Performance Reporting

Part two

Output Group 1.2: Services for Indigenous Australians

Administered items:

Community Housing and Infrastructure
- Community Clean Up program
- CHIP—Municipal Services
- Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure
Community Development Employment Projects
Indigenous Communities Strategic Investment
- Consultations on Indigenous Apology
- Shared Responsibility Agreements Implementation Assistance Program (SRAIAP)
- Family and Community Network Initiative
Indigenous Leadership
Native Title and Land Rights
Northern Territory Emergency Response
- Employment and Welfare Reform
Ranger Payment
Public Awareness
Repatriation

Departmental outputs:

Administration of Native Title and Land Rights
Administration of Repatriation Program
Policy services and program management
Service delivery

Case study—Indigenous Leadership Programs

FaHCSIA offers three Indigenous Leadership Programs that encourage participants to develop a vision for the future and to engage in planning to achieve that vision. The three programs are: the Indigenous Community Womens Leadership Program, the Indigenous Community Mens Leadership Program, and the Indigenous Community Youth Leadership Program.

Specific skills taught include negotiation, financial management, networking, advocacy and leadership. A five‑day residential component was held in Canberra, with all participant travel and accommodation expenses met by FaHCSIA.

Sharron Condren, Karl Briscoe, Sonia Townson, Laurie Rankine, Danielle Lovegrove and Tammy Hunter have all undertaken the training. Sharron reports that the program has, ‘helped me find my voice and given me the ability to express myself.’ Karl now has the confidence to undertake future projects in his community, while Sonia has put herself forward for a major leadership role in her Local Council in the next election.

Laurie says the program, ‘helped me realise that my dreams are realistic and achievable.’ Danielle, winner of the Youth Citizen of the Year award, reports that it, ‘improved my communication skills and helped me widen my networks.’ Tammy enjoyed the program, which has increased her networking circle and her personal skills. She recently received the Churchill Fellowship Award and has been visiting Indigenous communities in New Zealand, Canada and the United States.

Community Housing and Infrastructure

Price
Estimate	$366.385m
Actual	$365.271m

Community Housing and Infrastructure Program (CHIP)—Community Housing and Infrastructure

CHIP provides funding for housing, municipal services and environmental health‑related infrastructure, with a focus on the needs of Indigenous people in remote communities.

The Australian Remote Indigenous Accommodation (ARIA) program will commence from 1 January 2009, replacing CHIP.

ARIA’s purpose is to reform Indigenous housing and infrastructure delivery arrangements through bilateral agreements with state and territory governments.

This will be achieved through: the construction and purchase of additional housing; repair and upgrades of community owned and managed rental housing; repairs and upgrades of existing housing stock and housing‑related infrastructure; major capital projects (power, water and sewerage); and funding to state, territory and local governments to ensure that Indigenous people have access to essential services that meet their needs.

Community Clean Up program

The Community Clean Up program is a component of the NTER which is funded under CHIP. The program aims to improve Indigenous health through initial safety fixes and minor house repairs in existing Indigenous housing stock in Northern Territory communities.

Quality—assurance indicator: Jurisdictions responsible for delivery of remote Indigenous housing and infrastructure use the National Indigenous Housing Guide to inform planning, program management, procurement and quality assurance in design, construction and maintenance of housing and infrastructure
Estimate	100% of jurisdictions use the guide	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements.
Actual	100%

Quantity indicator: Number of new houses acquired or constructed
Estimate	300 approximately	The variance is –186. Actual numbers for 2007–08 are not finalised until state and territory jurisdictions provide their financial and performance reports to the Department at 31 December 2008. Estimated numbers provided here are based on information available as at or near 30 June 2008. Actual numbers for 2007–08 are finalised in January 2009.
Actual	114

Quantity indicator: Number of upgraded houses
Estimate	1,200 approximately	The variance is –577. Actual numbers for 2007–08 are not finalised until state and territory jurisdictions provide their financial and performance reports to the Department at 31 December 2008. Estimated numbers provided here are based on information available as at or near 30 June 2008. Actual numbers for 2007–08 are finalised in January 2009.
Actual	623

Quantity indicator: The number of communities assisted with upgrades of essential services (power, water, sewerage and internal roads)
Estimate	Up to 100 communities assisted	The variance is +50. Estimate was exceeded due to increased priority given to funding essential services and road upgrades in remote and very remote communities.
Actual	150

At a glance—Community Clean Up

Community Clean Up The Community Clean Up (CCU) program was a one-off initiative under the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER). It was targeted at NTER communities with the aim of:

Surveying the condition of buildings in these communities
Undertaking ‘make safe’ emergency repairs to ensure that these buildings were safe for use
Providing some minor repairs to improve the standard of these buildings
Collecting data on community housings to inform future repair and maintenance work as well as major upgrades of houses under the new Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program.

