DIMIA Annual Report 2001-02
REPORT ON PERFORMANCE OUTCOME THREE
Many agencies both inside and outside the Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs portfolio deliver Indigenous-specific programs and services aimed at achieving better outcomes for Indigenous people.
They also provide a range of enhancements to mainstream services to improve their accessibility to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The government's primary focus has continued to be placed in the key areas of education, health, housing and employment.
The Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs' (OATSIA) primary function is to provide high-level policy advice to the Minister in support of his leadership role in working with other Ministers and portfolios to improve outcomes for Indigenous people.
OATSIA has worked closely with departments and agencies across the Commonwealth and the States and Territories, with the objective of achieving better coordination between governments and services that can have a significant impact, particularly in the key areas of health, housing, employment and education.
The Office has been an active participant in the Standing Committee of Officials that supports the Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, which has played a strong role in the implementation of the Council of Australian Governments' (COAG) Framework to Advance Reconciliation.
In April 2002, COAG decided to trial a whole-of-government cooperative approach in up to 10 communities or regions to improve the way governments interact with each other and with communities, to deliver more effective responses to the needs of Indigenous Australians.
A major theme of this initiative is empowering Indigenous people to take responsibility for their affairs in partnership with government. Implementation of this initiative is being overseen by a cross-departmental Secretaries' Group on Indigenous Policy.
Related policy development and implementation is being managed by the Indigenous Communities Coordination Taskforce established within DIMIA, with officers being drawn from participating Commonwealth departments and agencies.
OVERVIEW OF PERFORMANCE OF ADMINISTERED ITEM FOR OUTCOME THREE
COMPENSATION AND LEGAL EXPENSES
Objective
To manage the conduct of litigation in defence of the Commonwealth's interests, where the Commonwealth's responsibilities in Indigenous affairs are involved.
Description
Since 1993, OATSIA and its predecessors have managed the conduct of certain litigation, in defence of the Commonwealth's interests, where the Commonwealth's responsibilities in Indigenous affairs are involved.
The Office does not manage native title litigation, apart from some matters arising under Division 6 of Part 2 and Part 11 of the Native Title Act 1993.
During 2001-02 litigation conducted included claims relating to children separated from their families as a result of past practices and a damages action arising out of the Hindmarsh Island bridge issue.
The Commonwealth has not initiated litigation in the Indigenous Affairs portfolio.
During 2001-02 there were 751 such matters, 742 of which were writs relating to the separated children litigation held in abeyance pending the outcome of the Cubillo and Gunner cases.
There were also 17 matters in which recovery of costs was being pursued.
Key results
-
five cases managed by OATSIA were settled in favour of the Commonwealth. One of those cases is on appeal
-
in addition to the separated children writs, and aside from costs recovery matters, five cases are still ongoing
-
no cases where the conduct of legislation was managed by OATSIA were decided against the Commonwealth.
OVERVIEW OF OUTCOME THREE DEPARTMENTAL OUTPUTS
COMMUNITY CAPACITY AND DEVELOPMENT
Objective
To provide policy advice to government and cross-portfolio coordination.
Description
OATSIA is responsible for policy advice to the Minister and coordination of whole-of-portfolio issues. It also undertakes policy work on community capacity-building, welfare reform, youth issues, substance abuse, and aspects of reconciliation.
Key results
-
OATSIA actively participated in a Commonwealth Indigenous Reference Group of Senior Executive Service (SES) level staff from key policy and service delivery agencies, which had a particular focus on community capacity-building, welfare reform, and whole-of-government coordination
-
OATSIA coordinated information from more than 40 Commonwealth agencies across 16 portfolios to assist with the production of this year's Ministerial statement, Indigenous Affairs 2002-03.
This statement, produced as part of the documentation for the 2002-03 Budget, outlines the scope of the government's planned activity in 2002-03 and provides the basis for measuring total Commonwealth Indigenous-specific expenditure, which was estimated at $2.4b. in 2001-02 and budgeted at $2.5b. in 2002-03 (see Figs 19 and 20) -
senior staff from OATSIA represented the Commonwealth at a number of meetings of the Cape York Partnerships CEOs Steering Committee which has a key role in implementing Queensland's response to the Cape York Justice Study (Fitzgerald Report)
-
contributed to the publication Indigenous Australians: a national commitment, first issued during the year.
This publication presents some key facts about Indigenous Australians and their circumstances in a readable and approachable style -
provided support for the Secretary in his capacity as chair of the CEOs Forum for Indigenous agencies within the DIMIA portfolio
-
provided secretariat support for meetings of the Steering Committee for Reconciliation Place.
Reconciliation Place, due to be opened in July 2002, will be a site in Canberra's Parliamentary Triangle honouring the importance of reconciliation in the nation's life, acknowledging the story of Australia's first peoples and reflecting the ongoing desire of Australians for reconciliation.