This sets out how government and government-funded organisations will be held to account for delivering services that meet the needs of communities.
Governance and accountability
Government and government-funded organisations must be held to account for delivering services that meet the needs of communities. Too often, government funding in Aboriginal affairs focuses on outputs – what activities, products or services it is providing and at what cost.
We need to move from measuring outputs to measuring outcomes – what we are achieving for and with Aboriginal Victorians. Government must also be held accountable for changing its systems and structures to enable Aboriginal self-determination.
Government should be held accountable on the outcomes they deliver – the numbers speak for themselves. Community forum participant, Morwell
Aboriginal-led evaluation and review mechanism
Government alone cannot hold itself accountable for improving outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians. Government, Aboriginal organisations and government-funded organisations must be accountable to Aboriginal-led, independent and transparent oversight.
An Aboriginal-led evaluation and review mechanism will be established to track government’s progress against the VAAF. This will include quantitative and qualitative reporting on the goals, objectives and measures, including:
- efforts to progress the self-determination guiding principles
- implementation of the broad areas for action that support the four self-determination enablers.
The terms of reference for this mechanism, including its function, scope, membership and governance, will be developed in partnership with community.
Data transparency and accountability
Open, transparent and meaningful data that is disaggregated at the local and regional level is a significant part of government accountability. It tells us what is working and where further action is needed.
Furthermore, increasing Aboriginal ownership and control of data is a key enabler of slf-determination. When community is adequately resourced to undertake this work, data can strengthen Aboriginal advocacy, sector planning and decision-making.
Data sovereignty needs to be advanced. Research, evidence and data should be community owned and controlled. This is a key mechanism for community decision-making. Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) submission
Next steps
Aboriginal Victorians have suggested a range of additional options to hold government accountable to community for its performance in Aboriginal affairs.
In the first instance, the Victorian Government commits to:
- commencing work immediately on the development of an Aboriginal-led evaluation and review mechanism
- publishing disaggregated VAAF data via a public data platform
- tabling an annual whole-of-government progress report on the VAAF in Parliament
- exploring potential legislative and policy options to ensure system-wide, whole-of-government adoption and application of the Aboriginal self-determination guiding principles.
VAAF measures
*All measures will be reported using Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal data where available unless specified as an Aboriginal-specific measure.
Domain 1: Children, family & home
Goal 1 : Aboriginal children are born healthy and thrive
Objective 1.1 Improve maternal and infant health
Measure 1.1.1 Rate of low birth weight
Measure 1.1.2 Rate of preterm birth
Measure 1.1.3 Rate of perinatal mortality
Measure 1.1.4 Smoking during pregnancy
Objective 1.2 Children thrive in their first 1000 days
Measure 1.2.1 Participation rates for Maternal and Child Health Key Ages and Stages Consultations
Measure 1.2.2 Attendance at Koori Maternal Health Service
Measure 1.2.3 Immunisation rate at 24 months and 60 months
Measure 1.2.4 Participation in facilitated playgroup (0-3 years)
Goal 2: Aboriginal children are raised by Aboriginal families
Objective 2.1 Eliminate the over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in care
Measure 2.1.1 Rate and number of children and young people in care
Measure 2.1.2 Number of families engaged with family support and intensive family support services
Objective 2.2 Increase Aboriginal care, guardianship and management of Aboriginal children and young people in care
Measure 2.2.1 Number and proportion of Aboriginal children and young people in care placed with i) relatives/kin and ii) other Aboriginal carers
Measure 2.2.2 Number and proportion of Aboriginal children and young people in care with a Cultural Plan
