NSW CAPO's Closing the Gap Workshops

NSW CAPO Aboriginal Data Sovereignty and Governance Workshops 2024

To prepare for the workshops, please download and read the discussion paper.

Please note, notes will be taken during the workshops and these notes may inform the final report.

The final report will name communities and organisations that participated in the project, but will not attribute any specific comments or ideas to any individual or organisation.

Confidential and private information will be stored in files and folders that are password protected.

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In this digital age, our stories and future are encoded in the data that surrounds us.

When Aboriginal communities have custodianship and governance of our data, we can demonstrate our sovereignty and reclaim narratives.

NSW CAPO is working with Aboriginal communities to transform NSW Data Ecosystems and make government-held data accessible to Aboriginal communities.

NSW CAPO's project on Aboriginal Data Sovereignty and Governance meets commitments within the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and the 2022-2024 NSW Implementation Plan for Closing the Gap, Priority Reform 4.

As part of embedding communities' voices at the heart of this work, we’re holding workshops around NSW to get your input.

Based on that input as well as research, and meetings with government and statutory bodies, we're preparing options for your feedback.

To have your say, please register for one of the workshops below. We want to hear your voices, and would love you to attend a workshop in your community.

Register to attend a workshop near you:

How to get in touch:

Contact us via email on AboriginalDataSovereignty@alc.org.au or 02 9689 4444 and ask for the NSW CAPO Aboriginal Data Sovereignty team.
You can also download our Data Sovereignty Flyer, Fact Sheet, the Discussion Paper and much more via our Linktree here.

Background for Closing the Gap

In 2018, 14 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations wrote a letter to the Prime Minister calling for a new strategy for Closing the Gap in full partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This new approach, formalised in the 2020 National Agreement on Closing the Gap, is a commitment to a new way of working, where governments work in partnership with Aboriginal community controlled organisations to achieve meaningful change.

This Agreement is based around four Priority Reforms that fundamentally change how governments work with Aboriginal Communities and commits to achieve 17 Socio-Economic Outcomes that cover areas including health, education, justice, families, housing, land and water, languages and culture, and digital inclusion. In NSW, we have an additional Priority Reform about Economic Prosperity.

Latest Resources:

Media Release: Next Step towards Closing the Gap

In a historic moment under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, today (13 February 2023) the Australian Government will release its second Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, alongside the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations (Coalition of Peaks) annual Implementation Plan.

Click here to see more information

The Coalition of Peaks Implementation Plan

The Coalition of Peaks Implementation Plan has prioritised the need to build understanding of the National Agreement including its advantages to our people, communities, and organisations, and so that we can collectively hold governments to account for its implementation.

Click here to download the Coalition of Peaks 2023 Implementation Plan

Closing the Gap: Implementation Plan

Each party to the National Agreement has developed their own Implementation Plan and will report annually on their actions to achieve the outcomes of the Agreement. Plans have been developed and will be delivered in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partners.

Click here to read each Party’s Implementation Plan

2022-24 NSW Implementation Plan for Closing the Gap

This Implementation Plan comprehensively documents the approach New South Wales (NSW) is taking to implement the landmark National Agreement on Closing the Gap (National Agreement).

Click here to see more information

2022-24 NSW Implementation Plan for Closing the Gap - Summary

This document is a summary of the NSW Closing the Gap Implementation Plan for 2022-2024.

Click here to see more information

NSW CAPO Community Engagement Report 2022

This report shares what NSW CAPO heard from community during the March 2022 community consultations and what we have been doing since.

Click here to see more information

Recent News

Release of Priority Reform 1.3 Report of Preliminary Findings, January 31 2024

NSW CAPO is excited to announce the release of its preliminary findings into funding required for effective partnerships between ACCOs and governments.

The Priority Reform 1.3 Report summarises key findings from research, consultation and engagement activities undertaken across the first stage of a larger project.

Insights gathered will shape a budget and disbursement model, addressing funding deficiencies to support ACCOs’ participation in future partnerships.

We welcome you to download your copy here: PR1.3 Report of Preliminary Findings

We've also prepared a Quick Read into the Report - available here PR1.3 Report Quick Read.

