As a project officer in the Office of the Coordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services, I was assigned to fly out to one of the Remote Service Delivery communities and document a week in the life of a Government Business Manager. The aim was to highlight the special skills needed to be a Government Business Manager, and the diversity and importance of their role in making Remote Service Delivery work in communities. The difficulty in finding a Government Business Manager in one place for a week gave me some indication of how busy they are, but nothing could have prepared me for the reality on the ground. Their responsibility in ensuring governments meet their commitments in remote communities cannot be overstated.
The signing of the National Indigenous Reform Agreement by the Council of Australian Governments in 2008 signified a new era in Australian Indigenous affairs. It is a long-term commitment from governments to work together to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage. The Council of Australian Governments agreed to six targets and identified seven comprehensive building blocks that need to be in place to address this disadvantage. There are a range of National Partnership Agreements signed by governments that contribute to achieving these targets. The Coordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services oversees the progress of the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Service Delivery in the 29 Remote Service Delivery communities across Australia. This National Partnership encompasses all seven building blocks and also outlines the new approach to government engagement and service delivery in remote Indigenous communities. Each Remote Service Delivery community has their own Local Reference Groups and Local Implementation Plan, which are documents stating communities’ priorities and actions needed to be taken to address these.
Government Business Managers and Indigenous Engagement Officers ensure the Local Implementation Plan process runs smoothly in the 29 Remote Service Delivery communities. They work for the Australian Government, the State or Territory Government and the local Regional Operations Centre and are the single government interface in remote communities. Together they monitor and report on progress, clearing any blockages that may arise in achieving the communities’ and governments’ goals. They also work closely with Community Reference Groups to ensure the community is informed and contributing to decisions being made. A Government Business Manager’s role in assisting to meet the Closing the Gap targets is pivotal, and having the right person in place can really make all the difference. As you can imagine, the job is not an easy one. Being a successful Government Business Manager requires a unique skillset that is not easily found in the workforce, as you will find in my documentation of a week in the life of a Government Business Manager.