Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Indigenous Affairs Group’s Regional Network
15 October, 2018
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (PM&C) Indigenous Affairs Group’s Regional Network (the Network) comprises 12 regions across Australia, reflecting similarities in culture, language, mobility and economy. There are around 550 officers based in nearly 90 locations across urban, regional and remote parts of Australia. Each region is led by a Regional Manager who is accountable for driving outcomes within their regions.
The Network’s broad on the ground presence supports active engagement with communities and stakeholders to explain government policies and identify and implement tailored local solutions that address the Government’s priorities of education, employment and community safety.
Indigenous economic development is an area of increased focus for the Network. PM&C recognises that a strong, diverse and self supporting Indigenous business sector is key to empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and placing Indigenous business owners, their families and communities in the driver’s seat of their economic future.
The Network is supporting the Indigenous Reference Group (IRG) to the Ministerial Forum on Northern Development (the Forum), to bring about comprehensive Indigenous-led economic development in Northern Australia. The Forum supported the IRG’s recommendations that provide practical advice to help get people into jobs, provide the right support for entrepreneurs, and help Traditional Owners realise the economic potential of their land, sea and cultural assets. The Forum’s communique is available here.
The Network also works closely with the Office of Northern Australia (ONA) on the northern development agenda. This agenda includes working closely with jurisdictions on joined up communications. The Network has commenced a conversation with the Northern RDA Alliance on behalf of the Northern Australia collaborative communications group. The purpose of this conversation is to define how these key stakeholders can contribute to an online platform to share northern Australia information resources.
