
- Sanders, W 2005, 'Dispersal, autonomy and scale in Indigenous community governance: Some reflections on recent Northern Territory experience', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 64, no. 4, pp. 53-62.
- Sanders, W 2005, 'Torres Strait elections, 2000 and 2004: Changes in political leadership and style', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 40, no. 3, pp. 443-451.
- Sanders, W 2005, 'Labors landslide, CLPs tsunami: The 2005 Northern Territory election', Australian Quarterly, vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 4-6.
- Sanders, W 2004, 'Prospects for regionalism in Indigenous community governance', Dialogue (Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia), vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 56-61.
- Sanders, W 2004, 'Participation and representation in the 2002 ATSIC Elections', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 175-95.
- Sanders, W 2004, 'The Tasmanian Electoral Roll Trial in the 2002 ATSIC Election', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 63, no. 2, pp. 51-65.
- Sanders, W 2004, 'Indigenous Australians and the rules of the social security system: Universalism, appropriateness and justice', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 63, no. 3, pp. 3-9.
- Sanders, W 2004, 'ATSICs achievements and strengths: Implications for institutional reform', Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 14-21.
- Sanders, W 2004, 'A New Model of Inclusion? Centrelinks development of income support service delivery for remote Indigenous communities', Canberra Bulletin of Public Administration, vol. 111, pp. 17-21.
- Sanders, W 2003, 'From unorganised interests to nations within: Changing conceptions of Indigenous issues in Australia and', Australasian Canadian Studies, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 125?4.
- Sanders, W 2003, 'Community challenge', About The House, vol. April-May 2003, pp. 23-24.
- Martin, D, Morphy, F, Sanders, W et al 2002, Making Sense of the Census: Observations of the 2001 Enumeration in Remote Aboriginal Australia, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.
- Morphy, F & Sanders, W, eds, 2001, The Indigenous Welfare Economy and the CDEP Scheme, Australian National University, Canberra.
- Sanders, W 2001, 'The 2001 Northern Territory election: The end of an era, a victory for labor and for two-party democracy', Australian Quarterly, vol. 73, no. 6, pp. 22-27.
- Sanders, W 2001, 'Adjusting balances: Reshaping the CDEP scheme after 20 good years', The Indigenous Welfare Economy and the CDEP Scheme: Autonomy, Dependence, Self Determination and Mutual Obligation, ed. F. Morphy and W. Sanders, Australian National University, Canberra, pp. 47-50.
- Sanders, W 2001, 'Delivering democracy to Indigenous Australians: Aborigines, Torres Strait Islanders and Commonwealth electoral administration', in Marian Sawer (ed.), Elections Full, Free and Fair, The Federation Press, Sydney, pp. 158-174.
- Sanders, W 2000, 'Torres Strait governance structures and the Centenary of Australian Federation: A missed opportunity?', Australian Journal of Public Administration, vol. 59, no. 3, pp. 22-33.
- Sanders, W, Taylor, J & Ross, K 2000, 'Participation and representation in ATSIC elections: A ten-year perspective', Australian Journal of Political Science, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 493-513.
- Ivison, D, Patton, P & Sanders, W 2000, 'Introduction', in Ivison, D.; Patton, P.; Sanders, W. (ed.), Political Theory and the Rights of Indigenous People, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 1-21.
- Sanders, W 2000, 'Understanding the past, looking to the future: The history of Australian Indigenous housing', in Read, P. (ed.), Settlement: A History of Australian Indigenous Housing, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra, pp. 237-248.
- Altman, J, Gray, M & Sanders, W 2000, 'Working for welfare: What difference does it make', The Australian Economic Review, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 355-362.
- Sanders, W 2000, 'Decolonising Indigenous Australia: Labors contribution?', in Warhurst, J.$; Parkin, A.* (ed.), The Machine: Labor confronts the future, Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, NSW, pp. 314-330.
Projects and Grants
Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.
- Implementing the Remote Jobs and Communities Program: How is policy working in Indigenous communities? (Primary Investigator)
- Design of the NIM client survey (Secondary Investigator)
- From welfare to work, or work to welfare: Will reform of the Community Development Employment Program help close the employment gap? (Secondary Investigator)
- The practice of accountability in Australian Indigenous corporations (Secondary Investigator)
- More than a roof overhead (Secondary Investigator)
- Response to Tender: To provide Social Policy Research and Evaluation Panel (SPREP) Services for FaCSIA (Secondary Investigator)
- CP4 Sustainable Desert Settlements: 2006-2009 (Primary Investigator)
