Section Eight: Governance and Leadership Program

Overview and Aims

A coordinated, unified and progressive approach to development requires strong and capable leadership with appropriate governance skills and processes. Such an approach involves meaningful and regular communication and consultation across the region with individuals, communities, elected representatives and organisations charged with delivering services to the region. These are all skills and practices that need to be developed and maintained by individuals and groups in our region.

We need to develop future leaders by investing in them now so that they experience and learn about leadership and are well prepared to assume such responsibilities. The Governance and Leadership Program will support positive and meaningful outcomes for our people in leadership, communication and governance. The program will work towards achieving equality in leadership, as appropriate to Ailan Kastom, by delivering targeted activities for women and youth.

The program aims are to:

• involve Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal leaders in legislative processes, policies and priorities
• undertake capacity building for current and future leaders across the region
• support effective regional communication
• coordinate the integration of the delivery of government services to the region
• develop the capacity of Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBCs) in the region
• improve the governance and leadership capacity of the Torres Strait Regional Authority.

Regional Goal

Effective and transparent self-government, with strong leadership.

Regional Issues

• Communication between all levels of government and communities requires strengthening.
• Few young people show interest in leadership (only five youths per year participate in the Torres Strait Youth Leadership Scheme).
• Regional communication is not fully effective, with only two Remote Indigenous Broadcasting Services (RIBS) in the region operating (there are 14 RIBS facilities in the region).
• Gender imbalance in leadership roles (only one in five leaders is female).
• Increased participation is required for inclusive decision-making in the region.
• Lack of coordination and integration of government services across the region.
• Prescribed Bodies Corporate lack the capacity to deliver Native Title obligations (there were 20 PBCs in the region as of 31 December 2013).
• Regional views are not adequately represented in government policy.

Program Outcomes

• [G&L-1] Implementation of the National Indigenous Reform Agreement service delivery principles.
• [G&L-2] Appropriate Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal participation in decision-making.
• [G&L-3] Improved communication, cultural competence and service delivery within a community development framework across governments.
• [G&L-4] Strong Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal organisational leadership and governance.
• [G&L-5] Strong Prescribed Bodies Corporate leadership and governance.

Benefits

2014 – 2018

• Integrated government services are accessible to communities according to need.
• Elected Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal leaders are involved in effective decision-making.
• An appropriate gender balance is achieved in regional governance structures.
• Young people participate in regional leadership initiatives.
• PBCs maintain capacity to meet legislative requirements.

Future Development Plans

• Elected and future leaders have the necessary skills and confidence to make effective decisions.
• An appropriate gender balance is achieved in all governance bodies.
• Community government service needs are consistently met.
• PBCs are self-sustaining and operate autonomously.

Performance Measures

• Increase the level of engagement of elected Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal leaders in policy development and decision-making.
• Achieve a minimum 20 per cent increase in access to services over the life of the Torres Strait Development Plan (2014 – 2018), measured from the 2012 Baseline Regional Plan Community Booklets.
• Number of PBCs that achieve Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) compliance as at 31 December each year.
• Increase in Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal women with the capacity to participate in leadership roles in the region measured from the 2012 baseline.
• Increase in Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal youth (18 – 25) with the capacity to participate in leadership development activities measured from the 2012 baseline.

Projects and Initiatives

The Governance and Leadership Program has a mandate from the TSRA Board to undertake the following projects and initiatives:

• governance capacity building
• leadership capacity building
• PBC capacity building
• Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) coordination
• community engagement
• women’s leadership program
• youth leadership program
• tertiary education assistance
• regional broadcasting support.

Contribution to the Closing the Gap Targets

The Governance and Leadership Program will contribute to the following Closing the Gap targets:

• Target #1: close the gap in life expectancy within a generation
• Target #6: halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade.

Contribution to COAG National Partnership Agreement Indigenous-specific Outcomes

The Governance and Leadership Program will contribute to the achievement of the following National Partnership Agreement Indigenous-specific outcomes:

• Indigenous communities are empowered to participate in policy making and program implementation.
• Indigenous communities are represented through credible consultation / governance mechanism.
• Connecting the way government agencies work in remote areas (the governance of governments) and developing community capacity.
• Indigenous young people successfully transition from school to work and / or further study.

Annex F-1 Program Map – Governance and Leadership

Annex F-2 Governance and Leadership Program – Overview

Annex F-3 Governance and Leadership Program – Benefits