The CCU program has been completed in 68 communities. Surveys have been done on 3,174 properties with 3,044 of these having ‘make safe’ works and 2,933 having other minor repairs.

CHIP—Municipal Services

The Municipal Services output provides recurrent funding for the provision of essential services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Funding is provided to cover the costs of municipal services, such as water, power, sewerage and roads maintenance for Indigenous communities not receiving municipal services from state, territory and local governments.

Effectiveness—targeting indicator: 95 per cent of municipal services funding will be provided to Indigenous communities in rural and remote areas of Australia
Estimate	95%	Actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements.
Actual	95%

Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure

Fixing Houses for Better Health is a sub‑program of CHIP. The program is aimed at improving Indigenous health by fixing health and safety systems in Indigenous housing, and increasing the skills of local people to maintain their own houses in the long‑term.

Quality—assurance indicator: Improvement in the functionality of remote Indigenous housing as indicated by Fixing Houses for Better Health (FHBH)
Estimate	All houses assessed under FHBH will be at least 60% functional in accordance with FHBH methodology	Most FHBH projects have commenced, but are not yet complete. Final assessments will be completed once all projects are complete. A final program report incorporating these indicators will be delivered shortly after 30 June 2009.
Actual	Not yet known

Community Development Employment Projects program

The Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program provides participation opportunities for Indigenous people through activities which develop skills and improve employability. This assists participants to move into employment outside the CDEP program. Total expenditure in 2007–08 was $364.0 million. This amount includes expenditure by the former Department of Employment and Workplace Relations prior to the Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 December 2007.

Price
Estimate	$223.187m
Actual	$192.534m

* Please note: This price indicator only includes the CDEP appropriation from 3 December 2007, when the CDEP program was transferred to the FaHCSIA portfolio.

Quantity indicator: Utilisation of program places
Estimate	100%	The variance is –28 per cent. This has occurred due to the ongoing increase in the number of participants moving off the CDEP program and into employment, as well as the impact of other reforms, including compulsory job network registration and the introduction of time limited participation.
Actual	72%

Quantity indicator: Proportion of non‑Indigenous participants
Estimate	3%	The variance is –2 per cent. This result is positive, as it reflects the decrease in non‑Indigenous participation in the program. This continues the trend of previous years.
Actual	1%

Indigenous Communities Strategic Investment

The Indigenous Communities Strategic Investment, program builds sustainable improvements for Indigenous people and communities, achieved through a range of flexible initiatives in Indigenous communities. Where appropriate, the initiatives will build on a clear commitment to share responsibility between the community and government, leverage contributions from other government agencies (including states and territories), and/or the corporate and philanthropic sectors.

This program contains the following components which were previously separate programs:

Combating Petrol Sniffing
Indigenous Affairs Litigation
Shared Responsibility Agreements Implementation Assistance Program
Family and Community Network Initiative.

Price
Estimate	$28.860m*
Actual	$28.639m

* This is a revised estimate taken from the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements

Consultations on Indigenous Apology*

Quality indicator: Apology is made to the Indigenous people by 30 June 2008
Estimate	The Apology is made	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements. The National Apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples was made on 13 February 2008.
Actual	The Apology was delivered by the Prime Minister on 13 February 2008

Quality indicator: Consultation strategy for a national representative body is put in place by 30 June 2008
Estimate	Consultation strategy put in place	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements. The consultation strategy was put in place and announced by Minister Macklin on 12 July 2008.
Actual	A consultation strategy is in place and will be implemented from July 2008

* These performance indicators are taken from the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements

Shared Responsibility Agreements Implementation Assistance Program (SRAIAP)

The Shared Responsibility Agreements Implementation Assistance program is now part of the Indigenous Communities Strategic Investment (ICSI) program implemented in 2007–08.

