How this implementation plan will work in practice

It is therefore important to ensure this document can evolve and adapt to changes happening across Victoria, Australia, or the world.

This plan is a living document, which will regularly be subject to review, adaptation and reform as we continue a journey towards equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Changes to this Implementation Plan

This Implementation Plan will be reviewed by 2023, as will the VAAF. Following the initial three years, it will be subject to a review and analysis of outcomes as identified in the relevant VGAAR reports. Amendments, additional actions, and priority reform sectors will be updated to reflect these changes.

This Implementation Plan may also change in the case of a significant event such as COVID-19 which may require further emergency responses or adaptation to ensure the outcome of equity is still achieved.

Any changes to this Implementation Plan will be done in partnership with the Victoria’s Implementation Partners.

Annual reporting

Each year, the Victorian Government Aboriginal Affairs Report provides a chance to consider how we've tracked against our commitment to improving outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians as measured against the VAAF. Victoria will embed the outcomes under the National Agreement through this pre-existing reporting mechanism. It’s also an important opportunity to recognise the achievements and strengths of Victorian Aboriginal communities.

In accordance with Victoria’s commitments under the National Agreement, the VGAAR complies with all relevant requirements (cl118), including:

Inclusion of data from the Closing the Gap dashboard and annual Productivity Commission data compilation report

In addition to reporting against the 111 data measures included in the VAAF, the VGAAR will also include reporting on Closing the Gap measures from 2021 onwards. This data will be drawn from the dashboard and annual Productivity Commission data compilation report to ensure consistency of measures of progress.

Reporting on the National Agreement’s 4 priority reform areas

The VGAAR already reports on existing action by the Victorian Government to reform systems, structures, and service delivery to advance Aboriginal self-determination. This includes information on departmental and whole of government action to embed the four VAAF self-determination enablers: Prioritise culture, address trauma and support healing, address racism and support cultural safety, and transfer power and resources to communities. In addition to this, from 2021, reporting will also include information on efforts to implement the four Priority Reform areas, particularly outlining how implementation aligns with the National Agreement’s principles for action.

Demonstrating alignment of efforts, investment, and actions to support achievement of Closing the Gap goals

The VGAAR currently includes a range of reporting approaches to demonstrate how efforts, investment and actions are aligned and support VAAF outcomes. This includes data presentation and analysis, case studies, information on Victorian Government investment and annual action across each of the VAAF domains. From 2021, these approaches will also be used to demonstrate efforts, investment, and actions to support achievement of Closing the Gap goals.

Information on funding to Aboriginal community-controlled organisations (ACCOs) and other Aboriginal organisations

Where appropriate, the VGAAR will include additional information on funding to ACCOs and other Aboriginal organisations from 2021 onwards. This will include information listing the number of ACCOs and other Aboriginal organisations that have been allocated for the purposes of Clause 24, 55a and 55b, and 135 of the National Agreement, and subject to confidentiality requirements, also lists the names of the organisations and amount allocated.

Accountability

Victoria’s Implementation Partners will provide oversight and sector-specific direction into the implementation of Victoria’s commitments under the National Agreement. Furthermore, existing Aboriginal partnership forums will be assigned accountability over specific National Agreement targets.

In addition, the Victorian Government commits to undertaking further engagement, in partnership with Victoria’s Implementation Partners, with the full spectrum of ACCOs in Victoria and ensuring that they are empowered with information on how they can leverage the National Agreement at the local and regional level, and provide opportunities to recommend Closing the Gap-related priorities for the annual State Budget process.

Victoria will also consider how to embed consideration of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap within state budget processes.

The AEC currently review the VGAAR and provide feedback, assessment, and priorities for the Victorian government to focus on for the following 12 months – this process will now encompass the outcomes under the National Agreement.

Victoria also established an inter-departmental working group to develop this Implementation Plan, which is chaired by both the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Implementation Partners, with membership consisting of all Victorian Government departments, Local Government representatives and the National Indigenous Australians Agency. This working group will pivot to provide a monitoring and evaluation role through which annual progress reports, feedback from Joint Council and any outcomes from the Productivity Commission and Indigenous-led reviews will be considered.

Communicating about this implementation plan

The VAAF is a community developed and owned resource, which empowers Aboriginal communities to understand their needs and outcomes. Likewise, Victoria believes that both the National Agreement and this Implementation Plan should be owned by the Victorian Aboriginal community. To ensure the Victorian Aboriginal community maintains ownership and connection to this Implementation Plan, Victoria will engage with Aboriginal-led media and communication organisations to develop an in-depth engagement and communication plan which ensures this plan, and the commitments within it, are visible and accessible to the wider Aboriginal community.

Meeting our commitments

Victoria has met, as per our commitments to the National Agreement, the following criteria: