21 June 2025
The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) has again heard of Government’s failure to heed criticisms first outlined in the Productivity Commission’s 2024 Closing the Gap review and now in findings of the Closing the Gap Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander review.
The Productivity review found in February last year that the Government is failing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a lack of action to commitments outlined in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. This is echoed in the Closing the Gap Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Led Review, released today.
“While the expertise of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) is not sufficiently valued, we will not see the systemic change required for real, shared decision making between Government and Aboriginal people,” said VACCA CEO Muriel Bamblett. “The impact this has on real progress towards closing the gap between life outcomes for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people is concerning.”
Produced by the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, the Aboriginal-led review builds on the findings made by the Productivity Commission and draws on the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities who have been engaged in the implementation of the National Agreement by Government, particularly across the Four Priority Reforms.
“Since the Productivity Commission’s review, little has been done to embed the changes needed at all levels of Government to support meaningful action and change,” said Ms Bamblett. “Today’s review has once again highlighted that without clear accountability, and a lack of genuine partnership between Government and Aboriginal people, progress will continue to be critically slow.”
It is essential that strengthening ACCOs via adequate long-term funding and resourcing is prioritised in order to make meaningful progress towards the Priority Reforms. VACCA continues to urge the government to meet its obligations for shared decision-making in genuine partnership with Aboriginal people.
“We have consistently said that the way forward is through Aboriginal led, evidence-based changes to policies, legislation and systems,” said Ms Bamblett. “To see self-determination in action we must place Aboriginal decision making in Aboriginal hands.”
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Beth Cesarin - Senior Manager, Communications and Public Affairs
PH: 0439 117 408 E: bethc@vacca.org
The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA) is Victoria’s Peak Voice for Aboriginal children. We are the leading provider of Aboriginal child and family services, and the largest provider of services for Aboriginal family violence and homelessness. We have been supporting children, young people, and families in the community for over 47 years as an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation (ACCO).
Through our vision of self-determination – Live, Experience, and Be – we exist to support culturally strong, safe, and thriving Aboriginal communities. We deliver over 80 programs across Victoria including child and family services, family violence, support for stolen generations, child protection, cultural strengthening programs, mental health, financial services, justice and redress support, early years, and homelessness services.
We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we work. We pay our respects to their elders, past and present, and to their children and young people who are the future elders and caretakers of this great land.