Quality—client satisfaction indicator: Indigenous participants believed the investment had improved the economic and social quality of their lives
Estimate	80%	SRAIAP now forms part of the overall ICSI program and is no longer reported separately.
Actual	N/A

Family and Community Network Initiative

The Family and Community Network Initiative is now part of the ICSI program and is no longer reported separately.

Quality—assurance indicator: Networks and activities are established through the development of strategies and the enhancement of skills to support community members reporting incidents of violence and abuse
Estimate	4 strategies	Family and Community Network initiative is now part of the overall ICSI program and no longer reported separately.
Actual	N/A

Quantity indicator: proportion of approved and funded activities commenced
Estimate	50%	Family and Community Network initiative is now part of the overall ICSI program and no longer reported separately.
Actual	N/A

Indigenous Leadership

The Indigenous Leadership Program develops the individual leadership and capacity of Indigenous Australians. The initiative comprises two components: Indigenous leadership development and the Indigenous Women’s Program (a grants program). In addition, in 2007–08, the program delivered the community engagement component of the NTER to 73 identified communities.

Price
Estimate	$9.060m
Actual	$8.713m

Effectiveness—capacity indicator: Proportion of participants who rated the contribution of the leadership development courses to their leadership capacity as very good or better
Estimate	80%	The variance is +8 per cent. The design and flexibility of the program allows delivery to be adapted to participants of different backgrounds and initial skills.
Actual	88%

Effectiveness—take‑up/coverage indicator: Proportion of participants who successfully completed a practical leadership component of the leadership development course
Estimate	50%	The variance is +46 per cent. 225 of the 234 registered participants completed a practical leadership component. There was a stronger emphasis on support during the practical phase this year, which improved outcomes for this component.
Actual	96%

Quality—client satisfaction indicator: Proportion of participants in courses and workshops who rated overall course delivery as very good or better
Estimate	80%	The variance is +9 per cent. The strong performance reflects the effective organisation of events and the quality of the facilitators and presenters.
Actual	89%

Quantity indicator: maximising Indigenous women’s leadership, representation, safety, wellbeing and economic status
Estimate	80 projects	The variance is +31 projects. The continued high number of projects this year (there were 118 projects in 2006–07) reflects the management focus on supporting tailored, locally-developed leadership projects delivered with a small amount of funding. The lower average grant amount allows more projects to be funded.
Actual	111 projects

Quantity indicator: number of national leadership development courses/programs and regional workshops/leadership workshops
Estimate	3 national leadership development courses 12 regional workshops	The actual result for national leadership development workshops was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements. Three national leadership development programs were delivered for Indigenous women, men and youth. For regional workshops, the variance was +9. Twenty-one regional leadership programs were delivered for Indigenous women, men and youth. The positive variance is due to increasingly high demand for leadership workshops in regional areas. For example, 523 applications were received for the national programs, with 299 positions offered, leaving 224 interested people still wanting access to the program.
Actual	3 national leadership development courses 21 regional workshops

Native Title and Land Rights

The Native Title and Land Rights program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to exercise their legal rights in relation to land and sea under the Native Title Act 1993. The program provides access to professional services for native title clients through Native Title representative bodies and other native title service providers.

Price
Estimate	$65.253m*
Actual	$65.249m

* This is a revised estimate taken from the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements

Quality—assurance indicator: Facilitating the effective use of Indigenous land
Estimate	100%	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements.
Actual	95%

Quality—client satisfaction indicator: Effective support provided to enhance the delivery of professional native title and land rights services to Indigenous people
Estimate	100%	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements.
Actual	95%

Quality—client satisfaction indicator: Effective support to Indigenous land claimants and title holders
Estimate	100%	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements.
Actual	95%

Quantity indicator: Professional native title services delivered in native title representative areas and effective management of Commonwealth land rights legislation
Estimate	16	The variance is +1. This is due to a small project funded to the Torres Strait Regional Authority—a recognised Native Title representative body that receives its usual funding via a direct appropriation.
Actual	17

Northern Territory Emergency Response*

Price
Estimate	$127.139m
Actual	$127.138m

* This performance indicator is taken from the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements

