Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2013–2018 ppt

Valuing and supporting the cultural strengths of Aboriginal Victorians 13 Contents... TheVAAFprovidesthebasisforourannual reportcard,theVictorian Government Aboriginal Affairs Report,whi

Dhumba-dji-ngan bada-k munga-na

“Wemusttalktogether.

Weshouldwritesomething.

Andthenweshouldworktowardsmendingandmakingourpresencein thiseconomythathasculturalintegrity.

Weareresponsible.”

“WehavealwayslivedinthisenvironmentthatiscalledVictoriatoday. Thegreensofourforests,thebrownsofthedryerareasinthenorth, andthebluestorepresentalltheinlandandcoastalwaterways. Thestonetools,possumskin,thenetting,andthetraditionaldesigns areevidenceofourpasteconomy.”

ManyAboriginalpeoplehavecontributedtodiscussionsinthedevelopmentofthisFrameworkanditsdirectionsandpriorities.Theengagementprovidedinputandanopportunitytodiscussideasandshareinformation,whilebuildingastrongerappreciationofGovernment’sroleandAboriginalcommunityaspirationtostrengthenoutcomesforAboriginalVictorians.

Artwork by Mick Harding

TheartworkinthisFrameworkispartofalargerpiecebyMickHardingdepictingAboriginalparticipationanddevelopmentintheVictorianeconomy

Acknowledgements

Throughoutthisdocumenttheterm“Aboriginal”isusedtorefertobothAboriginalandTorresStraitIslander people.Useoftheterms“Koori”,“Koorie”and“Indigenous”areretainedinthenamesofprogramsandinitiatives, and,unlessnotedotherwise,areinclusiveofbothAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoples.

Message from the Premier 2

1 A new approach to the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 5

3 Holistic life course approach for Aboriginal affairs 9

4 Stronger outcomes and focussed Strategic Action Areas 11

5 Valuing and supporting the cultural strengths of Aboriginal Victorians 13

Contents

TheVAAFprovidesthebasisforourannual reportcard,theVictorian Government Aboriginal Affairs Report,whichwillbe

tabledinParliamentearlyeachyear.

Embracingtransparencyandaccountability,thisreportwilldemonstratetheGovernment’sprogresstowardsthepublishedtargetsinthesixStrategicActionAreasidentifiedin

the VAAF.

TheVAAFsetsoutourcommitmentto

engagewithAboriginalVictorians.Italsoprovidestheoverarchingframeworkforinclusionplans,whichdocumenthowwewillimproveaccessforAboriginalpeopleacrossallareasofgovernment.

Government,Aboriginalpeopleand

organisations,serviceproviders,andtheprivate,philanthropicandcommunitysectorsallhavearoletoplayinclosingthegap.Byworkingtogether,ourresourcesandexpertisecanbeharnessedmosteffectivelyinthebestinterestsofallAboriginal

Victorians

Ted Baillieu PremierofVictoria

Messagefrom

thePremier

Significantly,thisVAAF recognisesand

valuesAboriginalculture,providesrefreshedengagementarrangementsandcommitstostrongergovernance,performanceandreportingarrangements.Italsoidentifiesclearprioritiesforimprovedeffortandreformineconomicdevelopment,protectingandsupportingvulnerablechildrenandfamiliesandensuringthatourservice

systemsareaccessibleandinclusive.

AboriginaleconomicparticipationanddevelopmentiscentraltothisnewapproachbecauseeveryVictorianshouldhavetheopportunitytofulfiltheiraspirationsandreachtheirfullpotential.Havingajobandaplaceintheeconomybuildsselfesteem,economicindependence,positiverole

modelsandcontributestoVictoria’soverallcompetitiveadvantage.

Whileclosingthegapisalongterm

commitment,Iamconfidentthatpartnershipsandinvestmentsinearlychildhood,educationandtraining,andjobsandbusinesseswillhavelongtermbenefitsforallAboriginalVictorians.