Measure 2.2.3 Number and proportion of Aboriginal children and young people in care on contractible orders managed by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs)
Measure 2.2.4 Number and proportion of Aboriginal children and young people on protection orders under the direct authority of an ACCO (Section 18)
Objective 2.3 Increase family reunifications for Aboriginal children and young people in care
Measure 2.3.1 Number of children and young people reunified with parent(s) within 12 months of admission to care as a proportion of all Aboriginal children and young people admitted to care
Measure 2.3.2 Number of Aboriginal children and young people who exit care who do not return to care within 12 months as a proportion of all Aboriginal children and young people who exit care
Goal 3: Aboriginal families and households thrive
Objective 3.1 Reduce the incidence and impact of family violence affecting Aboriginal families
Measure 3.1.1 Number and proportion of family incident reports involving an Indigenous other party; and proportion who were the subject of a previous family incident report
Measure 3.1.2 Number and proportion of family incident reports involving an Indigenous affected family member; and proportion who were the subject of a previous family incident report
Measure 3.1.3 Number and proportion of notifications to child protection for children and young people where family violence is identified
Objective 3.2 Increase income and housing security for Aboriginal households
Measure 3.2.1 Proportion of households who had reliable access to sufficient food in previous 12 months
Measure 3.2.2 Proportion of households with less than 50 per cent median equivalised income
Measure 3.2.3 Proportion of households experiencing rental stress
Measure 3.2.4 Proportion of Victorians who are homeless and proportion of clients accessing homelessness services
Measure 3.2.5 Proportion living in overcrowded dwellings
Goal 4: Aboriginal children thrive in the early years
Objective 4.1 Optimise early childhood development and participation in kinder
Measure 4.1.1 Number and proportion of eligible children enrolled in a funded four-year-old kindergarten program in the year before school
Measure 4.1.2 Number of children funded to participate in Early Start Kindergarten
Measure 4.1.3 Proportion of children vulnerable on one or more domain on the Australian Early Development Census
Goal 5: Aboriginal learners excel at school
Objective 5.1 Bring Aboriginal achievement at school in line with learners' aspirations
Measure 5.1.1 Percentage of students in top three bands – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in Year 3, 5, 7 and 9
Objective 5.2 Increase the proportion of Aboriginal students who feel safe and connected at school
Measure 5.2.1 Proportion of students who feel connected to their school
Measure 5.2.2 Student attendance rates in government schools
Descriptive Measure 5.2.3: Number of Aboriginal people on school councils
Measure 5.2.4: Proportion of students who report experiencing bullying at school
Descriptive measure 5.2.5: Number and proportion of school-based Aboriginal education workers (principals, teachers, education support staff) across all government schools
Descriptive measure 5.2.6: Number of schools teaching an Aboriginal language
Descriptive Measure 5.2.7: Number and proportion of government schools having undertaken cultural understanding and safety training
Domain 2: Learning & skills
Goal 6: Aboriginal learners are engaged at school
Objective 6.1 Increase Year 12 or equivalent attainment
Measure 6.1.1 Proportion of young people aged 20-24 with Year 12 or equivalent
Measure 6.1.2 Apparent retention rates for students in Years 10 to 12
Measure 6.1.3 Number of Aboriginal students who complete the VCE, VCAL or VET in Schools Certificate
Goal 7: Aboriginal learners achieve their full potential after school
Objective 7.1 Increase the proportion of Aboriginal young people in work or further education and training
Measure 7.1.1 Destinations of Year 12 completers
Measure 7.1.2 Proportion of 17-24-year-old school leavers participating in full-time education and training and/or employment
Measure 7.1.3 Tertiary education participation and completion:
7.1.3a: VET participation rate
7.1.3b: university participation rate
7.1.3c: VET course completion rate
7.1.3d: university course completion rate
Measure 7.1.4 Proportion of 20-64 year olds with qualifications at Certificate III level or above
Measure 7.1.5 Proportion of 20-64-year-old government-funded and total VET graduates employed and/or in further study after training
Measure 7.1.6 Proportion of graduates and cadets employed in VPS; retention, progression and satisfaction
