At last, First Nations have a say in closing the shameful gaps that leave us behind

Our country is tarnished by inexcusable gaps in life outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians including in mortality, chronic disease, housing security, education, employment, and wealth. These gaps have plagued Australia for too long and burdened First Nations people for generations.

Pat Turner, convenor of the Council of Peaks, and Ken Wyatt, the Minister for Indigenous Australians.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Until now, our governments have told First Australians what is best for them. It hasn't worked. It's been an abject failure.

At last we have change.

The National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which we are announcing on Thursday with the Prime Minister and Minister for Indigenous Australians, is a commitment to a new way of working between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the nation's federal, state and territory governments – one that is based on shared decision-making.

The voices, experiences and expertise of First Nations people will be front and centre in the design and delivery of government services and programs that affect us.

This is a historic achievement. It is the first time that an intergovernmental national agreement to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has been developed and negotiated between governments and our representatives.

It has been a gamble for more than 50 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled peak organisations that make up the Coalition of Peaks. Our efforts have come with criticism from our own leadership and communities, but we make no apologies for stepping up at a rare opportunity to achieve real change.

While it does not include everything our people need, the Coalition of Peaks pushed governments well beyond what they had been prepared to commit to when the Council of Australian Governments met in December 2018.

A 3 per cent minority in our own country, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have had limited capacity to influence government policies through usual democratic processes, even when those policies are directly about us.

We knew we had to do all we could to change the direction of the governments' "refresh" of targets to close the gap, which started in late 2016. It was doomed to repeat the failures of the past because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were not included in the decision-making.

Under this "refresh", all decisions on closing the gap were made solely by government. It was merely a statement of intent, not backed by specific commitments for which governments would be held accountable. The targets were less ambitious, yet there was no agreed national responsibility for implementing the plans or achieving them.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have always been vulnerable to the decisions of governments. It is true that more of our people are being elected to parliaments. However, like all politicians they are duty-bound to represent the interests of their political parties. This is why it has been so important that the Coalition of Peaks membership is made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations.

We have worked with our communities for decades on matters that are important to our people in areas such as health, early childhood, education, land rights and legal services. Our new national agreement is stronger because the Coalition of Peaks has been at the negotiating table. Now the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are changing the outcomes of the dominant, non-Indigenous government policy-making process.

Still, the picture of reform is far from complete. A First Nations Voice to the Federal Parliament, to monitor and advise on its use of constitutional powers that allow it to make laws with respect to our people, is still missing from the political and policy landscape. So, too, are national truth telling and treaties.

We know the power governments hold over our people is not restricted to legislation. Power also resides in the everyday decisions of ministers and the bureaucracy – decisions about who should get funding and for what purpose, where our children are safest, how people are treated in jail, and whether new investments in housing will be made to reduce appalling overcrowding. This is where the day-to-day government control over our people happens, and this is where the Coalition of Peaks is aiming its efforts.

We can celebrate this historic achievement, but there is much more to do. There is plenty more room for the voices of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be heard.

Pat Turner is the lead convenor of the Coalition of Peaks.

Get our Morning & Evening Edition newsletters

The most important news, analysis and insights delivered to your inbox at the start and end of each day. Sign up to The Sydney Morning Herald’s newsletter here, to The Age’s newsletter here and Brisbane Times' here.