Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Contents

Preface from Deputy Premier 2 Foreword from Minister for Aboriginal Affairs 4

Part 1: Policy framework and background Chapter 1 6 Profile of Victoria’s Indigenous community 6 A vibrant and strong culture 7 Indigenous Victoria 7 Exploring the gaps 8 Chapter 2 12 Overview of the Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework 12 An enduring commitment 12 Chapter 3 14 A commitment to partnership 14 Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs 14 Representation and engagement 15 Core principles 16 Partnership in action 16

Part 2: Action areas 19 Chapter 4 19 Area for action 1: Improve maternal health and early childhood health and development 19 Chapter 5 34 Area for action 2: Improve literacy and numeracy 34 Chapter 6 38 Area for action 3: Improve year 12 completion or equivalent qualification and develop pathways to employment 38 Chapter 7 47 Area for action 4 – part 1: Prevent family violence 47 Chapter 8 52 Area for action 4 – part 2: Improve justice outcomes 52 Chapter 9 61 Area for action 5: Improve economic development, settle native title claims and address land access issues 61 Chapter 10 64 Area for action 6: Build Indigenous capacity 64

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Preface This has been a momentous year for the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The National Apology to members of the Stolen Generations in February generated great goodwill. In generations to come, 2008 will be remembered in the same light as the 1967 Referendum, the 1992 High Court Mabo decision and the Wik decision of 1996. Each of these events offered an opportunity for non-Indigenous Australians to discover, or renew and strengthen, their understanding and appreciation of the world’s oldest living culture. These opportunities have not always been taken, but the Victorian Government is determined to build on this historic year by strengthening partnerships with Indigenous Victorians. The Victorian Government, along with all Australian governments, has embraced this new opportunity to close the gap across a range of economic, social and life expectancy indicators. The scale of the commitments and work are considerable, in the understanding that it will take a generation to close the considerable gaps in outcomes between Indigenous Victorians and the broader community. The Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework (VIAF) anticipated what has now become the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) agenda for addressing Indigenous disadvantage. The Framework identifies the key outcome of reducing the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous Victorians and other members of the Victorian community. Concerted action is required in many areas and involves a number of departments working in partnership with Indigenous Victorians. Central to achieving long-lasting improvements in life expectancy for Indigenous Victorians will be the work every department and agency puts into building and strengthening partnerships with Indigenous Victorians and involving more Indigenous Victorians in determining how we will meet our joint goals. The Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs is our way of driving change right across government. I was delighted to Chair the Taskforce in 2007-08 and look forward to its continuing role to improve action in key areas. This 2007-08 VIAF report details a number of achievements, particularly those benefiting young Indigenous Victorians including the release of Wannik, an education strategy for Koorie Students; the 10-year plan to reduce Indigenous family violence; new Koorie courts; the start of free kindergarten for three-year-old Aboriginal children; new Koorie maternity services and new in- home support programs for new parents. For the year ahead we are already progressing on a number of fronts including consideration of a Native Title Framework to improve land justice for Indigenous Victorians, economic participation and development and Indigenous Public Sector employment reform. This report, our annual reporting of activities in Indigenous Affairs, allows all Victorians to see what has been achieved, what we continue to work on, and what our future plans involve.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 The Hon Rob Hulls MP Deputy Premier Chair, Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Foreword The Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework (VIAF) was developed in 2006 to address the gap in life expectancy and other inequalities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Victorians. I am pleased to present the Victorian Government’s Indigenous Affairs Report for the period July 2007-June 2008 which records progress in the key areas of maternal health and early childhood, education and employment, family violence and justice. Each chapter records current performance and future plans in these strategic areas of action. One highlight in 2007-08 was the continued rollout of Local Indigenous Networks (LINs) across the State. The LINs provide new opportunities for Indigenous people to have a say in their communities. Several hundred people are already involved, providing important voices to how we can – together – start closing the gap in life chances. One of the most devastating impacts on Indigenous Victorian communities is family violence. The Indigenous Family Violence Taskforce estimates that one in three Indigenous people are victims, have a relative who is the victim, or witness an act of violence on a daily basis in Victorian communities. In June this year the State Government released details of a 10-year plan to address family violence in Victoria’s Indigenous communities, which is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Indigenous women aged under 45. The development of the Plan involved Indigenous people at local, regional and state levels working with a number of government agencies. The Victorian Government’s approach to improving outcomes for Indigenous Victorians is to tackle many of the drivers of disadvantage as well as better respond to the outcomes of disadvantage. This report does not represent a full inventory of government actions and initiatives in Indigenous Affairs. Across government there are many initiatives that operate outside the VIAF strategic objectives that are also directed at closing the gap. Significant progress continues to be achieved in areas such as housing, where since June 1999 we have increased Indigenous-managed housing by almost 40 per cent and doubled the number of Aboriginal households in mainstream public housing. In 2007-08 we also doubled the acquisition budget for the Aboriginal Rental Housing Program. Many people and many organisations are working with the Victorian Government to tackle the cycle of disadvantage that sees Indigenous Victorians, on average, die earlier than non-Indigenous Victorians. This gap is unacceptable to all of us. I look forward to providing the Victorian community with further measures of progress against this vital strategy to improve opportunities and outcomes for Indigenous Victorians.

The Hon Richard Wynne MP Minister for Aboriginal Affairs

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 1 Profile of Victoria’s Indigenous community The Victorian Government is committed to improving the life expectancy of Indigenous Victorians. In October 2006 it released the Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework (VIAF) to underpin and define efforts across government and the community to close the disadvantage gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Victorians. The framework identified three areas where sustainable, long-term improvements were required. These are: 1. Safe, healthy and supportive family environments with strong communities and cultural identity, 2. Positive child development and prevention of violence, crime and self-harm, and 3. Improved wealth creation and economic sustainability for individuals, families and communities. Achieving this requires coordinated action across many areas of government activity. To ensure a coordinated effort, the Government established a Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs to direct the implementation of the VIAF. This year’s annual report details the actions taken and progress made by the Victorian Government in the 2007-08 financial year. In some areas data is limited, outdated or not yet available. Over time improved data collection will ensure that performances can be accurately measured and monitored. It is important to note there are many other Victorian Government programs that make significant contributions to the quality of life of Indigenous Victorians that are not directly covered by the framework. Such areas include housing services, specific Indigenous programs and mainstream government programs that are sensitive to Indigenous needs. Information on the contribution made by the programs operating outside the immediate objectives of the VIAF can be found in departmental annual reports and publications such as the Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Aboriginal Services Plan 2008-10. The DHS annual publication, Aboriginal Services Plan: Key Indicators, also reports on the progress of the comprehensive programs it administers. A vibrant and strong culture Indigenous culture and heritage remains a fundamental part of Victoria’s identity. By working with Indigenous communities we can provide more opportunities for all Victorians to recognise, respect and celebrate their contributions. Indigenous Victoria Indigenous Australia has the oldest living cultures in the world. The land that is now Victoria has an ancient and proud Indigenous history and complex ownership and land stewardship systems stretching back many thousands of years. It is estimated there were between 20,000 and 60,000 people speaking more than 30 languages when Europeans first arrived in the land we now call Victoria. Our Indigenous heritage is an important part of the identity of Indigenous Victorians and the collective identity of Victoria. The 2006 Australian Census reports there are about 33,000 Indigenous Victorians living in the

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 State and about 30 distinct Indigenous communities. These communities are based around location, language and cultural groups, and extended familial networks. Almost half of Indigenous Victorians live outside Melbourne. There are significant differences between the demographic profile of Victoria’s Indigenous population and other Victorians. Victoria’s broader population is ageing, but its Indigenous population is young. More than half of Indigenous Victorians are aged under 25, and more than a third are aged under 15. By comparison around a third of non-Indigenous people are aged under 25. This difference in age structure reflects several factors, including lower life expectancy and higher fertility rates. Diagram 1 depicts the age structure of Indigenous and other Victorians.

Diagram 1 – Age distribution of Victorian Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Population in 2006

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing Victoria 2006. Cat no.4705.0 Refer to PDF of this document for this diagram

There are also significant differences in family structure with a proportionately higher number of single-parent families in Indigenous communities. Nearly 40 per cent of Indigenous families are sole parent families, compared with 15 per cent of non-Indigenous families. The VIAF places a strong focus on improving the future of young Indigenous Victorians. New targets set by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) also emphasise the importance of improving the position of young Indigenous Victorians. Indigenous community leaders are highly active in many social areas, from health and wellbeing to advocacy, education and economic development. Victoria has more than 170 Indigenous, community-run organisations, many of which provide support and services to Indigenous communities. In addition to service providers the Victorian Government has encouraged the development of Local Indigenous Networks (LINs). These networks enable the broad participation of Indigenous Victorians in priority setting and feedback on government and Indigenous-controlled services. Achieving the improvements sought by the VIAF is contingent on partnerships between these organisations, the Victorian Government and the broader Victorian community. Exploring the gaps Indigenous Australians experience disadvantage whether they live in urban, regional or remote parts of Australia. Indigenous Australians experience unacceptably lower rates of life expectancy in all States and Territories; in cities, regional centres and rural and remote areas. All governments are committed to targets adopted by COAG, and report their progress in achieving these targets in the national report, Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage. Victoria is committed to reporting against state and COAG indicators. In areas such as health, education and employment, there are significant gaps between

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Indigenous and non-Indigenous Victorians. Bridging these gaps, particularly in relation to life expectancy, is central to the Victorian Government’s work with Indigenous communities. The pattern of disadvantage for Indigenous Victorians is inter-related. Lack of educational attainment is linked to increased contact with the justice system. Leaving school early increases the likelihood of being a young parent, which in turn affects lifetime labour prospects and income. Health and wellbeing The most telling gap in health and wellbeing between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Victorians is life expectancy. The gap is the result of a lifetime of disadvantage. This gap is expected to grow as innovations in health care and social interventions extend the age of non-Indigenous Victorians. The lifetime of disadvantage for Indigenous people begins at birth – Indigenous babies are more likely to have very young parents and be of low birth weight. It continues into early childhood where Indigenous children have lower rates of use of kindergartens, and greater probabilities of growing up in sole parent families. The cycle continues with increased risk of child abuse and less than average educational outcomes. Victorian Indigenous child abuse substantiations remain significantly higher than for non- Indigenous Victorians. Long-term illness and chronic disease are also more prevalent among Indigenous Victorians. They are more than three times more likely to have diabetes than non-Indigenous Victorians. Education There are significant disparities in education outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Victorians. The highest level of education achieved for many Indigenous Victorians is year 9 or below.1 Less than a quarter of Indigenous Victorians have completed year 12 compared with almost half of other Victorians.2 Income and employment Indigenous Victorians are over-represented in low-income Victorian households, and under- represented in high-income households. Most Indigenous households are on low incomes (the lowest and second lowest quintiles).3 Education has a clear impact on employment prospects for individuals. Modelling by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM) at the University of Canberra shows that if rates of education and employment remain unchanged, there is considerable disparity in how long an individual at age 15 can expect to be employed over their working life (15–64 years). An Indigenous female aged 15-19 who does not complete year 12 is likely to spend most of her potential working life outside the workforce.

1 Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census Data Cat. 2002.0.

2 Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census Data Cat. 2002.0.

3 Australian Bureau of Statistics National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2004-05, Cat. no. 4715.0.55.005 (unpublished); ABS National Health Survey 2004-5; Summary of Results, Cat. no.

4362.0 (unpublished) reported in the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Report 2007

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Table 1 – Average work years between ages 15 and 64

Expected years in Expected years in Expected years not employment (at unemployment (at in the labour force age 15 years) age 15 years) (at age 15 years)

Indigenous

Male < year 12 20.5 5.4 10.5 education

Male ≥ year 12 25.1 5.7 5.6 education

Female < year 12 15.2 4.4 20.4 education

Female ≥ year 12 27.2 3.8 9.0 education

Non-Indigenous

Male < year 12 34.7 4.2 7.8 education

Male ≥ year 12 38.6 2.8 5.3 education

Female < year 12 29.7 2.1 16.2 education

Female ≥ year 12 26.2 2.8 19.0 education

These figures explain why the Victorian Government places such emphasis on improving Indigenous student completion rates. There are also significant gaps between the labour market experience of Indigenous and other Victorians. The rate of unemployment for Indigenous Victorians is more than double that of the overall rate for Victorians.4 Incarceration and crime Indigenous Victorians are far more likely to be placed in an adult prison than non-Indigenous

4 ABS National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2004-05, Cat. no. 4715.0.55.005 (unpublished); ABS National Health Survey 2004-05, Cat. no. 4362.0 (unpublished) reported in the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Report 2007.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Victorians. Indigenous youth aged 16 and younger are much more likely to be in juvenile detention than non-Indigenous youth. Indigenous Victorians are more likely to be victims of crime, and three times more likely to be victims of homicide, than non-Indigenous Victorians. These are some of the experiences that feed into the cycle of disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Victorians. Closing the significant gaps experienced by Indigenous Victorians requires interventions at all stages in the lives of Indigenous people – from birth and perinatal care, early childhood development, education, health, training and employment. The cycle of disadvantage The impact of the cycle of disadvantage distinguishes Indigenous Victorians from non-Indigenous Victorians. Moreover within the community itself the impact is differentially experienced. Many Indigenous Victorians are breaking out of the cycle of disadvantage. They are more likely to have had: – parents of similar age to their non-Indigenous peers, – access to kindergarten as a child, – school attendance rates and educational outcome levels on par with their non-Indigenous peers, and – smooth transitions into employment and then consistent working life. The discussion in the previous sections highlighted the levels of disadvantage experienced in aspects of contemporary life, such as in education and the labour market. It is important to note that each experience of disadvantage interrelates with other aspects. Poverty, contact with the justice system, disability, early life transitions from education and into early parenting all intersect with and compound each other. Disadvantage is also inter-generational with the risks of lifetime poverty, for example, being higher for young Indigenous people whose families experienced high levels of poverty. Recent modelling work conducted by NATSEM for the Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs highlighted these intersections and inter-relationships. One example is the relationship between schooling, contact with the justice system and lifetime earnings. NATSEM developed the following tables that illustrate the inter-relationships of these factors for Indigenous Victorian men who have finished year 12 or equivalent schooling compared with those who have not. The tables show the marked differences in years employed and lifetime earnings for Indigenous men who have had contact with the justice system, compared with those who have not had contact and the impact of year 12 completion/non-completion. The Government will continue to work on developing a clearer picture of these and other intersections as part of improving the accuracy of the evidence base. The quality of the evidence is vital for developing new initiatives and for evaluating existing services and programs.

