Batemans Bay Sorry Day Bridge Walk 2025/Aboriginal Affairs NSW
Introduction
The Priority Reforms provide a framework to change the way governments work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
There are four national Priority Reforms that have been directly informed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
They are a key component of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Each Priority Reform has an outcome and a target. These focus on measuring the change governments are making in how they work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
There are also 17 socio-economic outcome areas with specific targets in each area.
The Productivity Commission publishes regular updates on how progress is tracking.
NSW has an additional (fifth) Priority Reform on ‘Employment, Business Growth, and Economic Prosperity’. This emerged as a key priority in consultations with Aboriginal communities in NSW.
The NSW Government is committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal communities to implement the Priority Reforms and deliver better outcomes for Aboriginal people in NSW.
Learn more about the Priority Reforms
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people sharing decision-making with governments through formal partnership arrangements.
Overview: This Priority Reform is about genuine partnership between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to share decision making on policies and programs.
Outcome: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are empowered to share decision-making authority with governments to accelerate policy and place-based progress on Closing the Gap through formal partnership arrangements.
Target: There will be formal partnership arrangements to support Closing the Gap in place between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments in place in each state and territory enshrining agreed joint decision-making roles and responsibilities and where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have chosen their own representatives.
Priority Reform 1: Formal Partnerships and Shared Decision Making
Strengthening the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector to deliver more of the services that meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Overview: This Priority Reform is about increasing services delivered through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector. This recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled services usually achieve better results, employ more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and are often preferred over mainstream services.
Outcome: There is a strong and sustainable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector delivering high quality services to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country.
Target: Increase the amount of government funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and services going through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations.
Priority Reform 2: Building the Community-Controlled Sector
Changing the way governments work in order to be culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Overview: Priority Reform 3 is about changing the way governments work to better meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It includes eliminating racism, embedding cultural safety, delivering services in partnership, increasing the transparency and accountability of funding, and supporting the cultures of, and increasing engagement with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Outcome: Improving mainstream institutions: Governments, their organisations and their institutions are accountable for Closing the Gap and are culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including through the services they fund.
Target: Decrease in the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have experiences of racism.
Priority Reform 3: Transforming Government Organisations
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people having access to locally-relevant data and information to drive their own priorities.
Overview: This Priority Reform is about sharing local data and information with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations. This empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities to make better informed decisions.
Outcome: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have access to, and the capability to use, locally relevant data and information to set and monitor the implementation of efforts to close the gap, their priorities and drive their own development.
Target: Increase the number of regional data projects to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to make decisions about Closing the Gap and their development.
Priority Reform 4: Shared Access to Data and Information at a Regional Level
Find out more about Priority Reform 4: Shared Access to Data and Information at a Regional Level
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in NSW are empowered to access pathways through education, training and employment that align with their aspirations, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses grow and flourish.
Overview: Priority Reform 5, which is exclusive to NSW, has a key focus on growing the Aboriginal business sector, including by expanding opportunities for businesses to deliver government contracts.
It recognises Aboriginal businesses are often vehicles of self-determination, driving positive employment, training and broader social outcomes. This additional Priority Reform was established following consultations with Aboriginal communities.
Target: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in NSW are empowered to access pathways through education, training and employment that align with their aspirations, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses grow and flourish.
Outcome: An increase in jobs and pathways to employment, and an integrated approach to procurement across the NSW Government.
Priority Reform 5: Employment, Business Growth and Economic Prosperity (NSW specific)
The Productivity Commission regularly publishes data that provides an update on outcomes in each of the Priority Reform areas and the 17 socio-economic target areas.