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OCHRE 2024: current status and future direction
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 OCHRE 2024: current status and future direction
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OCHRE 2024: current status and future direction – community guide
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9.99 MB |
Since 2014, the NSW Ombudsman has been responsible for monitoring and assessing OCHRE (Opportunity, Choice, Healing, Responsibility, Empowerment) – the state plan for Aboriginal affairs. This assessment finds that despite contributing to positive change, progress on key measures is slowing and in some cases at risk of stalling. In particular, it notes that a failure to fully embed Aboriginal voices in decision-making undermines OCHRE's foundational principles of self-determination and empowerment.
The review's core recommendation is a firm and unequivocal recommitment to OCHRE. It makes 9 suggestions for how the NSW Government can make that commitment credible, robust, and sustainable.
Key findings
- There is strong community support for OCHRE’s foundational aims.
- OCHRE has struggled with inconsistent implementation and accountability, including the apparent stagnation of three of its seven core initiatives.
- Despite its promise of co-design, at every stage of the process the OCHRE Plan has fallen short of meaningfully engaging Aboriginal leadership and communities.
- Overlap between OCHRE and the National Agreement on Closing the Gap has created confusion and competition for resources.
- Government communications about OCHRE are inconsistent and confusing.
Recommendations
- The NSW Government should clarify the status of, progress on, and intentions for each existing OCHRE initiative.
- Prioritise and expedite the finalisation of Accords with each Aboriginal Regional Alliance.
- Introduce a Bill to give OCHRE a legislative foundation.
- Mandate transparent OCHRE Reporting Frameworks, including an annual performance report and expenditure reports.
- Introduce minimum five-year funding agreements for OCHRE initiatives.
- Clarify and strengthen the role and authority of the head of Aboriginal Affairs NSW to coordinate Aboriginal programs including OCHRE.
- Respond to the outstanding findings and recommendations of all evaluations of OCHRE initiatives.
- Mandate all NSW Government Agencies adopt the 2023 OCHRE Practice Principles to improve cultural competency
and collaboration. - Clarify where OCHRE fits by defining the relationship between Closing the Gap and OCHRE.