Diagrams 2 and 3 – Years of employment and lifetime labour income with and without contact with the justice system. Refer to PDF of this document for these diagrams

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 2 Overview of the Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework On average, Indigenous Victorians die considerably younger than non- Indigenous Victorians5. This significant gap in life expectancy must be reduced. An enduring commitment The Victorian Government’s main goal in Indigenous affairs is to close the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Victorians. This requires a sustained effort in partnership with the state’s Indigenous communities. The Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework (VIAF) focuses on improved child health and safety outcomes; legal justice; improved school participation, attainment and completion rates; and better employment outcomes. Progress in these areas will help improve life expectancy and quality of life for Indigenous Victorians. The state will focus its effort and investment on these goals in the coming decade. Policy background In 2005, the Victorian Government released its social policy statement, A Fairer Victoria, aimed at overcoming disadvantage through specific interventions and new ways of working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. A Fairer Victoria included the strategy Building a New Partnership with Indigenous Victorians, which, in turn, underpinned development of the Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework. The national apology to Australia’s Indigenous ‘Stolen Generations’ this year, and the targets adopted by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), have reinforced the policy direction set by the VIAF. Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework The priorities and direction set by the Victorian framework mirror those of the nationally-endorsed Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage framework, are linked to its headline indicators,6 and align with the targets adopted by COAG. The Victorian framework specifies the following areas for action: 1. Improve maternal health and early childhood health and development. 2. Improve literacy and numeracy. 3. Improve year 12 completion or equivalent qualification and develop pathways to employment. 4. Prevent family violence and improve justice outcomes. 5. Improve economic development, settle native title claims and address land access issues. 6. Build Indigenous capacity. Each area contains indicators that measure the Government’s progress in achieving the aims of

5 The previous estimate was a 17 year gap. The Australian Bureau of Statistics is developing a new method to calculate Indigenous life tables.

6 The headline indicators are: life expectancy at birth; rates of disability and/or core activity restriction; years 10 and 12 retention and attainment; post-secondary education participation and attainment; labour

force participation and unemployment; household and individual income; home ownership; suicide and self-harm; substantiated child protection notifications; deaths from homicide and hospitalisations for assault; victim rates for crime; imprisonment and juvenile detention rates.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 the VIAF. Diagram 4 depicts how the VIAF operates.

Diagram 4 – Improving the Lives of Indigenous Victorians, Strategic Policy Framework Refer to PDF of this document for this diagram

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 3 A commitment to partnership Improved outcomes for Victoria’s Indigenous people require a sustained and co-ordinated effort across all levels of government and the community. Partnerships between government services, mainstream services, Indigenous controlled services and Indigenous participatory networks are vital in achieving improved social, economic and cultural outcomes for Indigenous Victorians. Building a new partnership with Indigenous Victorians is a core strategy of A Fairer Victoria. Government departments and Ministers alone cannot achieve what is sought for Indigenous Victorians. The Government has introduced new arrangements and strategies that strengthen and empower the partnership between it and Victoria’s Indigenous community. Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs The actions specified in the VIAF run across multiple areas of government, and are driven and overseen by the Ministerial Taskforce on Aboriginal Affairs (MTAA). The Taskforce was established in 2006 and comprises: – Deputy Premier (Chair), – Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, – Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, – Minister for Community Services, – Minister for Education, – Minister for Finance, and – Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation. The Taskforce: – drives implementation of the VIAF across all areas of the Victorian Government, – focuses government action on achieving VIAF goals, – galvanises departments and agencies to meet the challenges posed by Growing Victoria Together, A Fairer Victoria, the New Representative and Community Engagement Arrangements and portfolio-specific plans to deal with Indigenous disadvantage.

Diagram 5 – VIAF Co-ordination and Management Framework

Refer to PDF of this document for this diagram

Representation and engagement Premier’s Aboriginal Advisory Council and new representative arrangements The 2006–07 Victorian Budget committed funding to develop new community engagement and representative arrangements. The result is a three-tier structure for Indigenous governance that will comprise 38 Local Indigenous Networks (LINs), eight Regional Indigenous Councils (RICs), and

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 the Premier’s Aboriginal Advisory Council. Diagram 5 shows how this structure will work with the Victorian Government. Introduction of these governance arrangements continued in 2007–08. Twenty-four LINs were in place by the end of the report year. All Local Indigenous Networks and Regional Indigenous Councils are expected to be in place by 2009–10. The Premier’s Aboriginal Advisory Council will include RIC and Indigenous peak body representation by 2009–10. The LINs strengthen the capacity of Indigenous people to participate in mainstream planning processes managed by local government, local services and other local community organisations. While the new representative arrangements for Indigenous Victorians are set up, an Interim Premier’s Aboriginal Advisory Council has been established.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Case Study One Dandenong Local Indigenous Network The Dandenong Local Indigenous Network, established in May 2008, has 47 members including staff and board members of the local Aboriginal cooperative, Indigenous state and local government employees, community elders, men and women of various ages, young parents and students. It meets each month. The Network’s current priorities in Dandenong are to improve Indigenous school retention rates and education outcomes, secure funding for an established men’s group and women’s group, and a local Indigenous community hub. It has met with its Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (LAECG) to discuss local education priorities. The Dandenong LIN is also working to achieve greater Indigenous participation in the Revitalising Central Dandenong Project being undertaken by the Victorian Government (through VicUrban) and the City of Greater Dandenong. Issues raised by the youth group include increasing access to out-of-school and social activities and establishing a local homework centre that could also provide tutoring support. The youth group also recently received a grant for sports uniforms which will enable young Indigenous people in Dandenong to participate in local and regional sporting events.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Core principles Government-community partnership principles underpin the government’s work with Indigenous people and communities. These include: – a holistic community-centred approach, locally and regionally driven that includes a ground up process for planning and priority setting, – developing partnerships within and across Indigenous services, communities and government that foster prevention initiatives, – establishing an agreed framework for joint planning across government agencies and sectors to promote community wellbeing, – creating funding frameworks which are accountable but flexible in accommodating local need, – engaging in a process of community participation that actively engages and supports community leaders and stakeholders at the local level, – investing in the development of culturally appropriate and evidence-based prevention resources that can be implemented on an Indigenous population-wide basis, – supporting all prevention responses through evaluation, and – ensuring ongoing training and development of Indigenous personnel. These principles are applied in partnerships with the community and underpin the government’s approach to reducing and eradicating the problems that result in accumulated disadvantage. Partnership in action Departmental Secretaries’ local community partnership projects Victorian departmental secretaries lead specific local activities to improve outcomes for children and young people in areas identified by the Ministerial Taskforce. Partnership Projects are located in Mildura, Casey, Whittlesea and Lakes Entrance. The locations selected have large Indigenous populations and concentrated disadvantage indicators. Departmental partnerships A number of partnerships between departments and Indigenous communities were formed prior to the creation of the VIAF. Considerable community and public-sector effort has gone into developing and implementing these partnerships and related plans. Some of the major partnerships are described below. Aboriginal Justice Agreement The Aboriginal Justice Agreement, launched in 2000, is a formal agreement between the Government and the Indigenous community. It deals with the ongoing issue of Indigenous over- representation in all levels of the criminal justice system. It aims to improve access to justice-related services and promote greater awareness in the Indigenous community of civil, legal and political rights. Yalca: A Partnership in Education and Training for the New Millennium (Koorie Education Policy) The Victorian Aboriginal Education Association has a 20-year relationship with the Victorian Department of Education (now the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development). All education strategies and programs developed for and by Indigenous people are expected to support the partnership’s aims. Wannik (Learning Together, Journey to Our Future)

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 In February 2008, the Minister for Education launched Victoria’s education strategy for Indigenous students, Wannik (Learning Together, Journey to Our Future). Wannik was developed in partnership between the Education Department and the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association. Fundamental to Wannik is the fostering of a new culture of high expectations for Koorie students, and systemic reform across government schools to deliver the best possible education to meet these expectations. Wurreker Strategy (Skills Victoria) The Wurreker Strategy follows intensive consultation with the Indigenous community. Wurreker is the main strategy for Indigenous vocational education and training policy development and service delivery in Victoria. Wurreker guides strategies relating to Indigenous post-compulsory education and training. Building the Economic Base: The Victorian Government’s Indigenous Business Development Strategy 2005-2007 (Department of Industry, Innovation and Regional Development) This strategy was developed following regional and metropolitan meetings involving Indigenous communities and businesses and state and federal government departments and agencies. The strategy complements similar Victorian Government initiatives in areas such as land and culture, community wellbeing and justice. Indigenous Partnership Framework 2007-2010 (Department of Sustainability and Environment) The Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Indigenous Partnership Framework weaves Indigenous perspectives into all aspects of the department’s business. Acknowledging the intrinsic connection that Victoria’s Indigenous people have to their country, the department uses the framework as a guiding policy for action. The Aboriginal Services Plan 2008-2010 (Department of Human Services) The Aboriginal Services Plan 2008-2010 outlines commitments by the Department of Human Services to improve outcomes for Indigenous people. Developed in consultation with representatives of Indigenous communities and community organisations, it builds on the successes of the 2004 plan and targets Department of Human Services efforts in agreed priority areas. Next Steps New partnerships are also being developed. Because Mental Health Matters: Victorian Mental Health Reform strategy The whole-of-government Because Mental Health Matters: Victorian Mental Health Reform strategy, to be released in early 2009, incorporates a specific focus on improving the mental health of Aboriginal people, their families and community. The strategy gives priority to developing culturally responsive services that focus on prevention, early intervention and recovery – delivered in ways that allow for local solutions and build on the strength, expertise and resilience that exists in Aboriginal organisations and communities. The Mental Health and Drugs Division of the Department of Human Services worked closely with the Victorian Aboriginal Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) and other key Aboriginal

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 organisations and individuals throughout the development of the strategy to identify strategic directions and areas for priority action. As part of this partnership, VACCHO was contracted to lead a comprehensive consultation process involving key stakeholder groups and individuals in the Indigenous community. The Department of Human Services will continue to work collaboratively with VACCHO and other key Indigenous organisations to implement relevant priority actions identified in the mental health reform strategy. Koori Alcohol Action Plan As per 1.3 of the 2008-2013 Victorian Alcohol Action Plan (VAAP): Restore the Balance, the Department of Human Services in partnership with VACCHO and their comprehensive consultation process, will develop a whole-of-government Koori Alcohol Action Plan (KAAP). This strategy aims to achieve long term change to prevent and reduce the long term harms associated with alcohol use in Koori communities through a range of prevention, early intervention and treatment responses. The broad range of the KAAP is to build Indigenous community capacity through partnerships, improve the evidence base for action through research, outcomes measurement and evaluation, and to utilise coordinated action across Government.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 4 Area for action 1: Improve maternal health and early childhood health and development We are working in partnership with the Indigenous community to give mothers and their babies the best start to life. Action area 1 objectives: 1.1 Reduce reported smoking and alcohol use among pregnant Indigenous women. 1.2 Reduce the Indigenous perinatal mortality rate. 1.3 Decrease the percentage of Indigenous babies with birth weight below 2500 grams. Snapshot Reduce reported smoking in pregnancy by Indigenous mothers. – Current status 40.5 per cent (Indigenous women giving birth who smoke)7. Reduce the Indigenous perinatal mortality rate. – Current status 20.4 deaths per 1000 births8. Decrease the percentage of Indigenous babies with birth weight below 2500 grams. – Current status 13.2 per cent low birth weight babies9.

To improve life expectancy and quality of life for Indigenous Victorians, mothers and babies must be provided with the best possible start to life. The early years are critical to the long-term health and development of all children and their future life chances. Improving outcomes for Indigenous mothers and babies to match those experienced by other Victorians is one of the government’s highest priorities. Perinatal mortality Perinatal mortality measures the rate of stillbirths (foetal deaths of more than 20 weeks gestation or 400 grams) and neonatal deaths (deaths of live-born infants within 28 days of birth). Perinatal mortality rates are important measures of the health of mothers and babies and of general health and wellbeing in the community. As well, they are indicators of the quality of antenatal care, the effectiveness of obstetric services and the quality of infant care in hospitals and the community. Causes of perinatal mortality include preterm birth, foetal growth restriction, congenital malformations, specific obstetric complications, antepartum haemorrhage and maternal complications.10 Many perinatal deaths are unexplained. Particular risk factors for babies of Indigenous mothers include under-utilisation of antenatal services, younger mothers (under 20 years), low self esteem and stress, and socio-economic factors affecting Indigenous women and

7 Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset, 2007/08

8 Perinatal Data Collection Unit (PDCU), Department of Human Services. The Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity rate is a smoothed average annually over the seven-year period 2000–2006. Measure is the number of perinatal deaths (stillbirths and neonatal deaths) divided by total of births x 1000 (excluding terminations of pregnancy for psychosocial reasons).

9 PDCU, Department of Human Services. Rate is a smoothed average over three years of births under 2500 grams (excluding all terminations of pregnancy). Rate calculated using 2005, 2006 and 2007 calendar

years.

10 Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007, Causes of Death 2005, ABS cat.no. 3303.0, p41, ABS, Canberra.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 families.11 12 Measure of Current Performance Victorian Indigenous perinatal mortality rates (2000–2006) equate to 20.4 deaths per 1000 births, compared with a non-Indigenous rate of 9.7 per 1000 births.13

Birth weight Low birth weight babies are at greater risk of dying during their first year of life (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2004). Low birth weight is also associated with high morbidity, requiring hospitalisation, possible death in the first 28 days of life, physical and neurological defects and psycho-social problems. Smoking in pregnancy is a key risk factor for low birth weight. Young mothers (under 20 years) are also more likely to have low birth weight babies, particularly where they were low birth weight babies themselves. In 2006, 18 per cent of Indigenous women giving birth were aged less than 20 years, compared with three per cent of non-Indigenous mothers14. Measure of Current Performance Babies born to Indigenous women are more than twice as likely to be of low birth weight as babies born to non-Indigenous women (13.2 per cent and 6.6 per cent respectively)15.

