CLOSING THE GAP

A NEW WAY OF
WORKING TOGETHER
GOVERNMENTS AND
INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
MAKING DECISIONS TOGETHER
While governments have a critical role in
setting policies and implementing programs,
true gains are made when Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people are able to work
with governments to set the agendas that
impact on their wellbeing. This aligns with the
Prime Minister’s commitment to ‘work with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’.
When governments listen, collaboration puts Indigenous
Australians at the centre of decision-making, builds
capacity of individuals, organisations and communities,
and enables people to make decisions to support their
wellbeing. Given the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander cultures and circumstances, a ‘one size
fits all’ approach does not achieve desired outcomes.
We are shifting to a new way of engaging – we are
working with Indigenous leaders and communities
to support Indigenous ownership and enable true
partnerships with government. We are using different
approaches in different regions across the country.
One example of this new approach is the Indigenousdesigned
and led Empowered Communities initiative
– it brings together Indigenous communities and
governments to set priorities, improve services and
apply funding effectively at a regional level. At its
core, Empowered Communities is about governments
backing Indigenous leaders to work with their
communities to introduce positive change. It aims to
empower Indigenous people to build positive futures for
themselves and their families and build trust between
communities and governments.
Empowered Communities puts Indigenous culture
and participation front and centre in the decisions
of government. It is moving us from an application
driven, transactional approach to one of partnership,
transparency and shared accountability.
We are sharing government data and funding
backbone organisations to help Indigenous leaders in
Empowered Communities regions drive implementation
across their communities. We are moving to jointly
making decisions about discretionary investment,
and a ‘learn and adapt as you go’ approach ensures
implementation is informed by what works and
what does not. Next steps include progressing long
term regional development plans and addressing
first priorities to secure early wins and strengthen
collaboration between governments and communities.
We thank the National Congress of Australia’s First
Peoples for their leadership in bringing together the
Redfern Statement alliance. The government will
work with a diversity of representatives to ensure a
broad range of views are heard on key issue such
as health, justice, education and employment.
•10• CLOSING THE GAP: PRIME MINISTER'S REPORT 2017