Summary of issues

This document provides a summary of issues and requests for clarification raised by participants at the community engagement meetings held in Rooty Hill and Penrith on 3 and 4 February 2016.

1. Considerable desire expressed for ensuring continuation of an Aboriginal Community-Controlled model of service delivery for future service delivery.
2. Major fears regarding potential for large non-government organisations (NGOs) to come into the community and be successful in tender despite not having any community links.
3. Very strong preference for Aboriginal organisations to be allowed priority tender position (i.e. first to tender) rather than an open tender in which Aboriginal organisations are likely to be disadvantaged in terms of capacity, tender experience, timing and supporting resources.
4. Local Aboriginal involvement in the decision-making process to be clarified, including Elders. This also links to calls for local Aboriginal community involvement in the assessment process in addition to Aboriginal personnel from the Commonwealth.
5. Significant concerns regarding the limited time period allowed for the proposed tender process as this places severe resourcing and capacity pressures on the local community and organisations.
6. Specific requirements relating to Aboriginal governance, staffing, inclusion, and cultural appropriateness to be detailed in documentation.
7. Core concepts such as “Cultural Appropriateness”, “Cultural Safety”, “Community-Control”, and “Community” must be clearly defined and well understood in both Aboriginal and Government terms.
8. Clarification of tender specifications concerning Mt Druitt and Penrith as the two nominated sites for service delivery (particularly service models, management structures, engagement with different communities in these areas, and service delivery to the wider Aboriginal community in Western Sydney.
9. Transition arrangements to the new entity planned for the end of 2016 will be publicised and communicated to community members and services once assessment panel decisions and Ministerial approvals have been finalised.
10. Liquidation - Results of the liquidation process of the former service will be delivered to the local community, including possible future actions in accordance with Jones Partners legal procedures.