Goal 8: Aboriginal workers achieve wealth equality
Objective 8.1 Increase Aboriginal household income in line with the Victorian median
Measure 8.1.1 Median household income and median equivalised household income
Objective 8.2 Increase Aboriginal home ownership in line with the Victorian average
Measure 8.2.1 Proportion of home owners versus other tenure types (by age bracket)
Objective 8.3 Increase Aboriginal business ownership and support Aboriginal entrepreneurs
Measure 8.3.1 Number of Victorian business owner-managers who are Aboriginal
Measure 8.3.2 Aboriginal businesses that government enters into a purchase agreement with as a proportion of small to medium enterprises government enters into a purchase agreement with
Goal 9: Strong Aboriginal workforce participation, in all sectors and at all levels
Objective 9.1 Increase Aboriginal workforce participation
Measure 9.1.1 Employment to population ratio
Measure 9.1.2 Proportion employed in full-time versus part-time or casual employment
Measure 9.1.3 Aboriginal jobseekers supported into work
Objective 9.2 Increase workforce participation for Aboriginal women
Measure 9.2.1 Workforce participation of women (as measured at 9.1.2)
Objective 9.3 Increase workforce participation for Aboriginal young people, people with a disability and people living in regional areas
Measure 9.3.1 Workforce participation (as measured at 9.1.2) by age, disability status and regional versus metropolitan
Domain 3: Opportunity & prosperity
Objective 9.4 Increase Aboriginal leadership and representation across all sectors and levels
Measure 9.4.1 Aboriginal employment by sector, industry and occupation; with analysis by growth industry
Measure 9.4.2 Proportion of Aboriginal people employed across the VPS (with 2 per cent target by 2022)
Measure 9.4.3 Number of Aboriginal people at VPS 6 level and above in the VPS
Measure 9.4.4 Number of Aboriginal people participating on government boards
Goal 10: Aboriginal income potential is realised
Objective 10.1 Increase Victoria's Aboriginal gross income and decrease the opportunity cost of Aboriginal income inequality
Measure 10.1.1 Victoria's Aboriginal income as sum of all income earned by Aboriginal workers
Measure 10.1.2 Opportunity cost: Aboriginal gross income at parity minus actual
Goal 11: Aboriginal Victorians enjoy health and longevity
Objective 11.1 Improve Aboriginal health status, quality of life and life expectancy
Measure 11.1.1 Life expectancy at birth, by sex
Measure 11.1.2 Proportion reporting ‘excellent or very good’ health status, by sex
Measure 11.1.3 Rate of daily smoking, by sex
Measure 11.1.4 Rate of hospitalisations for potentially preventable causes (vaccine preventable, acute, chronic and all)
Measure 11.1.5 Incidence of selected cancers
Measure 11.1.6 Rate of emergency department presentations for alcohol or drug-related harm
Measure 11.1.7 Specialist alcohol and other drug treatment services provided to Aboriginal Victorians
Goal 12: Aboriginal Victorians access the services they need
Objective 12.1: Improve access to health and community services for all Aboriginal Victorians
Measure 12.1.1 Proportion who received a health check or assessment, by age
Measure 12.1.2 Participation rates for cancer screening
Measure 12.1.3 Proportion and number accessing disability services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Measure 12.1.4 Number and proportion accessing aged care services
Measure 12.1.5 Number and proportion of people aged 55 years or over who had an annual health assessment
Descriptive measure 12.1.6 Services implement strategies, partnerships and campaigns, and offer care and support that is inclusive and addresses the needs of Aboriginal people who are LGBTI
Domain 4: Health & wellbeing
Goal 13: Health and community services are culturally safe and responsive
Objective 13.1 Increase the cultural safety and responsiveness of services
Measure 13.1.1 Proportion reporting experiences of racism in the health system
Measure 13.1.2 Proportion reporting positive client experience of GP services
Measure 13.1.3 Hospitalisations where patients left against medical advice/were discharged at own risk
Descriptive measure 13.1.4 Number and proportion of Aboriginal people employed in the health or social services sector
Goal 14: Aboriginal Victorians enjoy social and emotional wellbeing
Objective 14.1 Improve Aboriginal mental health and social and emotional wellbeing
Measure 14.1.1 Proportion reporting ‘high or very high’ levels of psychological and psychosocial distress
