Self-determination enables the wellbeing of Aboriginal Victorians. We will actively address systems and structures that inhibit self-determination with the partnership and leadership of the Victorian Aboriginal community.
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
- undertake capacity- and capability-building activities and change management processes
- improve reporting, monitoring and evaluation of 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.
- work on reforms in partnership with Aboriginal communities, organisations and sector partners
- strengthen Aboriginal governance, including regional governance mechanisms
- reform 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:
- engaging 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, through a refreshed 2024-2028 Action Plan
- including ongoing funding for care and case management of Aboriginal children in care by Aboriginal community-controlled organisations
- implementing and embedding Aboriginal self-determination in the framework for children and family services, including binding principles for decision makers, 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.