Employment and Welfare Reform*

Quality indicator: Conversion of Australian and Northern Territory Government‑related positions from CDEP program to real jobs
Estimate	$41.07m	The variance is –$23.35 million. A number of factors have acted to delay the rollout of positions, including local government reforms in the Northern Territory and difficulties negotiating contracts with some service providers. There was also a significant reduction in the number of local government service delivery jobs jointly funded with the Northern Territory Government, following further analysis of council workforce requirements.
Actual	$17.72m

Quantity indicator: Up to approximately 2,000 former CDEP program Australian and Northern Territory Government related service delivery positions
Estimate	2,000	The variance is –688. The remaining positions are expected to be confirmed in early 2008–09 and along with additional positions that have been identified, will bring the number of real jobs created to 2,049.
Actual	1,312

* These performance indicators are taken from the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements

Ranger Payment

The Ranger Agreement, completed under the former Section 44 of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, was made between the Government and the Northern Land Council in November 1978. The agreement provides for various payments in respect of mining on the Ranger Project Area, which is on Aboriginal land. Under this agreement, the Government agreed to pay $0.2 million annually to the Northern Land Council as a form of rental.

Public Awareness

The Public Awareness Program has two elements:

Public Awareness, which funds selected activities capable of reaching a significant audience of non‑Indigenous people
the National Aborigines’ and Islanders’ Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC), which funds the annual Indigenous community celebrations during NAIDOC Week (first full week in July).

The objective of the Public Awareness Program is to:

encourage in the wider community an understanding of, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
develop positive attitudes towards Indigenous Australians
inform the wider community about contemporary issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities.

Price
Estimate	$2.858m
Actual	$2.759m

Quantity—assurance indicator: Number of events and initiatives which met the guidelines of the program
Estimate	100	The variance is +550. A total of 330 organisations were funded to conduct approximately 650 separate activities, the majority of which related to local NAIDOC celebrations. Many organisations managed multiple NAIDOC activities under the one grant. Nineteen of the 330 organisations conducted public awareness activities unrelated to NAIDOC.
Actual	650

Repatriation

The Repatriation Program funds activities related to the return of Indigenous ancestral remains held in overseas institutions. This involves:

support for negotiations with, and provenancing work on remains originating in overseas institutions
organising, packaging and transportation of remains from overseas
funding overseas travel for community representatives in special circumstances
funding communities of origin to receive and organise ceremonies for their repatriated remains
consulting about, and providing care for those remains from overseas that cannot be returned to country.

Price
Estimate	$0.543m	The variance is –$0.025m. It was forecast that community representatives from Arnhem Land would visit the USA before 30 June 2008. As the visit was delayed until after 30 June, the $25,000 allocated for the trip was not spent within the 2007–08 financial year.
Actual	$0.518m

Quality—client satisfaction indicator: Facilitating the repatriation of human remains
Estimate	100%	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements. The communities that were consulted and the overseas institutions that were approached during the year all expressed satisfaction with the facilitation role of the Australian Government.
Actual	100%

Quantity indicator: Percentage of repatriated remains returned to the communities of origin ready to receive them
Estimate	100%	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements. Remains belonging to Perth (Western Australia) were repatriated from Edinburgh University. Other remains are awaiting return to communities when they are able to receive them.
Actual	100%

Quantity indicator: The number of overseas institutions requested to return remains to Australia
Estimate	10	The variance is –3. Requests were made to institutions and government agencies in the Czech Republic, Netherlands, Russia, Scotland and Sweden. Considering that requests take some time to process by overseas governments and institutions and that, in some cases, amending legislation is needed, the results indicate successful negotiations.
Actual	7

Administration of Native Title and Land Rights

Quality—client satisfaction indicator: Policy and processes for the effective support and monitoring of organisations funded under the Native Title and Land Rights programs are developed in compliance with legislative requirements
Estimate	100%	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements. During the reporting period, departmental officers met with the Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs) and Native Title Service Providers (NTSPs) as a group to discuss current process and review annual progress. It is recognised that during the reporting period the NTRBs and NTSPs met their reporting obligations.
Actual	100%

