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The Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995 requires an assessment, based on

comparable national data, of the delivery of local government services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Measures to assess councils’ performance in providing services to Indigenous people have not been developed; however, all states, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory provide reports on progress in this area.

Full progress reports for 2005–06 from state agencies and some local government associations on provision of local government services to Indigenous communities are at Appendix H. A summary is provided below. These reports identify a range of priorities, strategies and actions, and a variety of differing approaches.

New South Wales

In New South Wales the Department of Local Government continues to participate in the annual Local Government Aboriginal Network Conference.

Since 2000 the Department of Local Government has conducted surveys to collect data on specific Aboriginal and disability initiatives being undertaken by New South Wales councils. The data councils provided in these surveys about their Aboriginal initiatives for 2004 and 2005 are currently being analysed.

Under the Local Government Act 1993 all councils in New South Wales are required to develop a social/community plan at least every five years. A social/community plan examines the needs of the local community and formulates strategies that council and/or other agencies could facilitate or implement to address these identified needs. The social plan identifies specific policies and action plans for seven mandatory target groups, one of which is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Social and community planning provides an effective mechanism for councils to plan for the current and future needs of their diverse local communities. The Department of Local Government has started a review of council social plans, which will also involve a review of management plans and annual reports, to assess the inclusion of recommended actions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The New South Wales Government has developed a 10-year plan of action, Two Ways Together,

Partnerships: a new way of doing business with Aboriginal people 2003–2012, to improve service

delivery by both state and local government to Aboriginal people. As part of the Two Ways Together plan, the department has identified the key action of developing a resource kit to help councils work

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more effectively with local Aboriginal communities. The kit is being developed in consultation with councils and key Aboriginal agencies and will be finalised during 2007.

Victoria

The Municipal Association of Victoria Local Government Indigenous Network, comprising councillors and council officers interested in Indigenous issues within local government, is a continuing program. In 2004–05 the Victorian Government enacted the new framework for Aboriginal Cultural Heritage preservation through the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. Local government participated in development of this framework by responding to a discussion paper prepared by Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.

Councils continue to use Toomnangi, an initiative of the Municipal Association of Victoria’s Indigenous Interagency Coordination Committee, as a useful resource for the sector to share its ideas and initiatives in Victorian local governments’ involvement in Indigenous affairs.

Queensland

The Queensland Government developed the Community Governance Improvement Strategy to support Aboriginal shires and Island councils in their endeavours to improve their operations and thus deliver effective local government services to their communities and improve compliance with relevant legislation. Implementation of the strategy commenced during 2004–05.

A range of strategies has been developed under the Community Governance Improvement Strategy, including strategies for skills development, business system improvement and stakeholder engagement.

The Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation has continued to work with the Aboriginal shires and the Island councils on various projects and staff have made 250 visits to the councils over the past 12 months. The department is developing a White Paper reviewing community governance in the 17 Torres Strait Island communities. The objective of the review is to develop a new legislative model to improve community governance.

The Queensland State Library is implementing a series of Indigenous Library Services initiatives comprising Indigenous Knowledge Centres, information and communications technology in Indigenous Knowledge Centres, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Training and Employment Strategy 2005–10, reconciliation strategy, and protocols for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collections.

The State Library has been supporting development of partnerships between Indigenous Knowledge Centres and other government departments and community organisations to improve service delivery to communities and to enhance the sustainability of Indigenous Knowledge Centres.

After-school and homework programs for children and young people have become an important component of daily activities at many Indigenous Knowledge Centres. Some centres have started weekly movie sessions to entice new community members to the centres.

The State Library undertook an independent audit during 2006 to ascertain the information and communications technology capacity at each Indigenous Knowledge Centre. Recommendations contained in the audit report are now being discussed with councils.

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The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) Executive reports a continuing increase in Indigenous council membership of the Association. During 2005–06 the LGAQ conducted regular dialogue with the Aboriginal Local Government Association and the Island Coordinating Council. In all, 15 community councils are members of the LGAQ.

During 2005–06 the Australian Attorney-General’s Department continued to fund the LGAQ to act as the group representative for a number of regional groups of councils negotiating Native Title outcomes. The model’s aim is to provide efficiencies sought by the Attorney-General while ensuring local

government continues to have access to the level of representation it needs.

Under a contract with the Department of Local Government, Planning, Sport and Recreation the LGAQ operates the Indigenous Councils Councillor Training Program. This program provides Indigenous councillors with the opportunity to earn the Certificate IV in Local Government (Administration). There has been strong response to this initiative. To date the department has delivered this program to 16 out of 32 councils.

Western Australia

During 2005–06 the Department of Local Government and Regional Development facilitated a range of initiatives to strengthen the relationship between local government and Indigenous communities to improve service delivery.

The department is committed to working with local governments to develop Indigenous councillors’ capacity to strengthen local government systems.

In August 2005, the Human Services Director Generals Group, through the Wiluna Development Project, mandated the department as lead state agency to address the levels of disadvantage suffered by Indigenous communities. The project focuses on the department supporting the shire in developing a partnership approach between government, industry and the community to improve the townsite of Wiluna.

In addition, the department has formed a partnership with the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia to provide greater support to local governments who are coordinating emergency management plans with discrete communities.

Across Western Australia, the department has improved Indigenous service delivery by facilitating ways of increasing the capacity of local governments and their Indigenous communities to enter into service agreements.