Alcohol and smoking Smoking in pregnancy is a major contributing factor to low birth weight, as well as being associated with premature birth, stillbirth, some birth defects and sudden infant death syndrome.16 The positive news is that cessation of smoking before becoming pregnant or early in pregnancy results in foetal growth and perinatal morbidity rates almost identical to babies born to non- smokers17. Reducing smoking prevalence is one of the few interventions shown to reduce low birth weight and pre-term births.18 Research suggests the risk of a low birth weight baby is reduced if a woman quits smoking in her pregnancy (within the first three months), the risk is not reduced by cutting down.19 Quitting any time during pregnancy will improve the health outcomes of mother and baby. The desire to become pregnant and pregnancy itself can motivate women to stop smoking. As part of its work developing a quit-smoking program for young Indigenous women, Townsville Aboriginal and Islanders Health Services surveyed a group of pregnant and postnatal women to assess smoking habits, attitudes to smoking, nicotine dependence and readiness for change. Of the 66 women surveyed, 32 per cent were not contemplating giving up, 58 per cent were considering giving up, and 15 per cent were trying to give up. The survey showed that Indigenous pregnant

11 NSW Department of Health 2003, NSW Aboriginal Perinatal Health Report, NSW Department of Health, Sydney 2003, p25. http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/aboriginal

12 For more information see: Aboriginal Services Plan Key Indicators 2006/07, Department of Human Services, 2007.

13 PDCU, Department of Human Services, The Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (CCOPMM), 2007

14 Perinatal Data Collection Unit (PDCU), Department of Human Services, The Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity, 2007. Excludes terminations for psychosocial reasons.

15 PDCU, Department of Human Services. Rate is a smoothed average over three years of births under 2500 grams (excluding all terminations of pregnancy). Rate calculated using 2004, 2005 and 2006 calendar years. The non-Indigenous rate uses 2005 data only.

16 US Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing the Health Consequences of Smoking: 25 years of progress. A report of the Surgeon General, Rockville, Maryland: US Department of Health and

Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 1989.

17 Ahlsten et al. Cessation of smoking during pregnancy improves foetal growth and reduces infant morbidity in the neonatal period Acta Paed 1993:82 (2).

18 Lumley J. Overview of current research and direction on health effects of smoking and benefits of quitting during pregnancy in: Australian Medical Association, Smoking and Pregnancy – A national consensus conference. Canberra 1999.

19 US Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation – A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville Maryland: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health

Services, Centers for Disease Control, Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of Smoking and Health, 1990.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 women may be more prepared and more motivated to quit. Few programs aimed at encouraging Indigenous women to stop smoking have been implemented or evaluated. Greater effort in this area is required. Existing data is not complete enough to make meaningful statements about alcohol consumption by pregnant Indigenous women. Although research links excess alcohol use with perinatal health generally in Victoria, there is no current evidence linking excess alcohol use in pregnancy to the high rate of Indigenous perinatal deaths. Further work to clarify any link is required. Measure of Current Performance Victorian data indicates that in 2007-08 40.5 per cent of Indigenous mothers smoked at the time of birth compared to 7.9 per cent of non-Indigenous women20. Other challenges The rate of low birth weight babies in a particular community is also a good indicator of the general health of that community. Overcrowded living conditions, lower socio-economic status and mothers’ stress levels are factors also linked to low birth weight.21 Of 57 women using the Koori maternity program at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in 2004–05, just over half (55 per cent) were assessed as having significant housing problems (overcrowding, unsuitable housing or homelessness at some point during pregnancy). In addition, 82 per cent of these women were assessed as having significant social issues including drug use, family violence, involvement with child protection, lack of support, social isolation and mental health issues.22 Targets agreed by the Council of Australian Governments on Closing the Gap point to the need for a better start to life and support to young Indigenous people, including those who become parents at an early age. Improving the availability of culturally appropriate information about sexual and reproductive health and choices to young Indigenous Victorians is a priority for government and Indigenous communities in Victoria. Other priorities include improving the availability of Indigenous maternity services and providing mentoring and community support for young Indigenous parents. The impact of successive generations of Indigenous people who were taken from their parents under past policies cannot be underestimated in responding to these priorities. What we are doing Access to maternal and early childhood health services is continually improving. Koori Maternity Strategy The Koori Maternity Strategy seeks to decrease perinatal morbidity and mortality through: – increasing access to antenatal care including antenatal care earlier in pregnancy – increasing access to culturally appropriate care in pregnancy through to the postnatal period – increasing women’s knowledge about, participation in and satisfaction with their care – increasing breastfeeding rates, reducing smoking and drug and alcohol use and encouraging

20 Victorian Admitted Episodes Data, 2007–2008

21 As cited in May 2007 MJA Chronic stress and low birth weight neonates in a low-income population of women. Borders AE, Grobman WA, Amsden LB, Holl JL. Obstet Gynecl (2007) Feb;109(2 Pt 1):331-8. This

study provides evidence that chronic psychosocial stress may be associated with low birth weight neonates in a low-income population of women. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

22 Koori maternity service annual report to Department of Human Services (2004-5) from Victorian Aboriginal Health Service

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 healthy behaviour – increasing confidence among Indigenous women and their families during pregnancy and childbirth, and in their parenting abilities – improving parenting skills in a way that respects cultural identity – promoting partnerships between Indigenous communities and other services including mainstream health services, maternal and child health services and family support services. The Koori Maternity Service (KMS) program is provided through 11 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. There are two models for this program, which helps women through to the postnatal period. The most comprehensive model employs a midwife and an Indigenous maternity health worker to provide a range of advocacy and health promotion services, including outreach. Other services employ an Indigenous maternity health worker to work with their clinical staff and/or the local hospital. In line with other maternity service providers around the state, the KMS program is being used by an increasing number of women. KMS program report highlights The principal themes of the 2007–08 reports include: – reduction in the incidence of low birth weight babies – 85 per cent of babies at six sites had a birth weight greater than 2500grams – positive relationships with birth hospitals accessed by KMS participants – ongoing strategies to maintain and strengthen relationships with clinicians in mainstream services – increased awareness in communities, particularly among young women, of the KMS program.

Diagram 6 – Aboriginal children using Maternal and Child Health service, 1999/00 – 2006/07

Source: Aboriginal Services Plan key indicators, Department of Human Services, 2008 Refer to PDF of this document for this diagram

The In Home Support for Aboriginal Families program The In Home Support for Aboriginal Families program is being implemented in five sites across Victoria with a sixth site to be established in 2008–09. The program was developed to strengthen parenting across the domains of health, development, learning, wellbeing and safety of children aged 0-3 years via group activities and intensive parenting support in the home environment. The first of three home-based learning programs is currently being established in Mildura and will assist Aboriginal families to provide improved home learning environments for young children, aged 3–5 years, and empower parents as the primary educators of their children in the home in order to maximise the chances of successful kindergarten and early school experiences. Having established relationships with families through the In Home Support program, it is proposed that the home-based learning program will be implemented as an extension to the In Home Support program, effectively establishing one team that works with families of children 0–5 years across all domains mentioned above. This will provide a seamless continuum of service for young children aged 0–5 years by joining up Koori Maternity Services (antenatal-postnatal), Maternal and Child Health Services, In Home Support (0–3 years), Home Based Learning program (3–5 years) and kindergarten to support children’s transition points and into school.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Best Start This program, run jointly by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, aims to improve the health, development, learning and wellbeing of Victorian children, from pregnancy through to eight years of age. Best Start focuses on strengthening the capacity of parents, families and local communities, and of services, to better provide for the needs of young children and their families, particularly vulnerable children and families. There are 30 Best Start sites, six of which are Aboriginal Best Start sites. All partnerships are required to give some priority to engaging with Indigenous communities and organisations in their area. Maternal and Child Health (MCH) service The MCH service exists for all children from birth to school age and their families. It also supports vulnerable families through additional visits under flexible funding models, or through the enhanced MCH service. There has been an increase in the number of Indigenous children accessing MCH services in the past three years, partly through outreach visits to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. MCH nurses play an important role in linking Indigenous children with Koori Early Childhood Education Program workers and/or local early childhood activities including kindergartens. Koori oral health Community dental services give priority access to eligible Indigenous clients. Work is progressing on dental and oral health through the Victorian Advisory Council on Koori Health Oral Health Subcommittee. The subcommittee aims to improve Indigenous oral health by improving access to dental health services and oral health promotions. Action includes increasing awareness that Indigenous people are entitled to priority access to public dental services and targeted oral health promotion. Next steps The Victorian Government and Indigenous communities seek to improve services based on evidence of what works. The Koori Maternity Services program is estimated to reach 50 per cent of Victoria’s Indigenous population23. To be more effective KMS needs to cover a greater proportion of the population. Detailed actions include: 1. Health promoting initiatives a) Smoking cessation support Indigenous pregnant women participating in the Koori Maternity Service will be offered quit- smoking support throughout their pregnancy and post partum. The first phase of the quit-smoking program will be trialled in a small number of services. In addition, the Indigenous In Home Support program can provide a range of health prevention and promotion activities, including quit-smoking programs. The In Home Support program can provide support from pregnancy through to age two. The Chronic Disease Prevention Unit of the Department of Human Services is developing a Victorian Tobacco Control Strategy 2008–2013. Reducing the incidence of smoking among Indigenous Victorians will be a focus of the strategy.

23 Department of Human Services 2008

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 The Victorian Tobacco Control Strategy 2008-2013 was launched by the Minister for Health in December 2008. Developed by the Chronic Disease Prevention Unit (DHS), the strategy sets a target to reduce smoking prevalence in the Aboriginal population by at least 20 per cent by 2013. The Government has provided $400,000 to VACCHO for an Aboriginal pregnancy research project as part of a second target under the strategy, which is to halve smoking rates in Victorian pregnant women by 2013. b) Early identification and treatment of infections in pregnancy Dental disease Poor oral health is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Dental Health Services Victoria is developing a Koori Dental Health Plan. Priority actions are to: – support Aboriginal community-controlled health organisations to work with community dental clinics to improve the oral health of Indigenous communities – support local planners and service providers to develop oral health promotion strategies in partnership with Indigenous communities – link with existing prenatal programs to provide better oral health education to pregnant women. Improving the sexual health of Indigenous Victorians Government services are working with Indigenous groups and health service providers to improve testing, treatment and prevention programs in Indigenous communities, including workforce training and support. Moves to encourage doctors to report Indigenous status when notifying a communicable disease have been initiated. This will improve the data available on infection rates in the Indigenous community.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Case Study Two Best Start: Welcome Baby to Country ceremony The Welcome Baby to Country project is a contemporary concept based on the Aboriginal tradition of ‘Tandurrum’, which was a ceremony performed by the traditional owners to recognise and welcome other visiting Aboriginal people and families upon entering their traditional lands and country. In this specific context, the Welcome Baby to Country ceremony facilitated a positive and inspiring engagement of traditional owners and the broader Aboriginal community to celebrate the birth of Indigenous babies in the Wimmera/Mallee region, focus attention on children’s needs and achievements and acknowledge the role of parents, carers and families in their growth and development. The Welcome Baby to Country project was a joint initiative between Barengi Gadjin Land Council, the Delkaia Aboriginal Best Start project and Horsham Rural City Council. The project was also successful in increasing the engagement of relevant support services with Indigenous parents, carers and families and in providing an opportunity to supply information, resources and assistance to Indigenous parents and families on children’s needs and health and wellbeing issues.

This initiative won the 2008 Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Early Years Award

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 c) Other prevention/health promotion activity Good nutrition is important for pregnant women. However, there is a lack of data on effective methods in improving nutrition, particularly among pregnant Indigenous women. The Government is funding six communities to implement the ‘Go for your life’ Health Promoting Communities: Being Active and Eating Well projects in an effort to improve nutrition. 2. Increasing evidence and improving evaluation Developing evidence-based actions are a challenge due to a lack of data and research in many areas – particularly Victorian-based research. Plans to address this problem include: a) Aboriginal child health, development and wellbeing survey The Victorian survey, to be conducted in 2008–09, will enable comparisons with the general population from the Victorian Child Health and Wellbeing survey. It will be modelled on a successful Western Australian survey and will include face-to-face interviews with the families of about 3000 children aged 0–18. The survey will focus on defining and describing the health, development and wellbeing of Indigenous children and young people, and will include questions relating to pregnancy and birth. It will provide a unique opportunity to get robust data on Indigenous women’s smoking, drinking and drug-taking behaviours. b) Indigenous ‘Healthy Mothers, Healthy Families’ survey Authors of three Victorian Surveys of Recent Mothers (1990, 1994 and 2000) from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute have recently received National Health and Medical Research Council funding to conduct a fourth survey of recent mothers (in Victoria and South Australia). The Victorian Government has contributed funding towards the survey and requested over- sampling of Indigenous mothers. A separate survey will target all women who give birth to an Indigenous baby in 2008 (Indigenous mother and/or the father). Although this survey focuses on women’s satisfaction with maternity care, it will also include information on risk-taking behaviours during pregnancy and family violence. Findings are expected to be useful in terms of recommending future improvements in maternity care. c) The Koori maternity data exploration project This project will, for the first time, assess data availability and, where possible, measure birth/pregnancy outcomes for Indigenous women who received Koori Maternity Services compared with other Indigenous women who did not receive Koori Maternity Services. Due for completion in 2008, it will recommend a minimum data set for the Koori Maternity Service program, to which more robust data can be added over time. 3. Addressing broader social determinants Low birth weight is an indicator of general health conditions within a community. Achieving improvements in low birth weights requires a sustained approach in addressing the social, psychological, environmental and economic determinants of health. The Victorian Advisory Council on Koori Health is developing a Victorian Aboriginal Health Plan to tackle the many impediments to good health. Educational attainment is associated with birth weight and low birth weight is more common in teenage mothers. Ensuring young Indigenous mothers continue in education will be an important part of a sustained strategy to tackle the gap in perinatal health. 4. What more needs to be done to achieve the targets?