Quantity indicator: Consultants and contractors engaged for purposes pursuant to our obligations in administering the Native Title and Land Rights program
Estimate	10	The variance is +7. Seventeen consultants/contractors were engaged in 2007–08. The additional consultants/contractors were engaged to: provide services involved in township leasing and land tenure arrangements (2) provide services associated with NTRB amalgamation/rationalisation (4) conduct a review of an NTRB (1).
Actual	17

Quantity indicator: Engagement with bodies funded under the *Native Title Act 1993* and with other bodies operating under land rights legislation
Estimate	16	The variance is +1. Sixteen NTRBs and NTSPs were funded to deliver services to Native Title claimants and other stakeholders in the Native Title system on the mainland. In addition, there was ongoing engagement and a one‑off project with limited program funding to the Torres Strait Regional Authority as the recognised representative body for the Torres Strait region.
Actual	17

Quantity indicator: Engagement with Statutory Land Councils within the Northern Territory
Estimate	4	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements. Departmental officers met with the Northern Territory Land Councils to discuss township leasing and other engagement took place as needed.
Actual	4

Administration of Repatriation Program

Quality—client satisfaction indicator: Repatriation management policy and strategy effectively implemented to agreed standards
Estimate	100%	The actual result was the same as the estimate indicated in the 2007–08 FaHCSIA Portfolio Budget Statements. Consultation with key stakeholders was undertaken satisfactorily. With assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), positive discussions were held with governments and institutions in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the USA regarding the return of remains. Consultations regarding specific returns to the community were successfully undertaken with: the Ngarrindjeri in South Australia; Oenpelli (Gumbalanja) and Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory; the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre; the Gundjitmara of Victoria, and with the Victorian Government in relation to other Victorian remains. Discussions were held with the National Museum of Australia on service delivery arrangements for the storage, provenancing and community support for remains repatriated from overseas. A new Memorandum Of Understanding was approaching completion. Constructive working relations continued with relevant government agencies, notably DFAT, the Department of Environment, Water Resources, Heritage and the Arts, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Actual	100%

Policy services and program management

Price
Estimate	$32.192m
Actual	$31.510m

Quality—assurance indicator: Department ensures that service providers meet terms and conditions of funding
Estimate	100%	Contract documents with service providers set out monitoring and reporting requirements including expenditure acquittals, performance measurements and reporting milestones. Due to operational and time factors not all terms and conditions may be met to 100 per cent of the contract requirements by all service providers. Project and contract managers work with service providers to deliver the required outcomes regardless of failure to meet 100 per cent of the contract terms and conditions. In the event of a major default by a service provider further funding may be restricted or the contract may be cancelled.
Actual	N/A

Quality—assurance indicator: Research and evaluation is of a high standard, (timely, fulfils terms of reference, complete, methodologically sound) and contributes to policy understanding and development
Estimate	100%	The reports met Steering Committee Quality Standards.
Actual	100%	The reports met Steering Committee Quality Standards.

Quality—assurance indicator: Service agreements/contracts that meet legislative, government policy and departmental requirements in place with all service providers
Estimate	100%	Standard form service agreements and contracts are used and any variations must be cleared with the Department’s Legal Services area.
Actual	N/A

Quality—client satisfaction indicator: Ministers and their offices are satisfied with the quality of policy advice and Department meets standards for policy advice
Estimate	100%	*Ministers and their offices did not provide feedback on individual output groups, but did provide feedback on departmental performance as a whole. Further information on ministerial and parliamentary services can be found in Part 3 of this report.
Actual	N/A*

Quantity indicator: Major pieces of research and evaluation completed
Estimate	20	Refer to this indicator for Output Group 1.1, as results for Output Groups 1.1 and 1.2 have been aggregated.

Quantity indicator: Number of contracts/service agreements under management
Estimate	170	This indicator is part of the review process outlined in Chapter 4 of this report.

Quantity indicator: Number of service providers under management
Estimate	170	This indicator is part of the review process outlined in Chapter 4 of this report.

Quantity indicator: Number of items to Ministers’ offices
Estimate	2,900 items of ministerial correspondence 200 submissions and briefings	Detailed information on actual results for this indicator can be found in Part 3 of this report.

Service delivery

Price
Estimate	$158.336m
Actual	$154.981m

Quality—assurance indicator: Service providers deliver services to the standards agreed with FaHCSIA
Estimate	100%	This indicator is part of the review process outlined in Chapter 4 of this report.

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