Report Highlights
I have made it a priority to visit all 29 priority communities since my appointment and this report includes one page snapshots for each community highlighting the issues raised by communities during those visits.
On the basis of these early visits and material provided by government departments in the course of preparing this report, I am convinced that the National Partnership on Remote Service Delivery agreed to by the Council of Australian Governments can and will work.
Clear progress is being made across the seven COAG building blocks. Highlights include:
In the area of governance:
- Joint government Regional Operations Centres are up and running, and all Government Business Managers will be in place in all 29 communities prior to Christmas.
In early childhood:
- Ten communities have been selected to receive new child and family centres and eight communities will benefit from new maternal and child health services. The first child and family centre will be operational from March 2010.
In education:
- Schools in 27 of the communities are being targeted for assistance under the Smarter Schools National Partnerships from 2010.
- All priority communities are benefiting from the Primary Schools for the 21st Century and National School Pride programs with total investment of $72.8 million with projects completed by 2011.
- Trades Training Centres have been approved for the benefit of seven communities from 2010 and the National Secondary School Computer Fund has to date delivered 225 computers to 11 communities.
In economic participation:
- Around 633 jobs have been created in 28 communities through the conversion of Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) places.
- 96 per cent of the estimated 9,200 job seekers are receiving Stream 3 and 4 support (the highest level) under the reformed Job Services Australia program.
In health:
- $62 million worth of capital works is being invested over a ten year period to provide upgrades to health care related facilities in 22 of the 29 communities including $21.9 million in current projects.
In housing:
- 327 new homes and 687 refurbishments are on track to be completed in the 29 communities by December 2010.
In community safety:
- 25 communities have alcohol restrictions in place.
However, progress is qualified:
- Based on available implementation data, the roll out of new COAG investments is broadly on track. But community expectations are high as a result of the Apology and the COAG commitments of November 2008 and people are impatient to see tangible improvements.
- In each jurisdiction, there are key obstacles to be overcome or opportunities that must be taken:
- in South Australia, governance in the APY lands must be resolved by political leaders;
- in Western Australia, complex tenure issues must be addressed so that houses can be built;
- in the Northern Territory and New South Wales, Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments must work together to strengthen community governance; and
- in Queensland, community-driven education reforms in Cape York must be allowed to progress.
- The level of servicing is variable across communities, for example, less than half have the services of a GP on most days and only two have a dentist on a fortnightly basis, eight have no permanent police presence and only 13 have a swimming pool.
- Good governance within communities, which includes Commonwealth, State and Territory and Local Government presence and coordination and strong community leadership are preconditions for success – without these, the new investments are at risk.
- Mainstream agencies need to embrace the whole of government approach, including considering the outposting of staff to Regional Operations Centres for periods of time to assist Government Business Managers and Regional Operations Centres to coordinate new investment in a way that supports governments' Closing the Gap targets.
- Governance and leadership training needs to be pooled and tailored to local circumstances given the proportion of communities struggling with governance issues.
- Local Government needs to be brought into the Remote Service Delivery partnership.
- Visible policing is vital to both community perceptions of safety itself.
- There are too many examples of small to medium size infrastructure projects that have been delayed due to a combination of poor scoping and project management. I believe that consideration must be given to a whole of government contracting approach. This might help overcome these unacceptable delays and enable a pipeline of projects to be drawn up which will support local Indigenous training and employment.
If these risks are managed I believe that as many as a third of the 29 communities may be considered to be ‘thriving' within eighteen months, which would allow governments to gazette additional locations to receive the full benefits of this new approach to remote servicing.
Over the coming months the balance of my focus will shift as State and Territory COAG Implementation Plans are agreed and Local Implementation Planning and baseline mapping progress.
- Local Implementation Planning should be finalised by the time of my next report. Developing documents which reflect the community's priorities and set out detailed strategies will be a challenge in those communities without strong governance. I have recommended that dedicated support be provided to communities through the Regional Operations Centre where external assistance will hasten the completion of the Local Implementation Planning process.
- I will also seek to draw out further, the common themes that emerge from my visits and interactions with all levels of government. I intend to focus on assessing results on the ground, acting on delays in implementation and communicating good news where I find it. I will also be following through commitments made during community visits.
- The critical role of the Single Government Interface should be well established by the time of my next report. I will be actively monitoring the adherence of government agencies to the requirement to coordinate their activities through the Single Government Interface, including the requirement that visits to communities are planned and coordinated with the relevant Regional Operations Centre.
- I intend to concentrate on continuing to build a strong relationship with the network of State and Territory Coordinators General and respective Boards of Management. I will also seek to maintain strong links with Australian Government agencies.
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