NSW Implementation Plan for Closing the Gap
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[Type here] NSW Implementation Plan for Closing the Gap Contents NSW IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Opening statement ................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Our partners .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Working in partnership .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 The NSW Approach .............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Priority Reforms ................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Priority Reform One: Partnership and shared decision-making .......................................................................................... 20 Priority Reform Two: Building the community-controlled sector ........................................................................................ 23 Priority Reform Three: Transforming government organisations........................................................................................ 27 Priority Reform Four: Shared access to data and information at a regional level ................................................................ 32 Priority Reform Five: Employment, Business Growth and Economic Prosperity .................................................................. 37 How this Implementation Plan will work in practice ............................................................................................................ 41 Appendix A: Priority reform tables....................................................................................................................................... 43 Appendix B: Socio-economic Targets table .......................................................................................................................... 79 1 | P a g e Opening statement The Hon. Don Harwin MLC, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs The National Agreement on Closing the Gap is a partnership between Australian governments and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community-Controlled Peak Organisations to deliver better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Consistent with the National Agreement, this Implementation Plan is centred on the partnership between the NSW Government and the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations (NSW CAPO) and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partner organisations. While there have been gains against some indicators, lasting improvements have largely eluded previous efforts. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people comprise three per cent of the population, but 27 per cent of those incarcerated; the gap in school attendance rates remains at ten per cent; and non-Indigenous men and women outlive their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peers by ten and eight years respectively. Furthermore, tragically, we continue to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody 30 years after the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. These figures are a stark reminder of the effort required and the need for a bold new approach, strongly focusing on building on strengths and shared decision-making. I am committed to working with my fellow Ministers and with NSW CAPO to develop new ways of addressing these longstanding issues. In March 2019, this new approach was enshrined in the Partnership Agreement between Australian governments and National Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (the Coalition of Peaks) which gives effect to shared decision making in the design, implementation and evaluation of efforts to improve the life outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The National Agreement is the product of that partnership and commits governments to broad-ranging systemic reforms in its relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their organisations, and ambitious socio-economic targets to drive improvements in their lives. Governments will be accountable for delivering on those reforms and targets. There is a fifth priority reform in this Implementation Plan - Employment, business growth and economic prosperity - that NSW has chosen to further improve the well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We know that sustained improvements in life outcomes will come from wealth generation through employment and thriving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses engaging in the mainstream economy. This Implementation Plan is the first step in a journey that we are walking together. Charles Lynch, Chair, NSW CAPO We know that when Aboriginal people have a genuine voice in the development, design and delivery of services that impact on us, the outcomes are better for our peoples and communities. In 2020, the NSW Government and the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations (NSW CAPO) - made up of the peak, representative, community controlled Aboriginal organisations in NSW, endorsed the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The National Agreement on Closing the Gap provides a commitment from all governments to fundamentally change the way governments work with Aboriginal peoples, communities and organisations. The National Agreement signalled a turning point in the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and governments – one that is based on shared decision-making on policies and programs that impact our lives. It recognises that the only way to close the gap is when Aboriginal peoples own and drive the outcomes sought, as equal partners with governments. NSW CAPO is committed to supporting Aboriginal peoples and communities having genuine input into the development of strategies, policies, programs and initiatives that meet the needs of our communities. 2 | P a g e NSW CAPO and the NSW Government have been working in partnership to develop the plan for how the National Agreement on Closing the Gap will be implemented in NSW – the first NSW Implementation Plan. This Implementation Plan is the baseline and is the first iteration of how we will implement the National Agreement in NSW. There will be further, annual iterations over the 10-year life of the National Agreement. These plans will be developed in partnership with the NSW Government and NSW CAPO and will set out actions to achieve the National Agreement’s Priority Reforms and partnership actions, and includes information on funding and timeframes for actions, approaches to reporting, and accountability mechanisms. As the representative group of peak Aboriginal community controlled organisations in NSW, NSW CAPO looks forward to continuing our work alongside the NSW Government and the communities we represent, ensuring that all our collaborative work associated with implementing the National Agreement in NSW is underpinned by shared decision making, genuine, meaningful partnership and transparency. 3 | P a g e Our partners Ministers The NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs has responsibility for implementation of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap across government, however all Cabinet Ministers and their departments have shared accountability for the actions outlined in this plan. It is recognised that all Ministers and departments, in partnership with NSW CAPO and other partners, need to work together to develop better outcomes for community. Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations The NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations (NSW CAPO) is comprised of the peak, representative, community controlled Aboriginal organisations in NSW, including: - First Peoples Disability Network Australia (FPDN) - Link-Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation (Link-Up (NSW) - NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation (NSW AbSec) - NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (NSW AECG) - NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) - Aboriginal Legal Services NSW/ACT (ALS NSW/ACT) - Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW (AH&MRC) - BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation (BlaQ). NSW CAPO is committed to supporting and fostering the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in NSW. It provides a strong, coordinated and united voice on matters that are important to our peoples in NSW, which include, but are not limited to health, education, housing, employment, legal equality, culture and heritage, child and family support, disability rights, LGBTQI+ rights, social justice, economic development and promoting respect for the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NSW CAPO is the NSW member of the National Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (National Coalition of Peaks). The National Coalition of Peaks is made up of over 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community controlled peak and member organisations across Australia. The National Coalition of Peaks shares a commitment to legitimate, community-controlled representation of our communities on matters that are important to our peoples. The National Coalition of Peaks came together as an act of self-determination to work together with Australian governments