Ceduna will today host the first of four
engagement meetings in South Australia on the development of a new national agreement
on Closing the Gap.

All four meetings will be led by the Coalition
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peaks (Coalition of Peaks), a
body comprised of around forty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community
controlled peak organisations that have come together to have their collective
voice heard on issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Coalition of Peaks is working with the
Council of Australian Governments (COAG) to develop a new National Agreement on
Closing the Gap for the next ten years. During October, as part of that
process, the Coalition of Peaks are leading a series of face-to-face
engagements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and people
in every Australian state and territory.

Following today’s engagement in Ceduna, the
Coalition of Peaks will hold meetings in Port Augusta on October 18, Mount Gambier
on October 23 and Adelaide on October 28.

The ‘Have
Your Say’ survey will be open
until October 25 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are
unable to attend face to face meetings or for those who want to have a further
say.

Lead Convener of the South Australian
Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations Network (SAACCON), Ruth Miller
said that the engagement process underway helps place Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities at the centre of policy and decision making on
those issues that affect them.

“We are pleased to kick off our face-to-face
engagements in Ceduna today and look forward to the other regional and
metropolitan meetings throughout the rest of October,” Miller said.

“The
Coalition of Peaks wants to ensure that we give Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples a genuine say in developing the new Closing the Gap framework.

“It is critical that governments hear the voice
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and that it is those voices
that will inform the new National Agreement for Closing the Gap.

“By deeply listening to the expertise and lived
experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and with shared
decision-making power, we may get a Closing the Gap agreement that will live up
to its name.”

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andrew@fiftyacres.com