Regional Partnership Agreements (RPAs) are commitments by local Indigenous communities and their representative organisations, local councils, state/territory governments and the Australian Government to work together to address locally identified priorities to achieve sustainable improvements for Indigenous people living in a specific region.
RPAs are made in the spirit of partnership with a shared vision to address Indigenous disadvantage. They set out strategic approaches and specific projects for joint action. They are agreements by all the parties to work together to develop realistic solutions to key issues, improve coordination, and work more closely with local people in implementation of services and projects.
The development of an RPA is entirely voluntary and occurs when a local community wants to address specific issues and priorities. The RPA and its projects are negotiated with relevant Indigenous community organisations following community consultation, and individual projects emphasise the need for local engagement at all stages. Development and implementation of RPAs are overseen by a committee of all parties.
RPAs commit the parties to work together on priorities such as:
- Housing
- Community safety
- Health service delivery
- Education from early childhood to adult education and training
- Employment
- Business and enterprise development
- Governance and leadership training for community organisations