Governance and operating model
At the whole-of-Commonwealth level, governance of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap between Australian governments and the Coalition of Peaks is set out at: https://www.coalitionofpeaks.org.au/governance.
These arrangements establish shared accountability for Priority Reform delivery and provide the national framework within which jurisdictions and agencies, including the NIAA, undertake their respective roles.
Within the Commonwealth, and consistent with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) and the Commonwealth Performance Framework, the NIAA delivers its RAP commitments through its established governance arrangements and internal operating model, in line with its role under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Within the NIAA, Priority Reform commitments — including Priority Reform 3 — are delivered through an internal Priority Reform Operating Model. This model sets out how the Agency governs, coordinates, delivers and reports on its Priority Reform responsibilities.
It supports accountability, consistency and organisational learning, and enables Priority Reform commitments to be embedded into core business and existing governance arrangements through a combination of targeted reform initiatives and established business-as-usual activities.
These arrangements position the NIAA to demonstrate effective practice as both a steward of reform and an organisation embedding transformation through its own systems and ways of working.
The diagram below illustrates the NIAA’s enterprise governance structure, showing how accountability, oversight and decision-making are organised across the Agency. This structure provides the foundation through which reconciliation and Priority Reform commitments are embedded into existing governance, performance and reporting processes.
At the enterprise level, accountability for implementation of the RAP sits with the Executive Board, which supports the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to achieve the Government’s strategic priorities and meet the Agency’s legal and legislative obligations.
The Executive Board is supported by the People and Culture Committee, a subcommittee of the Board, which has responsibility for oversight and monitoring of the delivery and ongoing development of the RAP as part of its broader remit for people, culture and capability. The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Executive Board and supports transparency and accountability through regular review of progress, risks, challenges and learnings.
Governance Committee Structure
Embedding First Nations representation and perspectives
First Nations perspectives are embedded across the NIAA’s governance and leadership arrangements through a combination of senior decision-making roles, cultural leadership and structured internal engagement mechanisms. This includes First Nations leadership at the most senior executive level, with the CEO bringing lived experience and cultural authority to executive decision-making, and a significant proportion of First Nations Senior Executive Service staff contributing to agency-wide governance forums that support the Executive Board and its committees.
First Nations representation and influence are further strengthened through the RAP Champions model, which includes First Nations leadership, and through the NIAA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff network. The staff network provides a structured and ongoing mechanism to consult, test and inform the development and implementation of RAP commitments and Priority Reform initiatives, ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives shape decisions before they progress through formal governance pathways.
Together, these arrangements ensure First Nations voices are embedded within leadership, governance and business-as-usual decision-making, rather than relying solely on advisory roles, and support culturally informed, accountable and sustained implementation of reconciliation commitments.
Enterprise oversight is supported by established performance, risk and assurance mechanisms, including senior executive forums and reporting processes, which ensure RAP commitments are embedded within business-as-usual governance, decision-making and performance management arrangements.
This oversight supports transparency and accountability through regular monitoring and reporting of RAP progress, achievements, challenges and learnings, including through:
A. Core program accountability
i. Meet with Reconciliation Australia at least twice per year to share progress on RAP implementation.
ii. Complete and submit the annual Reconciliation Australia RAP Impact Survey.
iii. Submit a traffic light report to Reconciliation Australia at the conclusion of this RAP.
B. Organisational governance & public accountability
iv. Quarterly reporting on RAP progress to enterprise staff and senior leaders.
v. Annual public reporting on RAP commitments, including achievements, challenges and learnings including through the Agency’s Annual Report.
C. Perception & culture measurement tools
vi. Engage with Reconciliation Australia on the appropriate use of the biennial Workplace RAP Barometer, having regard to organisational context and existing workforce data sources.