ATNS - Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements project

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Agreement on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (New South Wales)
Date:	8 August 1996
Sub Category:	Framework Agreement
Place:
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State/Country:	New South Wales, Australia
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Subject Matter:	Health and Community Services
Summary Information:
The New South Wales Agreement on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health was signed on 8 August 1996 by the Minister for Health and Family Services, Dr Michael Wooldridge, the New South Deputy Premier, Minister for Health and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Dr Andrew Refshauge, the Chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, Ms Lois O'Donoghue, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Health Resource Cooperative, Ms Sandra Bailey.
Detailed Information:
This agreement was among a set of Framework Agreements on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health entered into by all state and territory governments between July 1996 and February 1999. These were set to expire in June 2000, though the parties agreed to recommit to them and the resigning process began in 2001 (NATSIHC 2003, 23). They were created following an agreement made by state and federal Health Ministers in 1995 to create multilateral framework agreements. The Framework Agreements were designed to improve coordination between federal and statement governments and to improve relationships between governments and indigenous organisations (NACCHO 1999). Specifically, they aimed 'to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through: 1. improving access to both mainstream and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific health and health related programs which [would] reflect the level of need; 2. increasing the level of resources allocated to reflect the higher level of need of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including within mainstream services, and transparent and regular reporting for all services and programs; and 3. joint planning processes which [would] inform the allocation of resources and allow for: full and formal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in decision making and determination of priorities; improved co-operation and co-ordination of current service delivery; and increased clarity with respect to the roles and responsibilities of the key stakeholders.' (NACCHO 1999). Following the creation of the first set of Framework Agreements, a national level agreement was created (the National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health). The first state and territory Framework Agreements have since been re-signed or replaced under this national framework. This Agreement was replaced first by the Agreement on the Health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People (New South Wales) (2002) and then by the Overarching Agreement on Aboriginal Affairs between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of New South Wales (2006).