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Investing in health services alone will not achieve the desired maternal and perinatal outcomes sought by the VIAF. Evidence suggests that the most significant improvements occur when initiatives are developed by Indigenous communities; so action needs to occur at a service and community level. It is important to continue to build evidence and base future initiatives on what has been shown to work.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Case Study Three Community led Health Initiative One of these projects is at the Wathaurong Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation in North Geelong. Further, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation has been funded by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Planning and Community Development to develop a nutrition and physical activity action plan for Indigenous Victorians. The plan will include a focus on developing culturally relevant programs for healthy eating and physical activity in the Indigenous community; including addressing poor nutrition during pregnancy and childhood. Funding to implement these programs state-wide will be required.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Action area 1 objective: 1.4 Increase the Indigenous four-year-old kindergarten participation rate. Current situation The early years of life are critical to a child’s future life outcomes. Poverty, family conflict, untreated illness, neglect and abuse can all delay or disrupt learning, social and emotional development and cause significant adverse outcomes in current and later life. Indigenous children are more likely to experience such stresses than other Victorian children. Indigenous families are much more likely to experience such stresses as a result of dispossession, dislocation and discrimination, unemployment and exclusion. Indigenous children face a much higher risk of educational disadvantage. The State of Victoria’s Children (2006) reports that in 2004, fewer Indigenous students, than all students, reached reading, writing and numeracy benchmarks in years 3, 5 and 7. While the performance of Indigenous students remains behind that of non-Indigenous students, their performance has generally improved since 2001. There was a significant improvement in year 3 reading, writing and numeracy between 2001 and 2004. Barriers to Indigenous children accessing kindergarten are symptoms of broader socio-economic conditions for Indigenous families such as poverty, poor health, inadequate housing and family violence. There are significant opportunities to intervene to improve the educational opportunities of young Indigenous children, through helping parents provide better home learning environments, providing kindergarten programs for children, and by helping Indigenous families and communities take up these opportunities. Strategies are needed to increase the participation of Indigenous children in kindergarten programs to help smooth their transition to school and promote later school engagement and success. In July 2007, the Victorian Government funded free kindergarten for four-year-old children who hold or whose parents or guardian hold an appropriate concession card. This initiative was extended in January 2008 to include three-year-old Indigenous children. This is the first time Victoria has targeted funded kindergarten programs for disadvantaged three-year-olds. Early childhood research acknowledges the positive impact that early-childhood strategies in health and education can have on future life outcomes. Quality early-childhood education programs result in better educational outcomes and improve children’s cognitive and non-cognitive skills. Children who have attended an early childhood education program are more likely to make a successful transition to school. Disadvantaged children benefit more than children from non-disadvantaged families, particularly when they attend centres that cater for a mix of backgrounds and engage parents (Centre for Community Child Health 2000). By engaging parents in the school and their children’s early learning, children’s social and emotional preparation for school is enhanced (Corter et al. 2006). The home learning environment is of critical importance in children’s cognitive development. It is estimated to be about twice as influential as education and care provision outside the home. A positive family learning environment can promote social and intellectual development in children, regardless of socio-economic status, parental education or place of residence. The active involvement of parents in their children’s learning and development is directly related to improved

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 cognitive and language outcomes for the child. Measure of Current Performance Data collected in 2008 from funded kindergarten programs indicates that 525 Indigenous four- year-old children are currently attending a funded kindergarten program in 243 funded locations. This is up from 504 Indigenous children attending a funded kindergarten program in 246 locations in 2007. What we are doing In April 2007, 83 per cent of Indigenous children at kindergarten attended non-Indigenous kindergarten services, and 17 per cent (87 children) attended five Indigenous kindergartens and two Multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Services. Another four multifunctional Aboriginal Children’s Services operate in Victoria, but they do not have a funded kindergarten program. Koorie Early Childhood field officers and preschool assistants play an active role in encouraging and supporting the access and participation of Indigenous children and their families in local kindergartens. These officers and assistants are part of the Koorie Early Childhood Education Program. The Government has provided resources for implementing its three-year-old kindergarten strategy. In 2008 the 11 part-time Koorie Early Childhood Field Officer positions were increased to full-time positions. Field officers support and educate kindergarten staff in the delivery of culturally relevant programs and promote the importance of kindergarten among Indigenous families and communities. All Department of Education and Early Childhood Development regions will develop action plans including strategies to: – increase the number of kindergarten places in areas of short supply – strengthen the capacity of kindergartens to provide culturally inclusive programs – engage Indigenous parents as active participants in their child’s kindergarten program. A range of universal and targeted services support improved developmental and educational outcomes for young Indigenous children. The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) service is a highly valued universal service that helps and supports young children and their families. It is delivered by the Victorian and local governments. In 2005–2006, participation rates for Indigenous children at each of the 10 age and stage visits to the MCH service were collected for the first time. Recent data suggests moderate increases in Indigenous participation in these visits in the first 12 months. These are illustrated in Table 4. New parents of Indigenous children are also supported by the Enhanced Maternal and Child Health program. This MCH service includes a home visiting service, and targets vulnerable and high-need families, including Indigenous children and families. The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service also provides a Maternal and Child Health Service as part of its Women’s and Children unit.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Table 2 Participation rates MCH service 2005–2006 and 2006–2007

Key age and stage Statewide rate Indigenous rate Indigenous rate visit 2005–06 2006–07

Home visit 96% 77.6% 85.1%

2 weeks 93.1% 69.8% 77%

4 weeks 91.3% 65% 74.2%

8 weeks 91.7% 65.3% 74.2%

4 mths 89.4% 63.4% 66.7%

8 mths 82.4% 56.5% 57.2%

12 mths 78.3% 49.8% 53.4%

18 mths 68% 45% 43%

2 yrs 64.7% 43.1% 43%

3.5 yrs 58% 47.2% 36.8%

Source: DEECD Next steps Initiatives enhancing education and development outcomes for Indigenous pre-school children will be expanded in 2008–09. The 2007–08 state budget made kindergarten free for three-year-old Indigenous children on concession cards, expanded the Koori Early Childhood Education program and provided enriched home-based learning to involve parents more in their child’s learning. These and other initiatives are in the early stages of implementation. Given the dispersed nature of the Indigenous population in Victoria, most Indigenous children attend mainstream kindergartens. To increase their kindergarten participation rate an assertive inclusion program is required, as well as culturally sensitive programs amongst other things. In 2008, 106 Indigenous three-year-olds attended kindergarten. This is expected to increase to 450 in 2011–12. Funding to expand the Koorie Early Childhood Education Program provides a real opportunity to address gaps in service demand and to increase employment opportunities for Indigenous people. Experience in recent years indicates that new initiatives with Indigenous communities work best when the local community expresses an interest in a project, demonstrates a readiness to start it,

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 and has the resources to build on the project. Action area 1 objective: 1.5 Reduce the rate of Indigenous child protection substantiations. Current situation Snapshot In 2007–08 the rate of Indigenous child protection substantiations in Victoria was 55.0 per 1000 compared with 5.5 per 1000 for other children.24

The rate of child protection substantiations is an important measure of the overall safety and wellbeing of children. Indigenous communities and the government share concern for the safety and wellbeing of many Indigenous children and are determined to reduce child abuse. Abuse and neglect of children is linked to pervasive socio-economic disadvantage in Victoria’s Indigenous population. In tackling the cycle of poverty and disempowerment, consideration must be given to treating the effects of trans-generational trauma. The report Bringing Them Home25 listed some of the underlying causes of the over-representation of Indigenous children in the child welfare system as: – the legacy of past policies of the forced removal of children from their families – inter-generational effects of previous separations from family and culture – poor socio-economic status. Reducing the rate of Indigenous child protection substantiations will only be achieved if the problem is dealt with in the context of other Indigenous service needs, such as housing, education and employment services. Victoria has a high rate of substantiations of child abuse among Indigenous children compared with that for non-Indigenous children. It also has a very high rate of Indigenous substantiations compared with other jurisdictions.26

Diagram 7 – Rate of child protection substantiations, 2000/01-2007/08

Source: Children, Youth and Families Division, Department of Human Services, 2008 Refer to PDF of this document for this diagram

What we are doing A range of universal, specialist and targeted assistance is available to help families care for children. Given the disproportionate number of Indigenous children brought to the attention of child protection services it is important to help families access these important support services. Universal early childhood services and schools

24 Children, Youth and Families Division, Department of Human Services, 2008.

25 Bringing Them Home (National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children form their Families (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission 1997)

26 The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare cautions against comparing substantiations across jurisdictions as legislation, policy and practice variations impact on rates of substantiation.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 All parents need support to advance their children’s health, learning and wellbeing. Increasingly, Indigenous families are being supported with services that are more inclusive, useful and flexible. This includes: – Koori Maternity Services. Approximately 50 per cent of all Victorian Indigenous women giving birth are supported before and immediately after birth by Koori Maternity Services27. Some mothers with higher needs receive additional support over the first three years through the In Home Support service – Most Indigenous families are in touch with, and supported by, Maternal and Child Health nurses in the first two to three years of childhood – Aboriginal Best Start partnerships have been established in some areas with a high Indigenous population to improve outcomes for Indigenous children. Child Protection The Victorian Government invests significant effort in improving the effectiveness and responsiveness of Child Protection and related services. The protocol between the Department of Human Service’s Child Protection, the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency and the Mildura Aboriginal Corporation has been operational since 2002. Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in each region have appointed community conveners as part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Decision-Making Program. This program enables extended family and respected elders to participate in decision-making and case planning about the safety, stability, care and development of Aboriginal children within the Child Protection system. Aboriginal Family Preservation and Restoration Programs are helping Aboriginal children return home by improving safety and parenting capacity within families. Integrated family services The Children, Youth and Families Act (2005) outlines new directions and principles to: – promote the safety, stability and development of vulnerable children and their families – build child, family and community capacity and resilience. New Child FIRST (Family Information, Referral and Support Teams) have been established across the state to provide a community-based referral point into family services including Aboriginal family services. Child FIRST teams work closely with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in their catchment to ensure service responses regarding Indigenous children and families are culturally competent. Family services alliances in each catchment play a key role in this regard. Family services provide a range of services based on an initial assessment including home-based and centre-based interventions, crisis intervention, group work, counselling, mediation, youth focussed interventions and family decision making. Capacity building The Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 requires community services (including out-of-home care and family services) to be registered and assessed against a number of performance standards. To assist Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to build their capacity and achieve registration, project officers have been employed. All Aboriginal Controlled Community Organisations delivering placement or family services have a current action plan in place. Cultural competency

27 Department of Human Services, 2008

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 All community service organisations will be required to demonstrate the provision of culturally competent services in order to achieve registration. The Department of Human Services has commissioned the development of an Aboriginal Cultural Competency Framework to assist organisations achieve this goal. A feature of the framework will be the formation of partnerships between mainstream services and local Aboriginal communities and services. The framework will be distributed to the sector in December 2008 and associated training provided in early 2009. Next steps The Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (S.18) provides for the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to authorise the principal officer of an Aboriginal agency to perform specified powers or exercise specified powers with regards to a child on a protection order. This is a significant step towards greater self-determination for communities over Aboriginal children who are subject to a protection order. This work will require substantial policy development and capacity building within Aboriginal organisations. A working party has been formed to take this work forward. Aboriginal organisations will focus on Capacity Building Action Plans. The plans span a five-year period with close monitoring and support to ensure organisations meet the requirements for registration. Further monitoring, liaison and enhancement of the Aboriginal Child Specialist Advice and Support Service across the state will continue to occur in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency and Mildura Aboriginal Corporation. Child FIRST teams will be fully implemented across the state when the final eight teams are established in early 2009.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 5 Area for action 2: Improve literacy and numeracy Education is fundamental to a child’s welfare and development. We are working in partnership with Indigenous communities to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of all Indigenous children so that, over time, their skills will be of a standard that matches non-Indigenous students. Action area 2 objectives: 2.1 Improve school attendance rates for Indigenous students. 2.2 Improve literacy and numeracy in years 3, 5 and 7 for Indigenous students. Current situation Snapshot Attendance28 In 2007: – Average attendance rate for Indigenous primary school students was 87.3 per cent compared with 93.1 per cent for non-Indigenous primary school students – Average attendance rate for Indigenous secondary school students (years 7-10) was 82.2 per cent compared with 90.6 per cent for non-Indigenous secondary school students. Literacy and numeracy29 In 2007: – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 3 achieving the national benchmark for reading was 86.1 per cent (national result 80.7 per cent) compared to 93.6 per cent for all Victorian year 3 students – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 3 achieving the national benchmark for writing was 86.1 per cent (national result 76.6 per cent) compared to 94.1 per cent for all Victorian year 3 students – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 3 achieving the national benchmark for numeracy was 88.5 per cent (national result 78.8 per cent) compared to 95.0 per cent for all Victorian year 3 students – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 5 achieving the national benchmark for reading was 79.9 per cent (national result 67.6 per cent) compared to 91.4 per cent for all Victorian year 5 students – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 5 achieving the national benchmark for writing was 89.6 per cent (national result 79.5 per cent) compared to 96.0 per cent for all Victorian year 5 students – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 5 achieving the national benchmark for numeracy was 75.4 per cent (national result 65.5 per cent) compared to 91.5 per cent for all Victorian year 5 students – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 7 achieving the national benchmark in reading was 79.9 per cent (national result 64.7 per cent) compared to 93.0 per cent for all Victorian students. – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 7 achieving the national benchmark in

28 All attendance figures refer to Victorian Government schools

29 All literacy and numeracy benchmark data in this document has been sourced from the National Report on Schooling: years 2003–2007

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 writing was 82.8 per cent (national result 74.5 per cent) compared to 94.8 per cent for all Victorian students. – The proportion of Victorian Indigenous students in year 7 achieving the national benchmark for numeracy was 67.6 per cent (national result 46.0 per cent) while for all Victorian students it was 89.0 per cent.

NOTES Literacy and numeracy data for Victorian Indigenous students are subject to measurement error in the range of 3.0 per cent to 5.0 per cent.

