Return to Crisis? Or Making Better Investments?
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Return to Crisis? Or Making Better Investments? The Indigenous Advancement Strategy’s failure to engage in ground-breaking community initiatives for a Better Future for the Fitzroy Valley and the Urgent Need for Subsidiarity (Local and Regional Decision Making & Awareness) in the Allocation of Commonwealth Indigenous Funds Submission to the Commonwealth Senate Finances and Public Administration References Committee Inquiry into the Rollout of Funding under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy March 15 2015 “..tragically it is our relationship with government which continual- ly erodes our capacity to achieve a holistic development partnership that is supported by inclusive, transparent and networked gover- nance. Over many years our efforts to enlist the resources we need for community empowerment and capacity development has resulted in a range of separate funding and service delivery agreements with a host of different Commonwealth and State agencies as well as local government, corporates, philanthropic entities and research insti- tutes. These external bodies have different and sometime competing policy agendas, different reporting and accountability requirements. Our community organisations are overwhelmed by administrative reporting, submission writing and managing and nurturing our po- litical and bureaucratic patron relationships. The effect of this dys- functional relationship that we have with government and external stakeholders is community organisational segmentation and regional disempowerment. “ June Oscar, “Speaking truth to community empowerment: Turning community action into national policy”, 14th Charles Perkins Ora- tion, Great Hall, University of Sydney NSW, 16th October 2014 2 3 Table of Contents Overview 6 Recommendations and Key points for the Con- sideration of the Senate Finances and Public Administration References Committee 8 Introduction to Marninwarntikura 15 Comments on the IAS based on the terms of the Senate Inquiry 19 Conclusion 28 References 29 Abbreviations 30 Appendix 1 Select Media Articles on Marnin- warntikura 2007-2015 31 4 5 Overview funding application Marninwarntikura Fitzroy Women’s Resources Cen- • The application itself tre (MWRC) argues in this submission that the basis • Engagement with PM&C officials subsequent to of the Commonwealth Government’s Indigenous Ad- the IAS funding notification vancement Strategy (IAS) is fundamentally flawed. The outcome of the IAS process is that MWRC’s Com- MWRC argues that the competitive application pro- monwealth funding has been reduced by more than cess which the IAS funding application is based on is 60%. Our argument is that not only is this outcome dysfunctional because it fails to recognise the intercon- unjust but that the whole process lacks logic, transpar- nected and collaborative nature of local community ency and integrity. organisations and initiatives. The IAS funding model does not recognise the need for a whole of government Over the last decade MWRC has developed a positive approach to addressing complex social challenges. All engagement with the Commonwealth and State Gov- this undermines the Commonwealth government’s ernment as well as the Derby West Kimberley Shire own stated policy objectives of delivering employment and various research bodies about the social crisis that growth, improving school attendance and making confronts Indigenous people in the Fitzroy Valley. A communities safer in Aboriginal communities. Over- growing awareness of alcohol abuse, foetal alcohol all, this submission highlights to the senate the inap- “The outcome of the spectrum disorder, child neglect and abuse, suicides, propriate nature of this funding model and the need IAS process is that family and community violence and individual and “MWRC argues that for a comprehensive overhaul and review of the process MWRC’s Common- family disempowerment has led to concerted action by the competitive appli- to ensure that the principle of subsidiarity, namely all tiers of government in collaboration with MWRC cation process which wealth funding has local and regional input, becomes central to the alloca- and its community partners to invest in strength based been reduced by more tion of funds for Indigenous communities the IAS funding ap- community strategies to address this crisis. than 60%. Our argu- plication is based on ment is that not only Over several years’ public and community investment is dysfunctional be- is this outcome unjust in the Fitzroy Valley has seen the introduction of com- cause it fails to recog- munity mandated alcohol restrictions, evidence based nise the interconnect- but that the whole work on demographic surveys and a world renowned process lacks logic, prevalence study of FASD, early childhood develop- ed and collaborative transparency and in- ment through a centre of excellence, women and fami- nature of local com- te g r i t y.” ly empowerment programs and partnerships between munity organisations schools, the justice system and the community. Tragi- and initiatives..” cally, the IAS has fractured a decade’s work of develop- ment and achievement. This submission demonstrates the destructive impact on the IAS process on MWRC capacity to lead the Fitzroy Valley’s reconstruction program. It highlight’s the Commonwealth’s dysfunctional relationship with MFWRC and the community and the contradiction of its own policy objectives in three broad areas; Marninwarntikura Executives Maureen Carter (left) • Dialogue leading to the development of MWRC’s June Oscar (right) 6 7 Recommendations and Key points for the Con- ing through the IAS. Baya Gawiy has no secure funding sideration of the Senate Finances and Public stream over the next financial year and is threatened with closure. Administration References Committee d. There is an urgent need to consider the development Recommendations and implementation of appropriate forms of training, em- ployment, and wraparound infrastructure of support and 1) Government should invest in place-based capacity care, for a population presenting high rates of FASD and and evidence-based solutions. Early Life Trauma. a. MWRC has been constructed through a process of e. Looking beyond the Fitzroy Valley in defunding co-designing solutions with community and diverse range MWRC the Commonwealth government is dismantling a of stakeholders. The IAS and future Commonwealth In- world light house that is creating a global knowledge base digenous funding must invest in this form of collaborative and best practice treatment, research, prevention strategies work. concerning FASD and ELT. “It is of paramount b. MWRC demonstrates that local organic leadership is 2) Stable and secure funding for the operations and “It is vital that importance that the the foundation for robust solutions and social innovations executive body of organisations running frontline services base level opera- and appropriate responses to community challenges and government con- problems. In this respect MWRC fully endorses Chapter a. The Commonwealth government must prioritise sta- tional funding is sistently invests in Four of the recent Empowered Communities Empowered ble, consistent base funding to organisations like MWRC not threatened ev- place-based capacity Peoples report namely that there are five systematic fund- that make major contributions to the health and well-being ery time there is a ing problems in Indigenous affairs of communities and the prosperity of the nation on the and evidenced based basis of an enormous amount of social capital and commu- change in policy or models of communi- i. expenditure growth without achieving outcomes nity participation. government funding ty development.” ii. the current approach is almost entirely supply driven b. It is vital that base level operational funding is not arrangements.” threatened every time there is a change in policy or govern- iii. there is a large industry with vested interests servicing ment funding arrangements. The IAS has ignored the need indigenous dysfunction to fund the governance, administration and strategic sup- port necessary to run program work. iv. there are too many layers of bureaucratic process and red tape 3) Streamline funding process to cut red tape and allow for flexibility in the allocation of funds. v. there is an ongoing lack of transparency around fund- ing spent in localities and regions a. The IAS process shows that there is a clear need for whole of government understanding at local and regional c. It is of paramount importance that the government levels. The PMC negative response to MWRC’s request for consistently invests in place-based capacity and evidenced “Shared Services” funding namely funding to build on WA based models of community development. MWRC needs State government funded services represents an extraor- targeted investment into prenatal, early childhood and ed- dinary policy stance. It seems PMC supports “Shared Ser- ucation strategies. MWRC operates the Marulu unit, which vices” so long as there is no State funding involved. (Email continues to diagnose and research preventative and sup- Apr 9) Almost every Aboriginal service and agency have portive strategies for children and families with FASD, and components of State government, local and philanthrop- Baya Gawiy, an early childhood learning unit and family ic funding involved. These organisations must operate as centre; supporting the healthy growth of families and of- holistic organisation reflecting the interconnected nature of fering day care and unique learning