NSW has become the first State to publish a landmark report identifying its spending on Aboriginal people and communities.
Releasing NSW Treasury’s Comprehensive Indigenous Expenditure Report (IER), Treasurer Matt Kean said the Report also detailed where commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap were exceeded.
Mr Kean said the Report identified funding that was specifically targeted to Aboriginal people and general funding that benefitted community.
“The Report will assist the State to make effective policy reforms and tailor funding to improve the lives of Aboriginal people in NSW,” Mr Kean said.
“NSW is the first state in Australia to outline its targeted spending across the NSW Government, as well as non-targeted funding in three pilot clusters related to Aboriginal people,” he said.
“We’re exceeding our commitments under Closing the Gap, but we still have a long way to go to meet targets.”
Mr Kean said outlining funding apportioned to Aboriginal people in the State’s three pilot clusters would assist Treasury with tailoring future spending to programs and services that demonstrated improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Ben Franklin said the Report would help inform effective allocation of funds, with a focus on Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations.
“Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations are proven to provide important delivery of culturally appropriate and critical services to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people in NSW,” Mr Franklin said.
He said the IER detailed 28 new budget initiatives in health, wellbeing, education, justice, land rights and housing security, designed in partnership with Aboriginal communities to assist the Government in meeting its commitments under Closing the Gap.
Treasury’s 103-page Report can be accessed at this PS News link.