As such, caution should be exercised when interpreting and comparing the results. The full data set is published at http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/ANR2007Bmrks-Layout_FINAL.pdf The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has adopted a detailed set of targets to ‘Close the Gap’ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. COAG recognises that improved education outcomes for Indigenous Australians are crucial to breaking the cycle of disadvantage. COAG adopted the targets of halving the current gaps in literacy and numeracy within a decade and achieving full closure within a generation. Closing the gaps in school attendance and completion rates is part of this challenge. Victoria is well-placed to achieve the COAG targets in advance of other states. In February 2008, the Minister for Education launched Victoria’s education strategy for Koorie students: Wannik (Learning Together, Journey to our Future) which is to be implemented from 2008–09. Wannik was developed in partnership with the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association. Attendance The 2007 attendance data for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in Victorian Government schools included only those schools that reported at least one Indigenous enrolment. Although average Indigenous school attendance rates in Victoria compare well with other states and territories, there is still a significant difference between Indigenous and non-Indigenous attendance rates. Literacy and numeracy are key to improving outcomes, and attendance at school can improve these skills and generally improve confidence for ongoing engagement and attendance. There is a range of strategies currently undertaken in schools that are proving effective in improving attendance. These include: – home visits by teachers and principals – whole-school and targeted attendance programs that include monitoring and follow-up with students and families – parenting and parent support programs – programs that include monitoring and follow-up with students and families – joint programs with the Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups. Literacy and numeracy Victorian Indigenous students do well in literacy and numeracy when compared with Indigenous students nationally, however there is still a gap in meeting national benchmarks when compared to non-Indigenous Victorian students. Data collected by the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) indicates that Indigenous students are coming into the Prep year of schooling less prepared than non-Indigenous students, particularly in regard to reading. However, by year 2, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students narrows markedly.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 The challenge is to maintain high literacy and numeracy skills of Indigenous young people as they move through the middle years and later years of schooling. What we are doing Fundamental to Wannik is fostering a new culture of high expectations for Koorie students, and systemic reform across government schools to deliver the best possible education to meet these expectations. An increased emphasis on accountability at the school, regional and system levels, strong leadership, and better engagement with Koorie parents and the community is key to the strategy. Wannik involves: – Reform of education for Indigenous students. Reforms include specific accountabilities of teachers, principals and other staff achieving improvement targets; delivery of cultural awareness training and professional learning packages; fostering high expectations of Indigenous students and building a culturally inclusive curriculum where students (and their parents and families) can recognise their own culture and history. – Greater student engagement. Individual education plans will be prepared for each Indigenous student in partnership with teachers, students, their parents/care givers and Koorie support workers. Managed Individual Pathways Plans will be required for students at risk of disengaging from school and initiatives that encourage school attendance will be strengthened. – Greater literacy and numeracy support. Accelerated support will be provided to students failing to attain expected achievement levels. More literacy specialists will be employed to work in schools with high numbers of Indigenous students. – Support for high-achieving students. Scholarships to be available for high achievers and allocation of places to high Indigenous achievers in select entry government schools. – An expanded and strengthened Indigenous support workforce. Additional Indigenous staff will be recruited and their integration in school activities will be improved. Individual learning plans, school-family engagement, professional development and scholarship availability will be strengthened to increase the number of available Indigenous teachers. – Strengthened parental engagement. Increased partnerships between schools and local Indigenous communities. Staff will be required to work to minimise barriers to parental engagement with schools. Initiatives that improve parental literacy and numeracy will be developed and implemented. Next steps A detailed plan is currently being developed to support the implementation of Wannik. Priority areas for implementation and development in 2009 include: 1. Improving the foundation skills of literacy and numeracy. 2. Building better youth pathways and transitions. 3. Workforce reform including the Koorie Support Workforce and Teachers. 4. Establishment of four new Koorie Pathway Schools to assist disengaged and ‘at-risk’ Koorie young people to transition into mainstream schools. The schools will focus on literacy and numeracy within a framework of Indigenous culture and identity, and will be located in Glenroy, Mildura, Swan Hill and Morwell. 5. Supporting school leadership and professional development. 6. Fostering and encouraging high-performing students. Key initiatives include: – employment of specialists in literacy and numeracy

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 – individual education plans, managed individual pathways plans and students-at-risk mapping – employment of Youth Transitions Support Workers – redesign of the Koorie Support Workforce – scholarships for students and teachers – increased involvement in national leadership programs.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 6 Area for action 3: Improve year 12 completion or equivalent qualification and develop pathways to employment Completing year 12 can unlock greater education, training and job opportunities for school students. By working in partnership with Indigenous communities, we are providing greater support for Indigenous students to complete year 12 and gain the best start to their professional careers. Action area 3 objectives: 3.1 Improve transition to year 10. 3.2 Increase completion of year 12 or equivalent qualifications for Indigenous students. Current situation Snapshot Schools In 2007 the apparent retention rate for Indigenous students: – from years 7 to 10 was 88.3 per cent (2006 91.1 per cent) compared with 98.7 per cent (2006 98.2 per cent) for all Victorian students. – from years 10 to 12 was 56.7 per cent (2006 47.4 per cent) compared with 81.8 per cent (2006 82.1 per cent) for all Victorian students. – In 2007 190 Indigenous students completed year 12 (up from 160 in 2006) TAFE / VET In 2007 there were 5,223 Indigenous students in the vocational educational and training (VET) sector, an increase of 10 per cent on the previous year. Study outcomes for the Indigenous students were: – module load pass rate of 62 per cent compared to 75 per cent for non-Indigenous – failure rate of 22 per cent compared to 14 per cent for non-Indigenous – module load completion rate of 64 per cent compared to 78 per cent for non-Indigenous. In 2007, 44 per cent of Indigenous student enrolments were in Certificate I and II level programs, 28 per cent were in Certificate III and IV while 5 per cent were in Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas. Young people who complete year 12 or equivalent are: – more likely to fully participate in the labour force – more likely to experience periods of extended employment and work in more secure and higher paid employment30 – less likely to face health-related problems such as stress and anxiety due to job uncertainty31 – less likely to become parents at an earlier age and experience the social and economic disadvantages that are often associated with young parenting – estimated to enjoy double the lifetime earning prospects of those who do not complete year 12. Victoria’s comprehensive strategy for improving educational outcomes for Indigenous students,

30 Access Economics Pty Ltd [2005] The economic benefit of increased participation in education and training p6

31 Vinson, T. [2007] Dropping of the Edge: The Distribution of Disadvantage in Australia p21

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Wannik (Learning Together, Journey to our Future) confirms that: – 16 per cent of Indigenous students leave school between years 9 and 10 compared to three per cent of non-Indigenous students – 22 per cent of Indigenous students leave between years 10 and 11 compared to five per cent of non-Indigenous students – 41 per cent of Indigenous students leave school between years 11 and 12, compared with 18 per cent of non-Indigenous students. Many of these students are choosing to undertake a Vocational Education and Training (VET) or Technical and Further Education (TAFE) qualification at a TAFE institute or private training provider. The Victorian Government supports this by guaranteeing every young person aged up to 20 years without year 12 or an equivalent qualification, a funded place at a TAFE Institute or selected Adult Community Education providers. In 2007, there were 1,562 young Indigenous people (14-19 years old) participating in TAFE or VET. Eight per cent of these were undertaking the Victorian Certificate of Education or equivalent. Learning in formal and informal settings enhances human capital, defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as the knowledge, skills and attributes embodied in individuals that facilitate the creation of personal, social and economic wellbeing.32 Increasing year 12 or equivalent completion rates for Indigenous students in government schools is a key objective for Wannik, as a means of closing the gap of Indigenous disadvantage. What we are doing General approach The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) initiatives aimed at increasing retention to year 12 or equivalent include: – the Managed Individual Pathways Program which assists students aged 15 and above to navigate a pathway to further education and training or work – the Student Mapping Tool which enables schools to easily identify students who have characteristics that are known to increase the risk of early school leaving and to track, monitor and evaluate interventions used to ameliorate the risks – work experience and structured workplace learning as part of the careers program of schools – the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) which has proved effective at encouraging students at risk of disengagement to remain at school – re-engagement programs which are approved programs based in the community that provide the VCAL to students who wish to undertake their qualifications in an alternative setting – online learning and teaching careers and transition resources supported by guidelines for their use with targeted groups, including Indigenous young people – the Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLEN) initiative which supports cooperation between different providers and agencies and acts to strengthen the capacity of stakeholders to support young people’s transition through school to further education, training or full-time employment. Many LLENs work closely with their local Indigenous communities. – Regional Youth Commitments which are a framework negotiated within and between all local and regional stakeholders to link and coordinate pathway and transition support arrangements for 15 to 19 year olds – the 24 transition support workers under the Youth Transition Support Initiative who assist

32 OECD [2001] The Wellbeing of Nations: the Role of Human and Social Capital, OECD, Paris, p18.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 disengaged young people aged 15 to 19 access a sustainable education, training or employment option – the annual On Track survey which ensures that year 10-12 students are given the opportunity to be contacted after leaving school and assisted with further advice if they are not studying or in full-time employment – the School Focused Youth Service that coordinates preventive and early intervention strategies for young people delivered through the 41 school community clusters. Targeted approach Wannik was developed in partnership between DEECD and the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association. There are a number of key strategies to increase year 12 or equivalent completion rates, including expansion of the Youth Transitions and Pathways Support initiative. This includes individual education plans for each Indigenous student in partnership with teachers, students, their parents/care givers and Koorie support workers. It also involves expansion of the Managed Individual Pathways initiative to include Indigenous year 8 and 9 students and full implementation of the Student Mapping Tool into all Government primary and secondary schools with Indigenous students enrolled. Other initiatives include: – support for high achieving students – reform of education for Indigenous students – greater student engagement – greater literacy and numeracy support – an expanded and strengthened Indigenous support workforce – strengthened parental engagement. Refer to Chapter 5 for details of the above initiatives. Skills Victoria’s Wurreker strategy aims to address the training needs and aspirations of Indigenous people and involves 23 Indigenous Liaison Officers employed across TAFE campuses. Other initiatives include: – development of an annual state Indigenous Koorie Training Plan – Indigenous-controlled training centres – a range of training providers for specific Indigenous training programs – tagged funding to TAFE institutions for additional training delivery to Indigenous students. Wurreker brokers promote links at the regional level between secondary schools, local Aboriginal Education Consultative Groups, Local Learning and Employment Networks, TAFE and higher education institutions.33 Next steps Implementation of Wannik and Wurreker strategies are the immediate priorities. Action area 3 objective: 3.3 Increase Indigenous participation in state-funded employment programs [note that Action area 3.3 is combined with Action area 5.1].

33 The Wurreker strategy for Indigenous VET brings together key community, training and employment representatives to undertake annual planning around priorities for the delivery of training that focuses on

employment outcomes.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Current situation Increasing the number of Indigenous Victorians in work, education and training is a critical precondition to addressing Indigenous disadvantage. Workforce participation by young Indigenous Victorians According to the 2006 Australian Census of Population and Housing there were 2,800 young Indigenous Victorians participating in the labour force in 2006. More than 75 per cent were in employment and over 700 were unemployed. A further 2,492 young Indigenous Victorians were not employed or looking for work. Although many may have been participating in formal education or training, a number may have been discouraged jobseekers.

Table 3: Workforce participation rate and unemployment rate for young Indigenous people aged 15-24

15-24 years Indigenous Male Female Total

Employed 1,174 1,000 2,174

Unemployed 376 339 715

Labour force 1,550 1,339 2,889

Not in labour force 1,110 1,382 2,492

Labour force status not stated 156 115 271

Unemployment rate 24.3% 25.3% 24.7%

Participation rate 58.3% 49.2% 53.7%

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2006 The unemployment rate of young Indigenous Victorians was more than 1.5 times higher than the unemployment rate of the total Victorian Indigenous population (15.8 per cent) and their participation rate at 53.7 per cent was well below that of the total Victorian Indigenous population (56.9 per cent). Table 6 presents the labour force statistics for young non-Indigenous people of the same age. It shows the young Indigenous unemployment rate at 24.7 per cent was 2.3 times higher than the unemployment rate of the young non-Indigenous population (10.8 per cent). Young Indigenous Victorians are more likely to work full-time than young non-Indigenous Victorians (49.8 per cent compared with 45.5 per cent) and are more likely to be looking for full time work (67.3 per cent compared with 49.4 per cent). These statistics might reflect the fact that more young non-Indigenous Victorians combine part-time work with education and training, whereas young Indigenous Victorians are more likely to have left education and be participating in the labour market only.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Table 4: Workforce participation rate and unemployment rate for young non-Indigenous people aged 15-24

15-24 years Non-Indigenous Male Female Total

Employed 178,759 178,288 357,047

Unemployed 23,046 20,346 43,392

Labour force 201,805 198,634 400,439

Not in labour force 112,977 109,568 222,545

Labour force status not stated 4,220 3,138 7,358

Unemployment rate 11.0% 10.2% 10.8 %

Participation rate 64.1% 64.4% 64.3%

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2006 General workforce participation by Indigenous Victorians According to 2006 census data, the Indigenous unemployment rate was three times the non- Indigenous unemployment rate at 15.8 per cent compared with 5.3 per cent34, and the participation rate was also lower (56.8 per cent compared with 64.7 per cent for non-Indigenous Victorians). The unemployment rate for Indigenous Victorians (15.8 per cent) was the third-highest rate of all states and territories and was slightly higher than for Indigenous Australians as a whole (15.6 per cent). Indigenous Victorians did have a higher participation rate than the overall rate for Indigenous Australians (56.9 per cent compared with 54.5 per cent).