Jeanette Powell MP MinisterforAboriginalAffairs

The Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework

performancemanagementandreportingarchitectureforAboriginalaffairs

TheGovernment’sapproachtoAboriginalaffairswillbeguidedbyfourprinciplesoutlinedbythePremierinhisspeechinParliamentinMarch2011(refertoBox1).Astheframeworkfordrivingpolicy,servicesystemandprogrammaticresponsesacross

government,theVAAF:

•enablesexistingandfuturegovernmentinvestmenttobedirectedtothoseareaswheretherearesignificantpositivebenefitstoaperson,communitiesandmorebroadlytotheeconomy

•driveschangesothatservicesprovidedorfundedbygovernmentsmeettheneedsofusers

•providesfordisadvantagetobeaddressed,withoutlosingsightoftheultimategoalofrealisingstrongcultural,socialandeconomicoutcomesforallAboriginalVictorians

•providesthemechanismforintegratedactionacrossgovernment

1.AnewapproachtotheVictorian

AboriginalAffairsFramework

AllVictoriansshouldhavetheopportunitytoreachtheirfullpotential.TheGovernmentiscommittedtoclosingthegapinhealth,educationandhousingoutcomes,whichunderpintheabilityandcapacityofAboriginalVictorianstobuildabetterfuture

Accountability

BoththeGovernmentandfundedorganisationsmustbeaccountablefordeliveringservicesthatmeettheneedsofcommunities.Goodpolicyandprogramdeliverymustbebasedonevidence,andoutcomesmustbereported

Engagement and Inclusiveness

ClosingthegapcanonlybeachievedthroughapartnershipbuiltongenuineengagementwithAboriginalpeopleandorganisationsacrossVictoria.TheGovernmentrecognisesthatitisimportanttolistentobothlocalcommunityvoicesandtheviewsofAboriginalorganisationsandtheirrepresentativebodies

Partnership building and a whole of community approach

Arenewedcommitmentforallsectors–government,community,businessandphilanthropic–toworktogetherinpartnership,sothatresourcesandexpertisecanbemosteffectivelyharnessed

Box 1: The guiding principles for Aboriginal Affairs

VictoriansandofformerGovernments.

Itlookstoachievingtangibleresults

inthekeyareasofhealth,justice,education,employment,businessandcultural

acknowledgementandrecognition.

Importantly,thisFrameworkrepresentsafirmcommitmentthattheVictorianGovernmentwillworkwithAboriginalcommunitiestoimprovethequalityoflifeofallAboriginalVictoriansandbringaboutasharedandeconomicallyindependentfuture.

Thejourneyaheadisalongone.NationallyallGovernmentsrecogniseitwilltakeagenerationtoclosethegapinoutcomesbetweenAboriginalandnon-AboriginalAustralians.ThenextsixyearsisacruciallegofthatjourneyinVictoria

“ That this House apologises to the Aboriginal

people on behalf of all Victorians for the

past policies under which Aboriginal children

were removed from their families and

expresses deep regret at the hurt and

distress this has caused and reaffirms its

support for reconciliation between all

Australians.”

ThedifferenceinageprofilescanbeseeninFigure1.Thishighlightstheneedforpoliciesandprioritiestoincludeafocusonthesignificantyouthdemographicandtheopportunitiesandchallengesthisbrings

Figure 1: Proportion of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people by age group, Victoria, 2011

Source:AustralianBureauofStatisticsCensusofPopulationandHousing2011

Figure 2: The Life Course Approach to the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework

Knowledge

Culture

Birth Prenatal

Preschool

Community Place

Opportunity Services

Later Years

Employment

Accumulation of positive and negative experiences, wellbeing and wealth

Respect

Education and training

Economic participation (employment and business)

Health, housing and wellbeing

Respect

Family Elders

Community

Opportunity Services

Place

Interconnected Strategic Action Areas, reinforced by headline indicators, targets and measures

Governmentiscommittingtoheadlineindicators.Whereverpossible,indicatorsfocusonachievableoutcomes,asitis

importantthatresourcesandeffortarewelldirectedandaccountable

ThroughVAAF 2013–2018theGovernment

iscommittingto12headlineindicators.Thisrepresentsamoveawayfromhavingdozensofindicators,whichwastheapproachinpreviousAboriginalaffairsframeworks.Thisshiftenablesmoreattentiontobegiventopriorityoutcomes,ratherthanprogrammaticinputs.Italsoenablesafocusonensuringservicesystemsandinvestmentsareworking

