Objective 1 objective indicators
To succeed, we will:
- increase the transfer of decision-making power and resources to Aboriginal organisations
- increase the use of Aboriginal knowledge and evidence in policy, program and service planning, design, delivery and evaluation, under Aboriginal leadership
- increase investment in the Aboriginal workforce to support the Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to excel in practice, partnership and service delivery
- increase the cultural competence of the non-Aboriginal workforce across all service functions to embed practices and processes that respect Aboriginal ways of working, knowledge and evidence
- improve flexible funding practices to empower Aboriginal organisations to meet the diverse needs of the community
- increase the protection and promotion of Aboriginal knowledge and Aboriginal intellectual property.
Objective 1 initiatives
To meet this objective, we will:
- support the development of policies and legislative amendments, aligned with self-determination and Treaty
- undertake capacity- and capability-building activities and change management processes, aligned with self-determination and Treaty
- improve reporting, monitoring and evaluation to support Aboriginal self-determination and Closing the Gap actions
- partner with Aboriginal governance representatives to strengthen the department’s data sovereignty practices
- lead and oversee the department’s response to recommendations made by the Yoorrook Justice Commission, and all necessary work to support the Treaty process
- work closely with the Department of Premier and Cabinet to ensure all Treaty-related work aligns with whole-of-Victorian-Government best practice guidance.
- continue to progress Yoorrook Justice Commission recommendations in partnership with Aboriginal communities, organisations and sector partners
- strengthen Aboriginal governance, including regional governance mechanisms
- transform funding models to better support Aboriginal organisations
- elevate Aboriginal self-determination in housing and homelessness, family and sexual violence and other service systems. This includes implementing the Dhelk Dja 3-year action plan 2023–2025, and developing the next 3-year action plan (2026–28) from late 2025
- empower Aboriginal decision-making to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children in care services. This includes:
- partnering with Aboriginal stakeholders to design and deliver an Aboriginal-led child and family services system
- continuing to implement Wungurilwil Gapgapduir and its nation-leading initiatives, with a refreshed action plan for 2024-2028
- including ongoing funding for care and case management of Aboriginal children in care by Aboriginal community-controlled organisations
- continue implementing and embedding Aboriginal self-determination in the legislative framework for children and family services, including binding principles for decision makers and measuring impact through development of the monitoring and evaluation framework through the Statement of Recognition Act 2023
- continuing and expanding the care and case management of Aboriginal children in care by Aboriginal community-controlled organisations.
- implement the Dhelk Dja action plan commitments to:
- strengthen family violence prevention and Aboriginal frontline family violence services
- support strong Aboriginal governance and leadership
- improve access to data to support local decision-making
- continue to implement Aboriginal cultural safety and Aboriginal governance in The Orange Door including:
- strengthening cultural safety evaluations
- reviewing Aboriginal governance.