Diagram 8: Victorian participation rates by age and Indigenous status – 2006

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2006

Diagram 9: Victorian age-standardised* unemployment rates – 2006

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2006* Unemployment rates are standardised against the age distribution in the whole Victorian working- aged population Refer to PDF of this document for these diagrams

Where Indigenous Victorians participate in the workforce, they continue to be over-represented in occupation groups requiring relatively lower levels of skill. Should the national economy slow as part of the current global economic crisis, the most marginal participants in the labour market will be at significant risk, as demand for labour slows. The Australian Census of Population and Housing 2006 found that young Indigenous Victorians were in the lower centiles of income earners

34 ABS Census of Population and Housing 2006: Data includes only those people who stated their Indigenous status and their labour force status

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 when compared with other young Victorians. Young Indigenous Victorians in the labour force in low paid/low skill positions may be particularly vulnerable to the impact of an economic downturn. What we are doing The Victorian Government committed $29.6 million over three years (2005-06 to 2007-08) for Workforce Participation Partnerships (WPP) to help jobseekers facing employment barriers to find real jobs in areas with skill and labour shortages. Many projects have a place-based focus and have been developed in consultation with local employers. They have been jointly managed by local partnerships that bring together industry, local government, training providers, employment services, community organisations, unions and employers. Indigenous jobseekers are one of the target groups of WPP. As at 30 June 2008, seven projects were funded to support Indigenous job seekers and to date: – 209 Indigenous people have registered with the seven projects – 125 Indigenous jobseekers have started employment – 66 Indigenous jobseekers have been employed for 16 weeks or more. Indigenous Apprenticeship Program (IAP) One of the key workforce participation projects for Indigenous young people is the Indigenous Apprenticeship Program. IAP works with electrical and plumbing employers to place Indigenous young people into apprenticeships. Participants receive ongoing mentoring, support and training including pre-apprenticeship training. In addition, participants are encouraged to get involved in recreation, nutrition and life-skills activities to support a whole-life approach to gaining, sustaining and progressing their careers. To date: – 60 Indigenous young people have registered with IAP – 51 have started work – 45 of these are in apprenticeships, predominantly in plumbing and electrical trades and six began as trainees or scaffolding labourers – 76 per cent who started work are in sustainable jobs. Youth Employment Scheme (YES) YES offers young Victorians, aged 15 to 24, traineeships and apprenticeships in Victorian Government departments. To date, 60 young Indigenous people have benefited from the scheme. Public Tenant Employment Program (PTEP) The program is a state-wide initiative of the Office of Housing (Department of Human Services) to create employment and training opportunities for people in public housing. Under the program, building and maintenance contracts require private contractors to employ a percentage of public tenants as part of their staff. To date, 38 Indigenous people have been employed – one in 10 of the total. The program has helped a small Indigenous business that now operates with support from Darebin Enterprise Centre Ltd, which is successfully employing three to four people. A service agreement with the Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust has also resulted in a series of maintenance training programs, including the establishment of a tool library and training of 19 residents. PTEP is also working with Community Housing Ltd to start providing the non-trade housing maintenance at Lake Tyers, with the aim of 25 per cent of work being provided to local

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 people, and for external tradespeople to use local people as trades-assistants. Seven local residents have started employment through this program. Skills and jobs for disadvantaged workers Funded under the Moving Forward program, these initiatives focus on filling vacancies in two key industry sectors: manufacturing in western Victoria and transport and distribution in north-eastern Victoria. Disadvantaged jobseekers, including Indigenous jobseekers, access training and practical assistance to gain the skills and capabilities to secure ongoing employment. Intrain Intrain is a scholarship program within the Department of Human Services to assist Indigenous students studying in the areas of health and/or community services, to ultimately make the transition from education to employment. A review in 2008 of Intrain surveyed 32 recipients and found that 72 per cent were in ongoing employment, a further 22 per cent were not seeking employment as they were studying or parenting full time, and only six per cent were unemployed.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Case Study Four “David’s story” David Clarke is one of many young Indigenous men who have secured rewarding futures for themselves and their families. David, 24, had to strive to achieve his dream of becoming an electrician. Prior to joining the Victorian Government’s $29.6 million Workforce Participation Partnerships program, David worked in two jobs to provide income support for his family. The program helps those facing employment barriers find real jobs where skills and labour are needed. Seven WPP projects target Indigenous job seekers. Through the program, David completed pre-apprenticeship training in electro technology. Recognised as a committed worker, he was selected by Elecraft, one of Australia’s largest electrical companies, to begin a four-year apprenticeship. David’s dedication was rewarded when he was chosen, as a second year apprentice, to join a delegation to Venezuela with the support of his employer. So far, 45 Indigenous tradespeople have entered the workforce as part of the Indigenous Apprenticeships Program. The program works with electrical and plumbing employers to get people into jobs. As one of them, David can now look forward to another dream – owning a home.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Next steps Bringing employment and training together with other services is helping to improve the economic and social outcomes for young Indigenous Victorians. Building on the success of Workforce Participation Partnerships, the Government allocated $5 million for New Workforce Partnerships in 2008-09. The Indigenous Youth Employment Program (IYEP) will provide a flexible and individually tailored approach to connecting Indigenous young people with jobs. While the program is still being developed it will support Indigenous youth to remain in school, raising their work aspirations and building pathways between school and work. Indigenous young people will also be placed directly into employment, and supported by a joined up service delivery approach that addresses health, housing and other needs. Ongoing support will include mentoring and life skills programs to support retention and progression in employment. Importantly IYEP will also work with employers to break down barriers, address discrimination and cultural sensitivity issues and support employers to build career paths for Indigenous employees. A project targeting Indigenous jobseekers under the Moving Forward program started in October. Work has also begun on an Indigenous Economic Participation and Development Strategy for completion during 2008-09 with the overarching goal of halving the gap in employment outcomes in 10 years.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 7 Area for action 4 (Part 1): Prevent family violence We are committed to working in partnership with Indigenous communities to reduce the impact and incidence of family violence. Action area 4 objectives 4.1 Increase in police responding to and taking action on any Indigenous family violence incident reported to them. 4.2 Reduce repeat police call outs for Indigenous family violence incidents.35 Strategic Area for Action 4 has been divided into two parts: (a) family violence and (b) improving justice outcomes. This chapter deals with family violence while chapter eight covers reducing over- representation in the criminal justice system. Current situation Violence is a significant threat to the health and wellbeing of Indigenous Victorian victims, particularly women.36 Snapshot – Family violence against Indigenous women may be up to 40 times the rate for non-Indigenous women. – Indigenous women are 28 times more likely to be hospitalised as a result of an assault than non- Indigenous women. – Family violence is present in 64 per cent of Child Protection cases where Indigenous children are involved – Indigenous children are around 10 times more likely to be in need of protection from harm – usually as a result of emotional abuse or neglect.37 – Indigenous men are eight times more likely to be hospitalised as a result of an assault than non- Indigenous men.

Recent consultations with Indigenous communities confirmed high levels of: – partner abuse – elder abuse (physical, psychological and financial) – youth abuse (including assaults involving Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people) – assaults between extended families as a consequence of drug and alcohol misuse – large numbers of Indigenous people presenting at courts on assault charges – sexual abuse – child abuse and neglect. Although data is limited it is estimated that incidences of family violence against Indigenous women are significantly higher than in the general population, and may be up to 40 times the rate for non- Indigenous women.38 Although the impact on Indigenous women is not well known, it is accepted

35 Paradoxically, if these objectives are achieved it is expected that a short-term increase in Indigenous family violence incidents recorded and responded to by police. Rather than suggesting that the rate of family violence in Indigenous communities is increasing, this will show that more Indigenous victims are prepared to report their experiences and that police are more likely to take action when receiving such reports.

36 The Health Costs of Violence, VicHealth 2004

37 Department of Human Services 2006, State of Victoria’s Children Report 2006. DHS

38 The Australian component of the International Violence Against Women Survey indicates that the family violence victimisation rate may be 40 times the rate for non-Indigenous women. Indigenous women

accounted for 15 per cent of homicide victims in 2002-03. See Dr Kerry Carrington & Janet Phillips/ Parliamentary Library, Domestic Violence in Australia, September 2006.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 that in the broader Victorian population family violence is the leading preventable cause of death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15-45.39 The community and government also recognise that family violence has devastating consequences for Indigenous men who (national data suggests) are eight times more likely to be hospitalised as a result of an assault than non-Indigenous men. Indigenous women are 28 times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be hospitalised as a result of an assault.40 Family violence is the single biggest risk factor for substantiations of Indigenous child abuse in Victoria. Family violence undermines aspirations for children, families and communities to learn, develop, be healthy and fulfil their potential. The approach to reduce and prevent family violence in Indigenous communities is a partnership with government led by Victorian Indigenous leaders. These leaders recognise that to maintain social norms and mutual respect, which lie at the heart of Indigenous culture, behaviours that normalise or sanction violence against vulnerable members of their community are not acceptable. Victoria’s Indigenous Family Violence Taskforce Report (2003) was unambiguous in stating “safety and security of victims of violence is the number one priority”.41 Measure of Current Performance Police re-attend subsequent family violence incidents involving Indigenous people at rates 20 per cent higher than re-attendance at other family violence incidents.

What we are doing The focus of community and government effort has been on developing a longer-term vision and plan to prevent and reduce the impact of family violence in Indigenous communities. This work has been led by the Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Forum over a number of years and has involved a significant commitment from senior government representatives and Indigenous community leadership through the Indigenous Family Violence Regional Action Groups and Indigenous service providers. The priority over the past year has been finalising the development of the Ten Year Plan for the Prevention of Family Violence, Strong Culture, Strong Peoples, Strong Families – Towards a safer future for Indigenous families and communities. The Ten Year Plan was completed in 2007-08 and published in June 2008. It is the culmination of enormous commitment and consultations at local, regional and state levels. It articulates a joint understanding of the nature of family violence in Indigenous communities and agreement on the approach to addressing it. Focus groups in three Victorian locations highlighted systemic issues in the delivery of family violence services and provided invaluable information on the experiences of Indigenous people in receiving these services. Indigenous community members openly contributed to building a shared knowledge and understanding of the causes and drivers of Indigenous family violence to improve prevention and service responses. This reflects the determination and optimism they have to make families and communities safer. The Ten Year Plan was endorsed and signed off by 24 senior Indigenous and government leaders and enjoys broad support from the community and service providers. The plan has eight objectives and is supported by a set of strategies and actions. These are:

39 VicHealth and Department of Human Services, The health costs of violence: Measuring the burden of disease caused by intimate partner violence, June 2004

40 Australian Bureau of Statistics, The Health and Welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Cat No 4704.40, 2003.

41 Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Taskforce, Victorian Indigenous Family Violence Taskforce: Final Report, December 2003, p17.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 – Cultural Safety. Making Victoria a safer place for all Indigenous Victorians. This involves developing a culturally-inclusive curriculum to enhance understanding of Indigenous history and culture, developing a related professional learning package for teachers and engaging with educational institutions to promote stronger understanding of Indigenous culture in course material for professionals who deal with family violence. – Healthy families. Promoting a safe and healthy start to life for Indigenous children. This involves increasing support to Indigenous parents, strengthening programs that increase parenting capacity and developing strategies to better integrate family services and specialist family violence services. – Education, awareness, prevention. The first strategy involves developing an Indigenous-specific prevention framework and continuing to support the development of local and regional action groups within the community. The second involves improving the capacity of local and regional groups to implement local prevention programs. – Safety for victims. The first strategy involves improving access to the service system for Indigenous victims of family violence. The second involves strengthening the justice system to better respond to victims of family violence. – Accountability. There are two strategies for increasing the accountability of perpetrators of family violence within Indigenous communities. The first involves developing, through the justice system, a range of support services for Indigenous people affected by family violence. The second involves coordinated responses to Indigenous people who use violence (includes behavioural change programs in a variety of settings). – Healing. Increase opportunities for healing for victims and perpetrators. The first strategy involves access to therapeutic programs for victims. The second involves building capacity to better coordinate service responses to family violence. – Service capability. Increase the cultural competence of the service system by improving cultural competency, cross-service linkages and education and training tools. – Research and evaluation. Using research and evaluation to improve the effectiveness and quality of service responses. This involves several strategies to improve data collection, sharing of good practice and to test the effectiveness of all strategies within the Ten Year Plan. The Ten Year Plan builds on and integrates with the broader Victorian response to family violence and the response developed under the Indigenous Family Violence Strategy. Indigenous Family Violence Regional Action Groups have been supported with training and skills development so that they are able to fulfil their leadership role in raising awareness of, and preventing, family violence in Indigenous communities. Annual grants under the Community Initiative Fund support the implementation of community- based projects that raise awareness of family violence. In 2006-07, 33 local projects were funded. Healing and Time Out services The Victorian Government provides approximately $1.6 million a year for Indigenous Healing and Time Out services. These services take account of the trauma of inherited grief and loss in healing victims but also serve as a key component of addressing the violent behaviours of perpetrators. Four Indigenous Healing Services will provide a holistic approach to addressing family violence in Indigenous communities.42 Four Indigenous Time Out services will provide support for Indigenous men who use violence against family members and assist them to access services to help them manage their violent behaviour.43

42 The Healing services are based in Loddon Mallee South, East Gippsland, North and West Metropolitan and Eastern Metropolitan Regions.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 To assist in the healing process the Victims Support Agency has worked to improve access for Indigenous victims of crime to services and entitlements through the Indigenous Victims Support Program. To improve the accountability of men who use violence, funding has been provided to Swinburne University and No To Violence to develop a training program for Indigenous community workers to engage Indigenous men. Improving the system response to family violence Reducing Indigenous family violence in the long-term requires that incidents are responded to and appropriate and effective action is taken. The Victorian Government’s Integrated Family Violence Services reforms initiated a new approach to family violence in Victoria. All agencies, including human services, police and justice services are required to work together to coordinate responses at the local level. Integration is also required between a range of family violence-specific and other support services to ensure that unified and streamlined responses are provided to victims of family violence. Improving access to services for Indigenous Victorians is one of the family violence reform priorities. Next steps To further strengthen the Victorian Government’s response to reduce family violence, a commitment to implement the Ten Year Plan commences with a focus in 2008-09 on: – the development of an Indigenous Prevention Framework to complement a universal model developed by Vic Health in 2007 – funding to extend effective projects to three years that are part of the Indigenous Family Violence Community Initiatives Fund that have strong local support – culturally appropriate programs for men to assist them to address their use of violence – case management support for Indigenous women and children who are victims of family violence – case management for Indigenous men who use violence to provide support and to mitigate the risks of re-offending – workforce development to improve the skills of Indigenous workers responding to family violence and for cultural training of non-Indigenous family violence workers. – The introduction of the new Family Violence Protection Bill to protect victims of family violence and to make perpetrators of family violence more accountable for their actions. A communications campaign to support the new legislation will highlight the unacceptability of family violence and raise awareness of new laws. Over the coming year the Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Forum will develop an implementation plan for the Ten Year Plan and an evaluation and monitoring framework so that the intended improvements are achieved.

43 The Time Out services are in Loddon Mallee North, Hume, East Gippsland and North and West Metropolitan Regions.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 8 Area for action 4 (part 2): Improve justice outcomes In partnership with the Indigenous community we are working to reduce the over-representation of Indigenous people in Victoria’s criminal justice system and improve access to a fair and equitable justice system. Action area 4 objectives: 4.3 Reduce the number of times Indigenous youth are processed by police. 4.4 Increase the proportion of Indigenous people cautioned when processed by police. 4.5 Reduce the proportion of Indigenous people remanded in custody. 4.6 Reduce the proportion of Indigenous adults sentenced to prison rather than other orders. 4.7 Reduce the proportion of Indigenous adults/youth who are convicted within two years of their previous conviction. Current situation Snapshot In 2007-08, Indigenous Victorians were 12 times more likely to be placed in an adult prison compared to non-Indigenous Victorians.

