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National Framework of Principles for Delivering Services to Indigenous Australians
Category:	Policy/Strategy
Date:	25 June 2004
Sub Category:	Policy/Strategy
Place:
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State/Country:	Australia
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Alternative Names:	National Framework for Service Delivery to Indigenous Australians
URL:	http://www.coag.gov.au/meetings/250604/attachments_b.pdf
Summary Information:
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to the National Framework of Principles for Delivering Services to Indigenous Australians (the Framework) at the Council of Australian Governments' Meeting on 25 June 2004. The Council, comprising the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association, held detailed discussions on significant areas of national interest and produced a Communique setting out the agreed outcomes of those discussions. The National Framework is annexed as Attachment B to the Communique.
Detailed Information:
The Framework commits all levels of government to 'achieving better outcomes for Indigenous Australians, improving the delivery of services, building greater opportunities and helping Indigenous families and individulas to become self-sufficient.' The Framework is structured around several main areas including: - Sharing responsibility; - Harnessing the mainstream; - Streamlining service delivery; - Establishing transparency and accountability; - Developing a learning framework; and - Focusing on priority areas. These principles are intended to provide a common framework between governments to promote flexibility and facilitate partnerships with Indigenous people. They are also intended to 'provide a framework to guide bi-lateral discussions between the Commonwealth and each State and Territory Government on the Commonwealth's new arrangements for indigenous affairs and on the best means of engaging with indigenous people at the local and regional levels. Governments will consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in their efforts to achieve this.' (Council of Australian Governments' Meeting 25 June 2004, 'Communique'). The above principles also build on the progress of the whole of government trials commenced by COAG in partnership with local Indigenous communities in eight sites across Australia subsequent to its 11th meeting in April 2002.