In June 2004, the Council of Australian Governments agreed to a National Framework of Principles for Government Service Delivery to Indigenous Australians as part of a commitment at all levels of government to cooperative approaches between agencies to maintain and strengthen government effort to address Indigenous disadvantage. The principles address:
- sharing responsibility;
- harnessing the mainstream;
- streamlining service delivery;
- establishing transparency and accountability;
- developing a learning framework; and
- focusing on priority areas
- early childhood development and growth;
- early school engagement and performance;
- positive childhood and transition to adulthood;
- substance use and misuse;
- functional and resilient families and communities;
- effective environmental health systems; and
- economic participation and development.