“ I’ve just come from a meeting with the Coalition of Indigenous Peak Bodies, led by Pat Turner. 

And I want to thank Pat and all of those who were able to join me there for what has been a very important meeting as to how we’re continuing to work together to close the gap.

The big change that has been occurring in policy and outcomes that we’re working to, for indigenous Australians is they are now looking at this gap from the perspective of indigenous Australians, not from the perspective of governments, but listening to indigenous Australians about those gaps, where they are, how wide they are, and the policies and the responses that are needed from the perspective of indigenous Australians and the coalition of indigenous peak groups has been invaluable in their partnership with us to go about that work

And that work will go forward to the Council of Australian Governments.

We are working with indigenous Australians all across the country, but it was a very productive meeting and there were particular initiatives about data collection, but also in the area of early childhood education. There were discussions around issues of housing.

It was a very comprehensive meeting.

And again, I want to thank Pat Turner for her tremendous leadership in the way we have been completely turning around, the way we are approaching this issue of closing the gap and ensuring that we’re doing it from the perspective of indigenous Australians, from their view, how they’re looking at those gaps and how we can overcome them.

Part 1 : Prime Minister Scott Morrison Press Conference Parliament House 23 January broadcast live ABC TV and Sky News : See full PMC communique Part 3

Read Download full transcript of the Prime Minsters opening remarks at the meeting

“ Today the Prime Minister and Ministers heard the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across the country on what is needed to close the gap.

The Prime Minister is listening to those voices and supports the new National Agreement being built around the Priority Reforms.

It was also great to see the Prime Minister responding immediately with concrete actions that will contribute to the success of our Priority Reforms.

This historic meeting represents a significant step forward under the new formal relationship between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on closing the gap where decision making is shared, and the expertise and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is fully recognised.

We look forward to positive engagements with other Australian governments over the coming months as the new Agreement is finalised.”

Part 2 : Pat Turner AM, Lead Convener of the Coalition of Peaks, CEO of NACCHO and Co-Chair of the Joint Council. See recently released 8 Page Snapshot report Part 4 below 

Read all previous NACCHO Coalition of Peaks articles

Read Download the Coalition of Peaks full Press Release Here

The meeting comes after the Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap was signed in March 2019 by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Coalition of Peaks where for the first time Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, through their community controlled representatives, and Australian governments share decision making on Closing the Gap.

The Coalition of Peaks acknowledged the Prime Minister’s leadership on the development of the Partnership Agreement.

The meeting discussed the Priority Reforms, agreed in-principle by the Joint Council on Closing the Gap in August 2019, to be included in the new National Agreement.

The Priority Reforms that were put forward by the Coalition of Peaks to Australian governments to be included in the National Agreement to change the way governments work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and accelerate progress on closing the gap:

– Priority Reform 1: Developing and strengthening structures to ensure the full involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in shared decision making at the national, state and local or regional level and embedding their ownership, responsibility and expertise to close the gap;

– Priority Reform 2: Building the formal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled services sector to deliver closing the gap services and programs in agreed priority areas; and

– Priority Reform 3: Ensuring all mainstream government agencies and institutions undertake systemic and structural transformation to contribute to Closing the Gap.

The Prime Minister committed $1.5 million for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data project to develop regional profiles of Closing the Gap targets, Priority Reforms, and other community priorities to support regional decision making between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and Australian governments.

This project will be led by the Coalition of Peaks in partnership with the Indigenous Data Network and form of delivering on the new Priority Reform Four.

Part 3 Read Download the meeting communique

Part 4 Read Download the recently released 8 page Coalition of Peaks Snapshot 2020

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