National Framework of Principles for Government Service Delivery to Indigenous Australians - June 2004
All jurisdictions are committed to achieving better outcomes for Indigenous Australians, improving the delivery of services, building greater opportunities and helping Indigenous families and individuals to become self-sufficient. To this end, and in delivering services to Indigenous people, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to a national framework of principles for delivering services to Indigenous Australians.
Sharing responsibility
- Committing to cooperative approaches on policy and service delivery between agencies, at all levels of government and maintaining and strengthening government effort to address Indigenous disadvantage.
- Building partnerships with Indigenous communities and organisations based on shared responsibilities and mutual obligations.
- Committing to Indigenous participation at all levels and a willingness to engage with representatives, adopting flexible approaches and providing adequate resources to support capacity at the local and regional levels.
- Committing to cooperation between jurisdictions on native title, consistent with Commonwealth native title legislation.
Harnessing the mainstream
- Ensuring that Indigenous-specific and mainstream programs and services are complementary.
- Lifting the performance of programs and services by:
- reducing bureaucratic red tape;
- increasing flexibility of funding (mainstream and Indigenous-specific) wherever practicable;
- demonstrating improved access for Indigenous people;
- maintaining a focus on regional areas and local communities and outcomes; and
- identifying and working together on priority issues.
- Supporting Indigenous communities to harness the engagement of corporate, non-government and philanthropic sectors.
Streamlining service delivery
- Delivering services and programs that are appropriate, coordinated, flexible and avoid duplication:
- including fostering opportunities for Indigenous delivered services.
- Addressing jurisdictional overlap and rationalising government interaction with Indigenous communities:
- negotiating bilateral agreements that provide for one level of government having primary responsibility for particular service delivery, or where jurisdictions continue to have overlapping responsibilities, that services would be delivered in accordance with an agreed coherent approach.
- Maximising the effectiveness of action at the local and regional level through whole-of-government(s) responses.
- Recognising the need for services to take account of local circumstances and be informed by appropriate consultations and negotiations with local representatives.
Establishing transparency and accountability
- Strengthening the accountability of governments for the effectiveness of their programs and services through regular performance review, evaluation and reporting.
- Ensuring the accountability of organisations for the government funds that they administer on behalf of Indigenous people.
- Tasking the Productivity Commission to continue to measure the effect of the COAG commitment through the jointly-agreed set of indicators.
Developing a learning framework
- Sharing information and experience about what is working and what is not.
- Striving for best practice in the delivery of services to Indigenous people, families and communities.
Focusing on priority areas
- Tackling agreed priority issues, including those identified in the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report:
- early childhood development and growth; early school engagement and performance, positive childhood and transition to adulthood; substance use and misuse; functional and resilient families and communities; effective environmental health systems and economic participation and development.
Within this National Framework appropriate consultation and delivery arrangements will be agreed between the Commonwealth and individual States and Territories.