Source: Corrections Victoria Indigenous youth aged 10 to 17 years are around four times more likely to be processed by police than non-Indigenous youth.

Source: Victoria Police (2001-02 - 2007-08)

The 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (Royal Commission) found the over-representation of Indigenous people nationally in the custody of police, prisons and juvenile detention centres resulted in the high number of Indigenous deaths. It also found common patterns in the lives of those whose deaths were investigated. Those who died had high levels of unemployment, poor education, poor health, alcohol abuse and long histories of contact with the criminal justice system and separation from their families. The Royal Commission concluded the extreme disadvantage of Indigenous people in Australian society had led to prolonged contact with, and subsequent over-representation at, all levels of the criminal justice system. In 2002, Indigenous Victorians were over three times more likely to report being a victim of crime than non-Indigenous people. This further compounds the stress many Indigenous Victorians already experience through educational, economic and social disadvantage. What we are doing Aboriginal Justice Agreement The Victorian Government, in partnership with the Indigenous community, is responding to over- representation in the criminal justice system through the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement (AJA). Launched in 2000, the AJA aims to reduce initial contact with the justice system, improve outcomes for Indigenous people at all stages of the system, from cautioning to post-release, and to reduce re-offending by increasing the use of diversionary options.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 The AJA is also building positive participation and inclusion by the Indigenous community in the justice system and justice portfolio through a range of initiatives including in part, the Regional Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committees (RAJACs), the Koori Recruitment and Career Development Strategy and the Koori Courts. Under the AJA, the Aboriginal Justice Forum was established to forge and sustain partnerships at the local, regional and state levels between Indigenous communities and the justice system. The foundation of the AJA is the regional partnerships developed through the RAJACs. Together with the forum these partnerships have been successful in enabling the Indigenous community and the government to jointly set policy direction and monitor all AJA-related activities. The establishment of Local Aboriginal Justice Action Committees since 2006-07 has built on this growing relationship by enabling local Indigenous communities to work closely with justice agencies to take joint responsibility to develop and implement local solutions to local issues. Sustaining the success and longevity of the AJA has been very much due to its principles and protocols that were jointly developed and agreed to by the Aboriginal Justice Forum’s Koori Caucus and government. The ethos of the AJA principles and protocols is based on partnerships and inclusion, accountability and transparency. Action area 4 objectives: 4.3 Reduce the number of times Indigenous youth are processed by police. 4.4 Increase the proportion of Indigenous people cautioned when processed by police.

Measure of Current Performance – over the period 2001-02 to 2007-08 – Indigenous youth aged 10 to 17 years are 3.8 times more likely to be processed by police for allegedly committing various offences. – Indigenous youth aged 10 to 17 years are two times less likely to be cautioned by police when processed for allegedly committing various offences.

Source: Victoria Police

Table 5a: Number of Indigenous Victorians processed by police

01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08

10-17 years 436 415 423 417 401 401 452

All Indigenous 1,323 1,368 1384 1,435 1,473 1,489 1,547 offenders

Source: Victoria Police

Table 5b: Proportions of youth aged 10-17 years in contact with the police who are ultimately processed by the police

01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08

Indigenous 33% 30% 31% 29% 27% 27% 29% 10-17 years

Non-Indigenous 24% 22% 20% 19% 19% 16% 15%

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 10-17 years

Source: Victoria Police

Table 6: Percentage of youth aged 10-17 years in contact with the police who are cautioned by police

01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08

Indigenous 28% 31% 29% 34% 28% 37% 37%

Non-Indigenous 50% 51% 49% 48% 51% 54% 55%

Source: Victoria Police These indicators show the trend in the proportion of youth (Indigenous compared to non- Indigenous) aged 10-17 years involved in the police system. The above statistics confirm that young Indigenous Victorians are over-represented to the extent to which they are processed by police. Persons who come into contact with police at an early age are much more likely to keep re-offending and end up in prison. What we are doing Preventing initial contact with the criminal justice system is fundamental to the AJA and the recommendations of the Royal Commission. Cautioning also decreases the likelihood that young people, in particular, will become entrenched in a cycle of re-offending. The AJA Frontline Youth Initiatives Program was established to target Indigenous youth and children at risk of contact with the criminal justice system. Projects funded under Frontline are primarily community-proposed and community-based initiatives that promote healthy and pro- social lifestyles to help reduce negative contact with the justice system. Frontline is also fundamental in developing positive intervention by Indigenous communities in the justice system. Cautioning provides an important opportunity to motivate Indigenous youth to change their behaviour and to avoid further negative contact with the criminal justice system. It also promotes greater involvement of parents and guardians, as well as police, in promoting positive policing practices. For Indigenous youth who do come into contact with the justice system, projects have been developed to improve their access to cautioning. The AJA Cautioning Program between Victoria Police and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service is still being piloted in Mildura and the Latrobe Valley. To date, the pilots have successfully shown that through the increased use of police cautioning practices and the greater involvement of parents and guardians, we can significantly achieve lower rates of recidivism for Indigenous youth. Only three cases of recidivism for the two pilot sites have been reported since the pilots began. The program will be extended in 2008-09 to include the North-West Metropolitan, Hume and Loddon-Mallee communities. Six volunteer Koori Night Patrol programs operated by Indigenous community organisations are transporting at-risk Indigenous people, particularly youth, in public places to their homes or safe places. The patrols are also assisting to reduce the likelihood of Koories coming into contact with police. The Victoria Police Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer (ACLO) Program is currently in place in

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 nine local government areas. The program aims to improve relations between Indigenous communities and local police, as well as improving local police understanding of local Koori communities. The ACLO program was fully implemented in June 2008, almost two years ahead of schedule. The nine ACLO officers are based in police stations, with a coordinator and two project workers based in police headquarters. In addition, there are now almost 100 Police Aboriginal Liaison Officers (PALO) across the State. PALOs are sworn operational officers who work to improve community-police relations at the local level. The Department of Human Services also implements the Koori Youth Justice Program to support Indigenous youth who are at risk or are subject to youth justice community-based and custodial orders. The program assists Koori youth so they are less likely to re-offend and breach the conditions of their order/s. The Early School Leavers and Youth Employment Program is an intensive outreach support program that assists Indigenous young people at risk of disengaging from the education system to remain in education or supported training and transition outcomes or other options. Next steps Further initiatives planned include wider implementation of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Services- Police Cautioning/Contact Program. The program’s expansion was endorsed at the June 2008 Aboriginal Justice Forum. Action area 4 objectives: 4.5 Reduce the proportion of Indigenous people remanded in custody. Measure of Current Performance Over the period 2001-02 to 2007-08, Indigenous Victorians were almost 15 times more likely to be on remand compared to non-Indigenous prisoners.

Source: Corrections Victoria

Table 7: Proportion of alleged offenders on remand

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Indigenous 23% 22% 22% 21% 22% 23% 23%

Non-Indigenous 16% 18% 19% 17% 17% 18% 18%

Source: Corrections Victoria These indicators show the trend in the proportion of adult offenders (Indigenous compared to non- Indigenous) on remand in the prison system. What we are doing A number of mainstream court diversionary programs are currently in place including the Court Integrated Services Program pilots in Melbourne, Sunshine and the Latrobe Valley. Aboriginal Liaison Officers provide assessment and service referral for Indigenous clients. The aim of the Koori Youth Intensive Bail Support Program is to reduce the number of Indigenous

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 youth detained prior to sentencing. It provides intensive outreach support to help young people comply with bail and other conditions or placed on deferred sentences. Three positions are located in the North-West, Hume and Gippsland regions and two more are being established in Barwon South-West and the Southern Metropolitan regions of the Department of Human Services. Next steps The Court Integrated Services Program is being evaluated and information collected on Indigenous participation and program completion. The evaluation will be finalised in 2008-09. Action area 4 objectives: 4.6 Reduce the proportion of Indigenous adults sentenced to prison. Measure of Current Performance – over the period 2001-02 to 2007-08 Indigenous Victorians are currently 12 times more likely to be imprisoned than other Victorians.

Source: Corrections Victoria

Table 8a: Over-representation rates of Indigenous Victorians in prison

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Indigenous 11.2 11.0 11.7 11.7 13.0 12.1 11.9

Source: Corrections Victoria The rate of Indigenous imprisonment in Victoria is less than the national average rate of 12.9, as reported by the Productivity Commission in 2007.

In 2006, Indigenous Victorians were 12 times more likely to be in prison compared to over- representation rates of 18.4 in WA, 12.3 in NSW, 12.5 in SA, 11.2 in the ACT and 12.9 in NT.

Table 8b: Proportion of Indigenous and non-Indigenous offenders in prison

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Indigenous 4.4% 4.5% 4.9% 5.1% 5.8% 5.6% 5.7%

Non-Indigenous 95.6% 95.5% 95.1% 94.9% 94.2% 94.4% 94.3%

Source: Corrections Victoria

Table 8c: Proportion of offenders sentenced to prison rather than other orders

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Indigenous 31% 29% 28% 28% 32% 36% 35%

Non-Indigenous 32% 31% 29% 28% 29% 33% 33%

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Source: Corrections Victoria Trends in Indigenous offender profiles indicate that Indigenous people start to offend earlier than non-Indigenous people and are therefore more likely to have extinguished community-based sentencing options by the time they reach the adult system. What we are doing A range of AJA-based initiatives are being progressed to reduce the number and proportion of Indigenous adults sentenced to prison, including: – The Corrections Victoria Indigenous Community Correctional Officer Program to provide more culturally sensitive supervision of Indigenous offenders subject to community-based dispositions. – The Koori Mentoring and Support Program is delivered by Koori community organisations and is operating in five locations. The aim of the program is to support Indigenous offenders to complete their community-based orders and minimise the likelihood that the orders will be breached. – The Local Justice Worker Program is delivered by Koori community organisations in ten local government areas by Indigenous community organisations. The aim of the program is to improve justice outcomes for Indigenous people having dealings with Community Corrections and the Sheriff’s Office. – Koori Courts have been established to reduce the high recidivism rate of Koori offenders by making specific Magistrate Courts more Koori-friendly and inclusive of community elders and community members. In a review of the operations of the Broadmeadows and Shepparton Koori Courts in 2005, it was found that the recidivism rate for participating offenders was substantially less than that of the general population figures for recidivism. There are currently seven adult Koori Courts and two Children’s Koori Courts. Next steps In 2008-09, the first County Koori Court will be opened in Morwell as a four-year pilot and will be the first of its kind in Australia. Like the Koori Courts, the County Koori Court model was designed in partnership between the Koori community and the County Court. The Wulgunggo Ngalu Learning Place will also be launched near Yarram in South Gippsland in 2008-09. This will be a residential, diversionary facility for Koori men on community-based dispositions. Wulgunggo Ngalu aims to provide an intensive cultural program to assist Indigenous offenders to successfully complete their orders in a culturally appropriate environment with the support of elders and the Koori community. Similar to the Koori Courts, success of Wulgunggo Ngalu will depend very much on the strength of the partnership between the Koori community and the justice system and adherence to the principles of the AJA. Action area 4 objectives: 4.7 Reduce the proportion of Indigenous adults/youth who are convicted within two years of their previous conviction. Measure of Current Performance – over the period 2001-02 to 2007-08 Indigenous Victorians are currently 20 times more likely to return to prison within two years of discharge than non-Indigenous Victorians.

Source: Corrections Victoria

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Table 9: Percentage of Indigenous and non-Indigenous prisoners who have returned to prison within two years of discharge

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Indigenous 50% 52% 56% 48% *** ***

Non-Indigenous 44% 37% 34% 35% *** ***

Source: Corrections Victoria

Note: *** A prisoner in Victoria is considered to be a re-offender if the prisoner returns to prison within two years after discharge. That is, a prisoner who was discharged in 2005-06 would have had to return to prison during 2007-08 to be considered a re-offender. Data for prisoners discharged in 2005-06 will not be available until later in 2008/09. What we are doing Transition support for adult offenders Research shows that people who get into trouble with the law often have difficulty solving problems in their everyday lives. Corrections Victoria has developed and delivers the Koori Cognitive Skills Program specifically to assist Indigenous prisoners improve their problem solving skills. Konnect Konnect is a pre and post-release program that provides support to Koori men and women exiting prison and returning to community. At 8-10 weeks prior to release a Koori caseworker is engaged with the participant on the program and this support and assistance can be provided up to 12 months after release, dependent on the transitional needs of the participant. A key component of this program is the involvement of referral to Koori agencies for specialist services and cultural support. Transition support for youth offenders The Koori Pre and Post-Release Services Program aims to reduce the likelihood that Indigenous youth will return to custody once released. This program supports the planning required to ensure smooth transition between custody and the community. Post-release and intensive cultural support is available to Indigenous youth to help reduce the likelihood of non-compliance with post-custodial orders. The Koori Youth Justice Program was established in 1992 and has expanded over the years to all Department of Human Services regions. In 2007-08 there were 16 community workers, three custodial workers (one in each custodial centre) and a central program adviser. The next position to be established is proposed for Wodonga. The role of the Koori Youth Justice workers is both preventive and responsive. Clients include young people who are the subject of orders from the criminal division of the Children’s Court, young adults in the dual track system, young Indigenous people who are at risk of offending and those who have committed minor offences and received police diversion or caution. Next steps In the coming year we will continue to examine issues related to Indigenous offender health and wellbeing, with a specific focus on transition support and re-integration into the community.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 9 Area for action 544: Improve economic development, settle native title claims and address land access issues We are working in partnership with Indigenous communities to help achieve land justice for Victoria’s Traditional Owners and access to land and natural resources for all Indigenous Victorians. Action area 5 objectives: 5.1 Increase Indigenous participation in state-funded employment programs [see action area 3.3, chapter 6]. 5.2 Increase the proportion of Indigenous people with access to their traditional lands. Current situation Snapshot – The area of land covered by Indigenous Land Use Agreements and other native title outcomes in 2008 was more than 71,500 square kilometres. – Five Registered Aboriginal Parties have been appointed by the Aboriginal Heritage Council covering about one-third of Victoria.