NSW Implementation Plan 2022-2024

The NSW Implementation Plan for 2022-24 was announced in August at the Wagga Wagga Aboriginal Legal Service. This plan outlines the policies, programs, and reforms that we will be implementing over the next two years to advance Closing the Gap in NSW.

The commitments in this NSW Implementation Plan were designed in partnership between NSW CAPO and the NSW Government and this plan builds on the first, baseline Implementation Plan that was released in 2021.

The plan addresses our commitments under each of the five Priority Reforms and the 17 Socio-Economic Outcomes, totalling 144 initiatives that we will be implementing over the next two years.

Focus Areas - Socio-Economic Outcomes

The 17 socio-economic outcomes have been identified in focus areas that include education, employment, health and wellbeing, justice, safety, housing, land and waters, and languages.

The Engagement Sessions group these reforms and outcomes into 13 focus areas that you can attend.

FOCUS AREA 1 -

PARTNERSHIPS

FOCUS AREA 2 -

COMMUNITY CONTROLLED SECTOR

FOCUS AREA 3 -

TRANSFORMATION

FOCUS AREA 4 -

DATA, REPORTING, EVALUATION

FOCUS AREA 5 -

EMPLOYMENT & ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

FOCUS AREA 6 -

HEALTH

FOCUS AREA 7 -

EARLY CHILDHOOD, EDUCATION & TRAINING

FOCUS AREA 8 -

JUSTICE

FOCUS AREA 9 -

FAMILIES

FOCUS AREA 10 -

HOUSING

FOCUS AREA 11 -

LAND & WATERS

FOCUS AREA 12 -

LANGUAGES & CULTURE

FOCUS AREA 13 -

DIGITAL INCLUSION

Click Titles to See More Information

Since colonisation, bureaucrats and politicians have been unable to provide lasting solutions to the concerns expressed by mob across the country.

Closing the Gap reports time and time again, have shown that the policy solutions being offered are not working.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people understand better than anyone the issues faced in our communities, and ways to address them and improve them in ways that align with best cultural practice.

At NSWALC, we believe a Yes vote will make a difference in Aboriginal people’s lives, especially in rural and remote areas.

Voting Yes to constitutional recognition, supported by the majority of First Nations people, provides real pathways for meaningful consultation.

The details they are talking about are actually two different parts:

Today we have enough detail to vote in the referendum – this first part is about the change to the Constitution. We are being asked to vote on this change and to make constitutional recognition permanent. We have information about the change, the wording of the amendment and that a new chapter of the constitution will be created. We also know the question that will be asked of the public when the time to vote comes.
The other talk about ‘details’ is about the actual establishment of the ‘Voice’, what will it look like. This is not part of the change the constitution and will be decided upon, in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, once the referendum passes. What we do know is that there are design principles that will guide this process and that can be found here: The Voice Design Principles - Uluru Statement from the Heart

For example – we are being asked to vote on whether or not we build a bridge. We are not voting on what the bridge will look like, who will build it or whether is it made of steel or concrete. We must vote and agree on the bridge being built first, and then the finer details are discussed and implemented after a successful vote.

The Parliament will be responsible for deciding how the Voice is composed – to do that, they will need to closely consult with local communities and will need ongoing monitoring, input and evaluation in cooperation with mob and it will be an ongoing negotiation to review if the make up of the Voice is working and what may need to change.

This has been committed to by Government as part of their design principles- they commit the Government to a Voice that is chosen based on the wishes of local communities, and not appointed by Government. It will be gender balanced and have youth perspectives. And importantly, all members must be First Nations people.

On Wednesday 30th August the Prime Minister announced the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum date for Saturday 14th October.

The question that will be put to Australian voters and will require a Yes or No response is:

“A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?".

Register below for Updates on NSW CAPO and Closing the Gap

NSW CAPO and NSW Government are the New South Wales signatories to the Closing the Gap National Partnership Agreement and work in partnership with other organisations and agencies on Closing the Gap across the state.

About CAPO NSW:

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Aboriginal Community Connectors

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