A new report from the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) has uncovered the reasons behind public sector inadequacies in dealing with Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander communities.
According to the report, Governments will only be able to deliver better outcomes for Indigenous people if they embrace Indigenous knowledge and culture, collaborate better with communities and ensure Indigenous people are appropriately represented at all levels in the Public Service.
Dean and Chief Executive of ANZSOG, Professor Ken Smith said the organisation had spent the past year working to initiate dialogue with First Peoples and member Governments regarding the changes needed within their Public Services.
“This has involved forums where Indigenous Public Servants and leaders can air their views on what needs to be done,” Professor Smith said.
“We have also undertaken a listening tour focusing on our alumni and other stakeholders across Australia and New Zealand.”
He said ANZSOG had published a report outlining the findings of a forum of senior Indigenous PS employees from Australia and New Zealand held in mid-December and funded by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Professor Smith said he hoped it would be the first step in creating an active network of senior Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori PS staff to share knowledge and experience, and support Indigenous leadership across all areas of the public sector.
“We can’t talk about improving the public administration of Indigenous affairs without thinking about Indigenous leadership in the public sector,” he said.
Among the issues raised by the ANZSOG report was the Government’s need for long-term – up to 20 years – timeframes for implementing and evaluation of policy.
“Breaking out of the cycle of constant machinery of government changes, learning from the past, and moving towards solutions is critical,” the report said, “as the Public Service has a major role to play in improving the condition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.”
It said that stronger relationships built on trust between Government and the community would be essential in overcoming the deficit frame through which much public policy dealt with Indigenous people and there was a need for the public sector to be more proactive in creating career pathways and retention for Indigenous Public Servants.
“The public sector must be active and not passive in seeking out Indigenous people and supporting them into the SES,” the report said.
The 13-page report can be accessed at this PS News link.
