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Report on the NSW Government's Implementation of the Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
Aboriginal people to be consulted re use of social indicators for policy purposes That when social indicators are to be used to monitor and/or evaluate policies and programs concerning Aboriginal people, the informed views of Aboriginal people should be incorporated into the development, interpretation and use of the indicators, to ensure that they adequately reflect Aboriginal perceptions and aspirations. In particular, it is recommended that authorities considering information gathering activities concerning Aboriginal people should consult with ATSIC and other Aboriginal organisations, such as NAIHO or NAILSS, as to the project. Government’s original position: Supported Revised government position: Supported Agencies responsible for implementation: Department of Aboriginal Affairs Implementation report The Council on the Cost of Government report, NSW Government Programs for Aboriginal People: Service Efforts and Accomplishments 1998, identified the need for a whole of government approach to the development of performance and social indicators to measure the outcomes of Government initiatives in Aboriginal Affairs. The Government has asked COCOG to work with key agencies to develop performance indicators to better inform Government on the effectiveness of targeted programs for Indigenous people. Further to this the Aboriginal Reference Group and Aboriginal community networks provide advice that will inform the development of social indicators and performance measures. During the development of the NSW Government’s Response to the Report on the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families: Bringing Them Home, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs undertook a series of consultative forums with New South Wales Indigenous communities, in co-operation with a range of government departments (Health, Community Services, Juvenile Justice and others). Throughout these forums Indigenous participants indicated a range of performance measures which will be used to inform the development of social and performance indicators. Throughout 1998 the Department of Aboriginal Affairs has developed an Aboriginal Consultation Policy to formalize the processes by which effective consultation can take place with Indigenous communities. The policy is expected to be completed in the near future. The implementation of the policy will ensure that Aboriginal people will be intrinsically involved in the development of policies and programs. The Policy will also be invaluable for liaising between portfolios in the development of social and performance indicators. Implementation status Partially implemented Future reporting in Part A
Maintenance of data on Aboriginal social indicators That responsible authorities accurately identify Aboriginal people in administrative data sets such as those covering mortality, morbidity and other social indicators, where such action will provide basic information which will assist Aboriginal organisations to achieve their research and service development goals. While it is acknowledged that primary responsibility for the management of such data sets lies with the States and Territories, Commonwealth agencies such as ATSIC, the Australian Institute of Health (AIH) and the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) should be involved in this exercise in a co-ordinating role. Government’s original position: Supported Revised government position: Supported Agencies responsible for implementation: Department of Health Implementation report NSW Health Department has developed the Aboriginal Health Information Strategy (AHIS) in partnership with the Aboriginal Health Resource Co-operative (AHRC). The AHIS aims to provide information that will better support service providers in the planning and delivery of health services for Aboriginal people. Two projects within the AHIS specifically address improving the recording of Aboriginality in vital statistics (births and deaths) and key health data collections (eg hospital inpatient statistics, notifiable diseases registers). The first of these projects relies on formal intersectoral collaboration through the Aboriginal Vital Statistics Working Group, comprising representatives from NSW Health, the Aboriginal Health Resource Co-operative, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages. During 1998 significant work was directed at the recording of Aboriginal deaths in New South Wales. This has resulted in improved processes by the Registry and the instigation of prospective, detailed monitoring of the recording of Aboriginal deaths in 1999 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. NSW Health Department also commenced a pilot project to improve the recording of Aboriginality in public hospitals. Three pilot sites are involved (John Hunter, Royal Prince Alfred and Lismore-Base Hospitals). Initial evaluation of the pilot is scheduled for June 1999. At a national level, the Department is represented on the NHIMG National Indigenous Health Information Plan (NIHIP) Implementation Working Group, which aims to co-ordinate efforts nationally to improve Aboriginal health statistics. This includes implementation of a standardised, consistent method of recording Aboriginality throughout all vital statistics and health collections. The Department has also collaborated with the ABS on various activities it has initiated to improve the recording of Aboriginality and Aboriginal statistics in general. Implementation status Partially implemented Future reporting in Part A
Funding to develop and monitor performance indicators for programs That Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments, in negotiation with appropriate Aboriginal communities and organisations, agree upon appropriate performance indicators for programs relevant to Aboriginal communities and organisations. The Commission further recommends that governments fund Aboriginal organisations and communities to enable the appropriate level of infrastructure and training as is required to develop, apply and monitor performance indicators. Government’s original position: Qualified support Revised government position: Qualified support Agencies responsible for implementation: Department of Aboriginal Affairs Implementation report Through the Aboriginal Reference Group (representatives of peak Aboriginal organizations), and the CEOs Working Group on Aboriginal Affairs, and on the basis of the findings of the Council on the Cost of Government Report, NSW Government Programs for Aboriginal People: Service Efforts and Accomplishments 1998, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) will be working with Indigenous organizations and communities to ensure that appropriate and applicable social and performance indicators will be developed in 1999. Implementation status Partially implemented Future reporting in Part A |
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