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Governing the City State - Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate ...

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The National Disability Services ACT recommends investigation ofmechanisms to improve partnering between government <strong>and</strong> non-government organisations… Improved partnerships could result in more efficient <strong>and</strong> effective service delivery. Forexample, Housing ACT <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> non-government disability services sector could worktoge<strong>the</strong>r to provide more affordable emergency <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r accommodation for people withdisabilities. 213Aboriginal <strong>and</strong> Torres Strait Isl<strong>and</strong>er AffairsAs part of its consultations, <strong>the</strong> Review met <strong>the</strong> ACT Indigenous Elected Body (IEB)established under <strong>the</strong> Aboriginal <strong>and</strong> Torres Strait Isl<strong>and</strong>er Elected Body Act (2008). 214 TheIEB exists to provide direct advice to <strong>the</strong> ACT Government about issues affecting IndigenousCanberrans. This initiative was described by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Minister</strong>as a signal, perhaps even a seismic, shift in <strong>the</strong> relationship between this legislature <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>Aboriginal <strong>and</strong> Torres Strait Isl<strong>and</strong>er people who make <strong>the</strong> ACT <strong>the</strong>ir home. The governmentfirmly believes that <strong>the</strong> establishment of an Indigenous elected body will play two functions,symbolic <strong>and</strong> practical. Firstly, we hope that it will help this community, black <strong>and</strong> white,move closer to true reconciliation. Secondly, we believe it is practically significant for <strong>the</strong>degree of self-determination that it will offer Aboriginals <strong>and</strong> Torres Strait Isl<strong>and</strong>ers in our215Canberra community.It is crucial to <strong>the</strong> success of <strong>the</strong> IEB <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> welfare of Canberra’s Aboriginal <strong>and</strong> TorresStrait Isl<strong>and</strong>er community that <strong>the</strong> IEB be properly resourced (including in relation to basicoffice <strong>and</strong> equipment support to <strong>the</strong> Secretariat), <strong>and</strong> is supported by <strong>the</strong> ACTPS in <strong>the</strong>delivery of its functions. It is a nation leading initiative <strong>and</strong> offers opportunities for closer<strong>and</strong> more meaningful engagement. The more <strong>the</strong> ACTPS <strong>and</strong> <strong>Minister</strong>s engage with <strong>the</strong> IEB,<strong>the</strong> more benefits to policy <strong>and</strong> program design will flow.There were suggestions during consultations that <strong>the</strong> various “Offices of” currently located inDHCS should be located at <strong>the</strong> centre of Government, <strong>and</strong> similar proposals were expressedin relation to <strong>the</strong> IEB. The term of <strong>the</strong> current IEB is drawing to a close, <strong>and</strong> issues ofresourcing, <strong>and</strong> portfolio location should be fur<strong>the</strong>r considered in that context. While <strong>the</strong>location of <strong>the</strong> IEB in <strong>the</strong> proposed <strong>Chief</strong> <strong>Minister</strong>’s Department would be consistent with <strong>the</strong>preference for Departments to report to a single <strong>Minister</strong>, <strong>the</strong> Review is not convinced <strong>the</strong>benefits of alignment with this principle outweigh <strong>the</strong> benefits to clients of DHCS from <strong>the</strong>integration of Aboriginal <strong>and</strong> Torres Strait Isl<strong>and</strong>er Affairs with its o<strong>the</strong>r service deliverylines.The Review also notes that in <strong>the</strong> context of general commentary in Chapter 5 aboutreporting on performance <strong>and</strong> collection of data, <strong>the</strong>re is a particular need to improve <strong>the</strong>213 Submission No.25.214 See http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/2008-12/default.asp215 Stanhope, J. MLA (2008) Hansard 6 May 2008, p.1422Administrative Arrangements Changes: 159

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