TheVAAFalsocommitstostrongerand

achievabletargetsforeachheadlineindicator.Whileyeartoyearfluctuationsmayoccur,sustainedandtargetedeffortwillfocusonachievingimprovementsoverageneration(20–25years).Newmeasuresforhousing,disability,employment,health,youthjusticeandculturalstrengthening,ensureconsistencywithaholisticlifecourseapproach

TheAppendixtothisFrameworkprovidesdetailsontheheadlineindicators,targetsandothermeasureswithineachStrategicActionArea.OversightandreportingarrangementsaredescribedinSection7onStronger

SAA 5: Safe families and communities and

equitable justice outcomes

SAA 6: Strong culture, engaged people

and confident communities

Strongerappreciationandawarenessof

Aboriginalculturecanfosterconfidence

andresilience,aswellasconnectionsand

respectacrosstheVictoriancommunity

TheGovernmentiscommittedtostrongleadershiparoundamessageofvaluingandrespectingVictorianAboriginalculture.ItisalsocommittedtoworkingwithAboriginalpeopletobuildabetterunderstandingandappreciationof

•acknowledgestherightofAboriginalpeopletomaintaintheiridentityandculture

•recognisesthatstrongculturalidentityisfundamentaltothewellbeingofAboriginalpeopleandhaslifetimeimpacts–supportingAboriginalcultureisaninvestmentinthefutureofallVictorians

•recognisesthatwhileimpartingcultureisfundamentallytheresponsibilitiesof

familiesandcommunities,Governmentalsohasaroleinenablingandsupportingcommunitiesinthecontinuanceand

strengtheningoftheircultures

Box 2: Guiding Principles for Government

in Strengthening Aboriginal Culture

3 Supporting the community to hold cultural gatherings

Culturalgatheringsofferanopportunityforpeopletoparticipateinthecontinuanceoftheirculturalpractices,therevivalofoldtraditionsanddevelopmentofnew,vibrantactivities.TheyalsoprovideforAboriginalandnon-Aboriginalpeopletocometogetheranddevelopstrongerconnections.Whenpeopleconnectwithoneanother,acrossthegenerations,itenhanceswellbeingandsocialinclusion,andtransfersculturalknowledge.

TheGovernmentwillcontinuetosupportLocalIndigenousNetworks(LINs),localgatheringplacesandlocalandstatewideculturaleventsandactivitiesthatcelebrateVictoria’sAboriginalculture.Forexample,NAIDOCweekandtheIndigenous

RemembranceServiceattheShrine.Otheropportunitieswillalsobeexplored

•Buildingstrongerfoundationsthrougheducationandaspirationsforsuccessinjobsandbusinessthroughoutlife

•Fosteringaclimatethatbuildsjob

opportunitiesforVictorianAboriginalpeopleacrosstheeconomy

•Supportingexistingemployeestomoveintohigherleveljobs

•Growingthenumberandscaleof

sustainableAboriginalbusinesses

•Partnershipswiththebusiness,investmentandphilanthropicsectors,whilebetteraligningtheeffortsoftheCommonwealthandlocalgovernments

TheStrategywillbuildonworktodate

includingMoonda Wurrin Gree,the2010

reportoftheVictorianAboriginalEconomicDevelopmentGroupandoutcomesoftheVictorianAboriginalEconomicDevelopmentSummithostedjointlybytheVictorianandCommonwealthGovernmentsinJuly2012.TheVictorianGovernmentwillactivelyseektopartnerwiththeCommonwealth

Governmentindeliveringthispriority.Thisincludesbetteraccesstoemploymentservices,financialassistancetopurchasehousingandland,andinvestinbusinessopportunities.OurapproachwillbuildonNationalPartnershipAgreementsinthis

areaandtheCommonwealth’sIndigenous Economic Development Strategy 2011–2018.

