Participatory budgeting for Indigenous communities can help close the gap

Sign up for a webinar about a new policy paper showing the value of governments involving Indigenous communities in financial decision-making.

The Yuwaya Ngarra-li Partnership has published a policy paper highlighting how governments can improve access to information and participation for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) in budgeting and expenditure. 

Making Government Finances Make Sense for Communities reports on research conducted as part of this long-term community-led partnership between the Dharriwaa Elders Group and UNSW. The partnership aims to improve the wellbeing, social, built and physical environment and life pathways of Aboriginal people in Walgett, NSW. This work is advancing economic and social prosperity in the community and is an example of how UNSW researchers are contributing to Pillar 7 of UNSW’s Strategy: Progress for All.

Transparency and participation in resource allocation can improve outcomes

Like many ACCOs, the Dharriwaa Elders Group has for many years sought greater information and accountability from governments around resources allocated to improve outcomes for their community. 

While Closing the Gap, social procurement policies and outcomes-based frameworks outline how communities could and should be involved in decision-making and priority setting, government processes and resource allocation continues to happen far away from community control. 

The research for this policy paper revealed that there is currently no way for Indigenous communities to track where Closing the Gap and other government funding is going, nor any way for communities to validate or evaluate what outcomes have been delivered from this funding. However, it does not have to be this way.

Making Government Finances Make Sense for Communities highlights positive examples in Australia and overseas of participatory budgeting and Indigenous-led commissioning as well as transparency and effective access to information about budgets and spending in place.

This work is an excellent example of how UNSW is contributing to advancing economic and social prosperity for all. The policy paper can assist governments to meet their Closing the Gap requirements and work better for the communities they serve, as improved resource allocation and greater community control can save lives.

Register for a free webinar to learn more

Thursday 12 June, 1–2pm

Associate Professor Ruth McCausland is hosting a webinar discussion of Making Government Finances Make Sense for Communities. 

Yuwaya Ngarra-li’s Vanessa Hickey and Loretta Weatherall from the Dharriwaa Elders Group and Peta MacGillivray from UNSW will be joined by Policy Paper co-author Mel Flanagan to discuss the findings of the paper and how governments can work differently to improve outcomes for children and young people in Walgett and elsewhere.

Register now.

Image top: (L-R) Dharriwaa Elders Group’s Loretta Weatherall, Stephen “Bungee” Dennis and Wendy Rose at Galuma-li, the new home of the DEG’s community and youth wellbeing services.