Indigenous

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Indigenous

FaHCSIA is the Australian Government's lead coordination agency in Indigenous Affairs and also has a range of programs to assist Indigenous people.

FaHCSIA supports national implementation of the Australian Government's whole-of-government arrangements in Indigenous Affairs and manages the network of multi-agency Indigenous Coordination Centres (ICCs) across Australia.

The department is the lead agency on a number of major Government initiatives, including:

• the Northern Territory Emergency Response
• the National Apology
• consultation on a National Indigenous Representative Body.

On 19 December 2008, the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Jenny Macklin MP and the Minister for Employment Participation, the Hon Brendan O'Connor MP, announced reforms to the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) Program and the Indigenous Employment Program from 1 July 2009. Further information can be found on the Indigenous Portal website.

FaHCSIA administers a number of Indigenous-specific programs, particularly in the areas of housing, community development, leadership and land. Within its mainstream programs it keeps a focus on Indigenous services and projects that support communities and families.

In close consultation with Indigenous people, FaHCSIA is managing the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children. This study will help us better understand the links between early childhood experiences and outcomes in later life for Indigenous children.

FaHCSIA's Reconciliation Action Plan 2008-09 was developed by a working group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff from across all areas of the department. The RAP addresses how we work together to build a culture of mutually respectful relationships, understanding and respect for Indigenous culture and better opportunities for our Indigenous staff.

Whole-of-government arrangements in Indigenous Affairs

Across the Australian Government, programs and policies for Indigenous people are the responsibility of a range of government agencies, but these programs and policies are managed in a whole-of-government way.

The whole-of-government arrangements are based on:

• coordinated policy development
• efficient, flexible and strategic use of funds across the Australian Government agencies administering both Indigenous-specific and mainstream programs
• active engagement and consultation with Indigenous people
• partnerships with Indigenous people, State and Territory Governments and the private and non-government sectors to produce benefits for Indigenous communities.

The network of Indigenous Coordination Centres across Australia is responsible for local engagement with Indigenous Australians and the coordination of programs at the local and regional levels.

At the national level, the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination within FaHCSIA:

• collaborates with other agencies in developing national Indigenous policy
• leads negotiations on bilateral agreements with State and Territory Governments
• facilitates other intergovernmental processes including through the COAG Working Group on Indigenous Reform and the Ministerial Council on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
• coordinates a single Indigenous Budget
• monitors and evaluates outcomes from whole-of-government processes in Indigenous Affairs.

Other FaHCSIA units are responsible for:

• managing the processes and systems supporting a cross-agency group of Indigenous programs funded through Indigenous Coordination Centres
• working to remove 'red tape' from Indigenous service provision
• managing flexible funding so that more coordinated and strategic support can be given to particular Indigenous localities, developed with and responding to the needs of local people.

COAG Working Group on Indigenous Reform

The COAG Working Group on Indigenous Reform brings together the Australian Government and all State and Territory Governments. The Working Group's objective is to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage, focusing on these targets:

• to close the life-expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians within a generation
• to halve the mortality gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and other children under age 5 within a decade
• to halve the gap in literacy and numeracy achievement between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and other students within a decade
• to halve the gap in employment outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within a decade;
• to at least halve the gap in attainment at Year 12 schooling (or equivalent level) by 2020
• to provide all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander four year olds in remote communities with access to a quality preschool program within five years.

Further information is provided in the Ministerial Budget Statement: Closing the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Bilateral agreements with State and Territory Governments

FaHCSIA assists the Australian Government in negotiating bilateral agreements with State/Territory Governments under the National Framework of Principles for Government Service Delivery to Indigenous Australians

The agreements are signed by the Prime Minister and the relevant Premier or Chief Minister.

Northern Territory - Overarching Agreement on Indigenous Affairs - PDF [164kb] April 2005.

• An additional schedule to the Agreement with the Northern Territory, Boosting Indigenous Employment and Economic Development - PDF [102kb], was approved by the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister in March 2006.
• An additional schedule to the Agreement with the Northern Territory, Healthy Country, Healthy People: Supporting Indigenous Engagement in the Sustainable Management of Land and Seas - PDF [101kb], was approved by the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister in September 2006.

Queensland - Agreement on Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Service Delivery - PDF [98kb], announced 5 December 2005.

South Australia - Overarching Agreement on Indigenous Affairs - PDF [139kb], announced 17 April 2006.

New South Wales - Overarching Agreement on Aboriginal Affairs - PDF [99kb], announced 17 April 2006.

Western Australia - Bilateral Agreement on Indigenous Affairs - PDF [588kb], signed July 2006.

Victoria - Overarching Agreement on Aboriginal Affairs