The Government recognises the importance of land and economic development in addressing Indigenous disadvantage. Land ownership provides an economic base, offers opportunity for social advancement, supports the ability to maintain and manage culture, and contributes to addressing other areas of Indigenous disadvantage, including health and wellbeing. Access to traditional land strengthens Aboriginal communities and Traditional Owner cultures and enhances natural and cultural heritage resource management. The settling of native title claims and addressing land access issues directly acknowledges the importance of ongoing cultural and social connection to land for Indigenous people. The Victorian Government has been active in improving the environment for employment and business growth, and in community-building initiatives to promote wider economic participation of disadvantaged Victorians. The Aboriginal Land and Economic Development Program established in 2005 has supported the development of 17 Indigenous enterprises. These have been successful in generating Indigenous training and employment. The Koorie Business Network continues to develop the productivity and competitiveness of Victoria’s Indigenous businesses, through the Building the Economic Base Indigenous Economic Development Strategy. This strategy aims to: – facilitate an increase in the number of sustainable Victorian Indigenous businesses – build skills, confidence and business acumen within Victorian Indigenous businesses – promote awareness of Victorian Indigenous enterprises, products and services across all sectors of the Victorian community and to broader national and international markets – drive research that builds greater understanding of Indigenous economic development.

44 Action area 5.1 is covered in Chapter 6 under action area 3.3

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 The first strategic change indicator reflects the important role the state plays in improving employment policy and labour market outcomes for Indigenous Victorians (this indicator is addressed in Chapter 6). The second strategic change indicator reflects the importance of traditional land for Indigenous people, particularly for Traditional Owner groups. Obtaining ownership and management of traditional lands is a key aspiration of Traditional Owner groups. Participation in land and cultural heritage management of Country is a tangible outcome in achieving land justice. Registered Indigenous Land Use Agreements45 The number and area of land covered by Indigenous Land Use Agreements is an important measure of access to traditional lands. These agreements are negotiated under the Native Title Act 1993 (Commonwealth) and may represent either a formal determination of native title or an alternative mechanism to resolve native title issues. The Agreements can formalise negotiation rights over the use and management of land for Traditional Owners. Over the past few years there has been a significant increase in the area of land covered by Indigenous Land Use Agreements in Victoria, reflecting resolution of native title claims. As at 30 June 2008 there were 33 registered Indigenous Land Use Agreements covering an area of 71,500 square kilometres. Aboriginal Lands Act The Victorian Government was the first jurisdiction to provide statutory recognition of Indigenous communal ownership of land through the Aboriginal Lands Act 1970 (Vic). This Act provided a form of recognition of the historical familial relationships to land through a shareholding structure responsible for managing the grant of freehold title at Framlingham near Warrnambool and Lake Tyers in Gippsland. It also granted ownership of land directly to Indigenous community organisations. What we are doing Over the past decade, the Victorian Government has taken specific measures to increase access to, and participation in, the management of traditional lands within the framework of resolving native title claims. Following the litigated decision in the Yorta Yorta case that found native title did not exist, the state entered a formal cooperative management agreement with the Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation. The agreement provides the group with an advisory role in the management of designated areas. The Victorian Government reached a mediated outcome with claimants in the Wimmera that led to recognition of native title rights in two per cent of the claim area and also established an Indigenous Land Use Agreement providing for their involvement in management of Crown land in a larger area. A mediated outcome was also reached with Gunditjmara claimants that recognised specific native title rights in the entire claim area. As part of the settlement with the Gunditjmara people, the Victorian Government returned the Lake Condah Reserve in the state’s south-west to the Gunditjmara people in March 2008. The Victorian Government is currently negotiating a cluster of native title claims in the state’s north- west. These comprise the four Dja Dja Wurrung claims, the Robinvale claim, the Wamba Wamba Barapa Barapa Wadi Wadi claim and the Yupagalk claim. It is also negotiating with Gunai Kurnai

45 Table 11A.3.5, Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision, 2007, Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2007, Productivity Commission, Canberra

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 over their Gippsland claim. The Victorian Government is committed to negotiating native title claims and will consider a proposal for a Victorian Native Title Settlement Framework to streamline negotiations and settlement approaches. A steering committee chaired by Professor Mick Dodson and with representatives of the Victorian Government, the Victorian Traditional Owner Land Justice Group and Native Title Services Victoria, is expected to lodge its draft recommendations to the Government by the end of 2008. The objectives in developing the framework are to: – build stronger partnerships with Indigenous Victorians and resolve long-standing land grievances – strengthen communities and cultural identity through durable and long-standing settlements – increase economic and social opportunities. The proposed Framework is expected to give access to similar rights and entitlements to those obtained under the native title process but via a less cumbersome process. Access to traditional lands by Indigenous people has also been supported through partnership strategies developed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Department of Primary Industries and Parks Victoria. The new Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 (the Act) came into effect on 28 May 2007. The Act recognises and promotes the role of Indigenous people in decisions about land and cultural heritage. The Act establishes for the first time in Victorian law a peak Indigenous body to provide expert and strategic advice on cultural heritage management to the Victorian Government. The Aboriginal Heritage Council has 11 eminent Traditional Owners with extensive experience in cultural heritage. One of the Council’s main tasks is to appoint Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs). RAPs are Aboriginal organisations that, in accordance with the Act, have responsibilities for Aboriginal cultural heritage matters over designated areas of the State. In evaluating RAP applications the Council has to take a number of factors into account. These include relevant native title matters and links to Country. In its first year of operation, the Council has appointed RAPs over more than one-third of Victoria. The five RAPs that were appointed all have traditional owner links to the areas for which they now have cultural heritage management decision-making responsibilities. These pertain to all land irrespective of land tenure. RAP organisations are being supported by the Victorian Government through training and establishment grants. The Aboriginal Heritage Council’s goal is to have RAPs appointed across Victoria by May 2010. Next steps The Victorian Government is continuing to improve access to land and economic development opportunities for Indigenous Victorians. The Victorian Government will consider a proposal for an alternative framework to mediate and settle outstanding native title claims across the State. As more Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, Indigenous Victorians will have more decision- making responsibilities for cultural heritage matters within traditional lands.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Chapter 10 Area for action 6: Build Indigenous capacity We are working in partnership with Indigenous communities so they have continued and sustained access to strong economic opportunities, assistance to improve governance and employment and training activities. Action area 6 objective: 6.1 Increase workforce participation by Indigenous people in the public sector in ways which can drive improvements in the Victorian Strategic Areas for Action. Current situation Snapshot – In 2007, 0.5 per cent of Victorian public sector employees were of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin. – Most government departments have developed Indigenous-specific employment strategies, including training scholarships, aimed at increasing the participation of Indigenous people in the public sector. – A number of departments have incorporated cultural training to improve the cultural competencies of non-Indigenous staff.

The Government recognises that having skilled Indigenous people in the public sector helps increase awareness and understanding of key Indigenous issues. The Government has continued to focus on increasing workforce participation by Indigenous people in the public sector. In 2007- 08, 0.5 per cent of Victorian public sector employees self-identified as Indigenous people. Current performance 0.5 per cent of Victorian public sector employees are Indigenous people. What we are doing Most government departments have continued to target employment information to Indigenous communities, incorporated cultural awareness programs into their corporate training calendars and provided scholarships or cadetship programs. Next steps The Premier has asked the State Services Authority (SSA) to lead the development of a strategy to increase workforce participation of Indigenous people in the public sector. This follows the expiry of the previous strategy (Wur-cum barra 2002–2005) and the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAGs) commitment to halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people over the next decade. In developing the strategy, the SSA will assess pathways, barriers and enablers to employment; consult extensively with internal and external stakeholders; examine links to other sectors; and develop a performance monitoring framework. The final strategy will be provided to the Premier by 30 June 2009. Over the next year, departments will continue to build on current progress and develop policies and

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 structures that will help maintain and increase the workforce participation by Indigenous people in the public sector. Examples of new departmental activity include: – The development of an induction process for new Indigenous staff to the Department of Human Services. The process will be developed in consultation with Indigenous staff and their managers. It will help new Indigenous staff connect with relevant people, solve problems and help them and their managers understand and deal with some of the challenges they might face. – The development of a Recruit Traineeship/Mentoring Program by Victoria Police to recruit and retain Indigenous police applicants. This will be developed in partnership with the community with an option of entry being via unsworn members. – Supporting Traditional Owners and Indigenous people to be involved in land and resource management by the Department of Sustainability and Environment. This will include developing and supporting their capacity to participate. Importantly, Indigenous community aspirations will be incorporated into department programs and services. Action area 6 objectives: 6.2 Increase the proportion of board members of large Indigenous organisations ($1 million plus funds per annum) having undertaken rigorous governance training. 6.3 Increase the proportion of Indigenous cooperatives and other organisations meeting statutory obligations. Current situation Snapshot In the three years to 31 May 2008: – 91 per cent of Indigenous Incorporated Associations and 87 per cent of Indigenous cooperatives in Victoria were compliant with reporting requirements – 77 per cent of all incorporated (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) and 58 per cent of all cooperatives (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) in Victoria were compliant with reporting requirements. Since the Governance Training Program was initiated in March 2006: – 341 representatives from a range of Indigenous organisations have participated in the program – of these, 56 per cent are board members and 39 per cent are from large Indigenous organisations.

The Government acknowledges the important role played by the Indigenous community in the creation of active, confident and resilient communities. The Indigenous community is a critical partner in delivering many of the services that contribute to overarching goals and improved outcomes set out by the COAG and the Victorian Indigenous Affairs Framework (VIAF). The shared goal for all Victorians is to close the gap in life expectancy. The sector influences outcomes in two ways: as a service provider and by participating in shaping policy and future directions in Indigenous affairs in Victoria. Given these important roles, building the capacity of Indigenous organisations is identified in both the VIAF and COAG priorities as critical to achieving better outcomes and in boosting effectiveness of investments in Indigenous affairs. In the community sector, regulation is a tool used by government to support organisations and to build trust and confidence in the community sector and facilitate its contribution to the Victorian community. Measure of Current Performance

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 – More than 93 per cent of Indigenous Incorporated Associations are compliant with legislated reporting requirements. – More than 94 per cent of Indigenous cooperatives are compliant with legislated reporting requirements.

What we are doing Continuing to build Indigenous leadership and governance capacity As there are more than 2000 Indigenous community organisations across Australia including close to 200 in Victoria, many providing a wide range of human and essential services to the Indigenous community, the importance of ensuring organisations are well-governed is a crucial factor in addressing Indigenous disadvantage. The Governance Training Program is the Government’s key capacity-building initiative that has been operating successfully since 2006. The program aims to build the management and governance capacity of Indigenous community organisations. During 2007-08 the program was expanded by funding the development and piloting of a Diploma of Business (Governance) – comprising five one-week training blocks held over an eight-month period. The first Diploma course was completed in May 2008 and the course is now available for use nationally as part of the suite of training targeted to build the capacity of Indigenous organisations. Positioning Aboriginal services for the future This project has involved all departments that fund or regulate Aboriginal organisations in Victoria, as well as representatives of Indigenous peak bodies. It began with the premise that improving the life expectancy, quality of life and health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people was critically dependent on the best possible services being delivered by strong Indigenous community organisations into the future. The resulting Joint Agency Futures Plan provides a framework to focus joint efforts in strengthening organisations, prioritising action, monitoring progress and reporting on outcomes. The key areas for action are: 1. Strengthening management, governance and culture 2. Improving business and management systems 3. Workforce development 4. Improving evidence base, Indigenous community organisations’ accountability and outcomes 5. Strengthening partnerships and working together 6. Reducing red tape. Reducing the administrative burden Led by the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD), major reforms are underway in the arrangements for funding Aboriginal organisations to reduce the administrative burden and build relationships between Aboriginal organisations and government. This recognises that many Aboriginal organisations, despite being relatively small, deliver a complex array of services on behalf of governments. Single funding agreements with Aboriginal organisations for all the funding they receive is the ultimate goal. To support this, all funding agencies are using standard terms and conditions in all agreements with Aboriginal organisations. DPCD is also investigating better options for funded Aboriginal organisations to provide common community accountability documents. Regulatory reform

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 The Government wants to minimise red tape for community organisations. Consumer Affairs Victoria has released a discussion paper to identify options for a more ‘enabling’ framework of regulation which is appropriate for both large and small community organisations. Working with the Commonwealth’s Office for Registered Indigenous Corporations, the aim is to manage risk, provide community accountability, transparency and adequate protections for Indigenous community organisations of all sizes. Next steps High priority has been given to: – expanding the Aboriginal Affairs Victoria Governance Training – establishing a team of professional advisors with an understanding of the sector who can provide governance advice, diagnostic services, business support, systems development and program planning for targeted Indigenous community organisations – developing an Aboriginal Workforce Strategy – providing Indigenous organisations with regular and reliable data about their communities to better inform future actions – developing a statewide plan to support the roll-out and further development of cultural competencies for the health and community services sector – developing Department of Human Services guidelines for the funding of Indigenous community organisations to ensure a quality and sustainable service. The Indigenous Leadership and Capacity Building Strategy The Strategy will establish links with other Victorian Government initiatives including the Wannik strategy and the new Office for the Community Sector. By also working with the Commonwealth the Strategy will complement work being considered under the COAG arrangements. The whole-of-government strategy will identify existing and planned initiatives within each of the departments, identify opportunities for linking initiatives and identify new initiatives. Stronger community organisations The Stronger Communities Action Plan sets out a number of actions aimed at reducing the regulatory burden and building the capacity of community organisations. The plan can be accessed at www.dpcd.vic.gov.au. We will work to ensure that Indigenous organisations participate in, and benefit from these efforts.

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08 Published by Aboriginal Affairs Victoria Department of Planning and Community Development 1 Spring Street, Melbourne Victoria 3000 Telephone (03) 9208 3799 January 2009 © Copyright State Government of Victoria 2009 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by Richard Wynne, 22 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Printed by Stream Solutions Designed by The White Studio Printed on 50% recycled paper ISBN 978-1-921607-09-7

Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an accessible format, such as large print or audio, please telephone 03 9208 3244 or email [email protected] This publication is also published in PDF and Word formats on www.dpcd.vic.gov.au

Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007/08