Building Prosperity through Economic Participation

6.Prioritiesforimproved

effortandreform

•acommitmenttodevelopafive-yearplanforAboriginalchildreninout-of-homecare

•increaseduseofAboriginalFamilyDecisionMakingconferences

•increasingthecapacityoftheAboriginalpermanentcareprogram

•increasedfundingforAboriginal-specificservicestoprovidesupportforyoungAboriginalpeopletransitioningfromstatecare

•acommitmenttoappointaCommissionforChildrenandYoungPeoplewhichwillincludeaCommissionerwithspecialresponsibilityforvulnerableAboriginalchildrenandyoungpeople

VAAF 2013–2018commitstostrongertargets

sothegapinchildprotectionsubstantiationswillbereducedby75percentby2023.TheVictorianGovernmentwillalsoworkwiththeCommonwealthtostrengthenthealignmentoftheireffortsinthisarea

ThefinalReport of the Protecting Victoria’s

Vulnerable Children Inquiry,releasedin

effectivenessandaccountability

Whole of System Approach TheVictorianGovernment’sapproachisfoundedontheneedfor‘wholeofsystem’effectiveness,whichacknowledgestherespectiverolesofgovernments,ACCOs,thecommunitysector,theprivatesector,philanthropicorganisations,individuals,familiesandcommunities.

GiventhemixofCommonwealth,Stateandlocalgovernmentfundedprograms,

cooperativeactionisessentialtominimiseservicegapsandimproveaccessibilityandhenceoutcomesforAboriginalVictorians.A10yearevaluationframeworktobe

finalisedin2013–14willgivefocusandsetprioritiesforafutureagendaonreviewingserviceeffectiveness,aspartofSection7onStrongerAccountability

Better Services, Better Outcomes

Accountable ServicesEnsuringthatallorganisationsareheldtoaccountwhentheycommittoprovidingservicestothebroadercommunityaswellasAboriginalpeopleisessentialtoanygoodservicesystem.Strongaccountability,

especiallyforGovernmentprovidedandfundedservicesisessentialtopreventingservicegapsandensuringinvestmentsarewellplaced.

TheVictorianGovernmenthasdevelopedaWholeofVictorianGovernmentCommonFundingAgreementforallnotforprofitcommunityorganisations.Thisisdesignedforusebyalldepartmentsthatfundsuchorganisationstodeliverservicesand

projects.Itwillsimplifyarrangementsandensureconsistency.TheAgreementwillreplacethemyriadofarrangementscurrentlyinplace,includingtheVictorianIndigenousFundingAgreement

Clientscangettotheserviceeasily

CurrentandpotentialclientsknowwhichservicestheyareentitledtoseekServicesthataclientneedsareaccessible

Theserviceprovidertreatstheclientwithrespect

Currentandpotentialclientsareinformedabouttheavailabilityoftheserviceanditsvalue

Figure 4: Key access criteria for effective service design

Place Based Approach

approachwillassistlocalcommunities,localserviceproviders,localgovernmentsandotherkeystakeholderstosupportandadoptinnovativesolutionstoimproveoutcomesintheirlocalarea.Importantly,experiencesgainedatthelocallevelcanofteninformregionalandsystemwidechange

Partnerships with Local GovernmentLocalgovernmentholdssignificantleverstodrivepositiveoutcomesforAboriginalVictorians.Inparticular,councilsdelivercriticalservicesacrossthelifecourseandthereispotentialforstrongerpartnershipstorealisestrongerlocalandhence

statewideoutcomes.

Intheearlyyearslocalservicessuchasmaternalandchildhealth,preschoolservicesandchildcarefacilitiesarecriticaltoearlylifeoutcomes.Localgovernmentsarealsoimportantforprovidingandfacilitatinglocalemploymentandeconomicopportunities,fosteringreconciliationandengagementwithAboriginalcommunities,buildingaccesstolandandprotectingculturalheritage.

TheVAAFgivesgreaterrecognitionofthe

roleoflocalgovernmentasapartnerindeliveringstrategicoutcomesandprioritydirections