Measure 14.1.2 Rate of self-harm-related emergency department presentations (by 15-24 years old, and all)
Measure 14.1.3 Proportion reporting strong social networks they can draw on in times of crisis
Measure 14.1.4 Proportion of Aboriginal Victorians with a disability who have strong social support networks
Measure 14.1.5 Number of Aboriginal Victorians receiving clinical mental health services
Goal 15: Aboriginal over-representation in the justice system is eliminated
Objective 15.1 Decrease the number and eliminate the over-representation of Aboriginal children and young people in the justice system
Measure 15.1.1 Number, rate and age profile of unique youth (10-17 years) alleged offenders processed by police
Measure 15.1.2 Average daily number and rate of children and young people (10-17 years) under youth justice supervision in detention and
the community
Measure 15.1.3 Proportion of first-time youth alleged offenders (10-17 years) cautioned by police
Measure 15.1.4 Proportion of youth (10-17 years) in detention on remand
Objective 15.2 Decrease the number and eliminate the over-representation of Aboriginal women in the justice system
Measure 15.2.1 Number and rate of unique adult female alleged offenders processed by police
Measure 15.2.2 Average daily number and rate of Aboriginal women under corrections supervision in prison and community corrections
Measure 15.2.3 Proportion of women who return to prison under sentence within two years of release
Measure 15.2.4 Proportion of women in prison on remand
Objective 15.3 Decrease the number and eliminate the over-representation of Aboriginal men in the justice system
Measure 15.3.1 Number and rate of unique adult male alleged offenders processed by police
Measure 15.3.2 Average daily number and rate of men under corrections supervision in prison and community corrections
Measure 15.3.3 Proportion of men who return to prison under sentence within two years of release
Measure 15.3.4 Proportion of men in prison on remand
Domain 5: Justice & safety
Goal 16: Aboriginal Victorians have access to safe and effective justice services
Objective 16.1 Increase Aboriginal participation in culturally safe and effective justice prevention, early intervention, diversion and support programs
Measure 16.1.1 Number and proportion of Aboriginal youth receiving intensive bail support through the Koori Intensive Support Program
Measure 16.1.2 Number and proportion of Aboriginal adults receiving intensive bail support
Measure 16.1.3 Number of Aboriginal youth accessing community support programs through youth justice community services
Goal 17: Aboriginal Victorians feel safe and connected
Objective 17.1 Increase community safety and trust in police and the justice system
Measure 17.1.1 Proportion of police officers who have received Aboriginal cultural awareness training
Measure 17.1.2 Proportion who feel safe/very safe walking alone at night in local area
Measure 17.1.3 Proportion who have experienced any violence in the last 12 months
Descriptive measure 17.1.4 Number and proportion of Aboriginal people employed across the justice system
Domain 6: Culture & Country
Goal 18: Aboriginal land, water and cultural rights are realised
Objective 18.1 Increase the recognition and enjoyment of Aboriginal land, water and cultural heritage rights
Measure 18.1.1 Area of Crown land with native title determinations and/or Recognition and Settlement Agreements
Measure 18.1.2 Work of the State in advancing the treaty process
Measure 18.1.3 Number of Registered Aboriginal Parties that have submitted a notice of intention to enter into an Aboriginal cultural heritage land
management agreement
Measure 18.1.4 Number of Whole of Country Plans published
Measure 18.1.5 Number of Joint Management Plans and area of land covered
Measure 18.1.6 Number of cultural burns conducted
Measure 18.1.7 Number of formal partnership agreements for planning and management between Aboriginal communities and key water and
catchment agencies
Goal 19: Aboriginal culture and language are supported and celebrated
Objective 19.1 Support the preservation, promotion and practice of culture and languages
Measure 19.1.1 Participation in community events which celebrate Aboriginal culture
Measure 19.1.2 Investment in Aboriginal language and culture revitalisation programs
Goal 20: Racism is eliminated
Objective 20.1 Address and eliminate racism
Measure 20.1.1 Proportion of Aboriginal people who report having experienced racism in the previous 12 months
Measure 20.1.2 Prevalence of racist attitudes against Aboriginal Victorians held by the Victorian community
Updated