The national ‘Closing the Gap’ agreement and other national partnerships
The Victorian Government is a signatory to the new national agreement on Closing the Gap (July 2020) negotiated between all governments and the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks).
Under this agreement a priority has been placed on partnership in decision-making between governments and Aboriginal communities, making mainstream organisations more culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as improved data sharing.
The agreement sets out 16 specific targets focused on necessary change to drive improved social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal Australians.
In 2019, under the new National Land Transport Infrastructure Partnership Agreement, the Victorian Government negotiated with the Commonwealth Government and other State and Territory Governments to attach Aboriginal employment and economic participation targets to Commonwealth funding provided to States and Territories for transport projects.
The Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework (VAAF)
The Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2018-23 is Victoria’s overarching strategic framework for working with Aboriginal Victorians to drive improved outcomes.
The VAAF commits government to advancing Aboriginal self-determination. In doing so, the VAAF builds on and goes beyond previous government approaches, by recognising that to improve outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians, government must enable self- determination through systemic and structural transformation.
The VAAF is comprised of six domains, under which sit 20 goals that guide tailored Victorian Government responses to improve social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians (see image A).
The Victorian Government’s Self-Determination Reform Framework
The Victorian Government’s Self Determination Reform Framework (SDRF July 2019) provides directions to Victorian departments and agencies on how to embed Aboriginal Self Determination in delivering outcomes identified in the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework 2018-23.
The SDRF provides the architecture for all parts of State Government to report against the goals and domains of the VAAF.
While Aboriginal Self Determination means different things to different people, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples describes self- determination as the ability for Indigenous people to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
It also describes Self Determination as a right that relates to groups of people, not individuals.
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