Following a new report into the Close the Gap initiative released on 7 February, representatives bodies are calling for a shake up to the system.

The new report from the Productivity Commission titled “A review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap” has found that the approach currently used by governments isn’t working.

The report’s recommendations have been followed by calls from representative bodies to shake up to the system, and remove what they say is ‘the government-knows-best’ approach.

The report titled “A review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap” by the Productivity Commission reviewed the action by governments on the issue in their first three years since they signed the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and has come up with four recommendations for governments to take.

Productivity Commission Commissioner Natalie Siegel-Brown says governments still have lots of work to do to meet the agreed targets.

“The agreement can and should be a blueprint for real reform, but governments will need to move beyond business as usual and address the entrenched attitudes, assumptions and ways of working that are preventing progress,” said Ms Siegel-Brown.

The first two recommendations by the Productivity Commission are for government to share power and to recognise and support Indigenous Data Sovereignty or the belief that Indigenous Australians have inherent and inalienable rights relating to the collection, ownership and application of data about them, and about their culture and territories.

Other recommendations encourage a fundamental rethink of mainstream government systems and culture, and to implement stronger accountability.

Productivity Commission Commissioner Romlie Mokak says it needs to start with Indigenous Australians.

“Efforts to improve outcomes are far more likely to succeed when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people lead their design and implementation,” said Mr Mokak.

“Nothing will change until this model of partnership, based on genuine power sharing, becomes the rule and not the exception.”

NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations co-chair and NSW Aboriginal Land Council councillor Anne Dennis says listening to community would be a start.

“Instead of continuing to fund non-government organisations and government service providers who often follow the same old approach, governments must listen to the valuable resource of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations who are making great progress on the ground in NSW,” said Ms Dennis.

“In order to enable progress, the change envisioned in the National Agreement, we must transform government systems and processes.”

CEO of Coonamble Aboriginal Health Service Phil Naden, says it’s imperative for government to consult with the Aboriginal Community Controlled sector.

“CAHS as well as the other 49 Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations in NSW have extensive experience in Aboriginal health and we all work at the coalface of treating and engaging with our people on a daily basis, and working with government and community in Closing the Gap,” he said.

“The key recommendation is supported by CAHS and we look forward to Government leading this recommendation for communities across the West and Far West regions of NSW.”