To improve Indigenous representation in local government, the department delivered a comprehensive Indigenous local government election strategy. The strategy ensured broad Indigenous community exposure to the role of local government through departmental field visits, radio advertising and development and dissemination of written material designed for an Indigenous audience. The strategy also included developing an ongoing partnership with the Australian Electoral Commission and the Western Australian Electoral Commission to increase enrolments and voter turnout.

The Western Australian Local Government Grants Commission continues to recognise the social and economic implications of having Indigenous communities within councils in Western Australia. The Western Australian Local Government Grants Commission’s methodology provides comprehensive recognition of Indigenous factors and allowances.

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South Australia

South Australia continues the approach characterised by collaboration between the spheres of government in program design and implementation.

For several years the Australian Local Government Association, the Local Government Association of South Australia and the South Australian Government have encouraged councils to consider developing agreements with Indigenous bodies located within their areas. Agreement making supports the role of councils in coordinated forward planning strategies, sets out areas of mutual interest for the overall benefit of the local council area, and provides a structured framework to promote effective working relationships and offer community capacity-building opportunities. Three significant agreements are now in place in South Australia. They are the Land Use Agreement between Yorke Peninsula and Narungga Nations Aboriginal Corporation; the reconciliation agreement between the cities of Holdfast Bay, Marion and Onkaparinga, the District Council of Yankalilla and Southern Kaurna; and the alliance agreement between Coorong District Council and the Raukkan Community Council.

South Australia is continuing to progress agreements over Native Title claims and promotion and education projects to increase knowledge of and participation in local government elections. Five Aboriginal local governing authorities are located in out-of-Local-Government-Act areas of South Australia. They are Anangu Pitjantjatjara, Gerard Community Council, Nepabunna Community Council, Yalata Community Council, and Maralinga Tjarutja. A South Australian Local Government Grants Commission review of funding of these authorities commenced in September 2004 and considered current sources of funding for local government type services, data collection and reporting arrangements and other state and territory funding models.

To identify each community’s funding needs, the commission undertook additional investigations during 2005–06 into the extent (that is, range and depth) of funding the communities received.

Tasmania

The Tasmanian Government continues a major program of negotiating Partnership Agreements with individual councils and regional groupings of local governments across the state. As part of negotiating some agreements, the Tasmanian Government is seeking to promote links between local government and the Aboriginal community. The aim is to identify key issues that affect Aboriginal people in the local government area and develop strategies to address them.

The Tasmanian Government maintains a cooperative and collaborative working relationship with the Australian Government to progress Tasmania’s COAG trial that focuses on Aboriginal family violence. The Tasmanian Government recently returned Cape Barren and Clarke Islands to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people. With the agreement of Flinders Council, the Cape Barren Islanders Aboriginal Association will take responsibility for maintaining the road network on Cape Barren Island. Additionally, Flinders Council has indicated a willingness to negotiate a service agreement with the Cape Barren Island Aboriginal Association to maintain the rubbish tip and cemetery on the island. The Cape Barren Island Aboriginal Association provides municipal services on Cape Barren Island. It is responsible for power, water and sewerage infrastructure and services, and is funded by the Australian Government to provide these services.

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Northern Territory

In 2005–06, the Overarching Agreement on Indigenous Affairs between the Commonwealth of

Australia and the Northern Territory of Australia has been the primary vehicle for progressing

microeconomic reforms to local government and measures to improve Indigenous service delivery. The Prime Minister and the Northern Territory Chief Minister signed the agreement in April 2005.

The agreement sets out the collaborative approach the Northern Territory and Australian governments will take when working with Indigenous communities to improve government service delivery and key social and economic outcomes for Indigenous Territorians.

The standard of governance and leadership in remote and regional communities still needs improvement. Without strong governance, the best efforts to lift the standard of service delivery will continue to face enormous hurdles.

The Department of Local Government, Housing and Sport recently entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with Reconciliation Australia to develop an Indigenous governance program. This program will provide an accessible, entry-level approach to Indigenous governance development that will cater for elected members on large councils as well as governing bodies of smaller Indigenous organisations. The program will allow for immediate access to resources to enable Indigenous representatives to solve common governance problems, such as reaching quorums, avoiding conflicts of interest and separating administrative and elected member functions. It will also provide avenues for Indigenous elected members to participate in established accredited training that registered training organisations are providing.

Since 2003, the Northern Territory has encouraged a process of voluntary regionalisation of local government under the Stronger Regions – Stronger Futures strategy; however, the pace of voluntary change through this initiative has been disappointing. Accordingly, the Northern Territory Cabinet is considering proposals for a more directed approach to local government reform.

Australian Capital Territory

During 2005–06 the ACT Chief Minister’s Department worked with other ACT government agencies to develop a draft framework to guide whole-of-government policy and actions in addressing the social, economic and cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT.

The draft framework identifies a range of critical outcome indicators that, to a large extent, mirror the headline and strategic indicators within the COAG-endorsed Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage Framework. The draft framework also accords with the Canberra Social Plan and its goals and targets. The department’s activities toward achieving priority areas of the framework include establishing a representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, continuing to support the ACT COAG trial ‘Strong Safe Cohesive Communities’, building capacity within the local Ngunnawal Aboriginal community, and providing education and training opportunities designed to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children achieve positive educational outcomes.

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