Pillar 3: Strengthening system-wide cultural capability and accountability
Embed cultural awareness across the APS commencing with the roll out of new and existing cultural learning activities. By supporting all staff to undertake cultural learning we start the work to build more culturally safe workplaces for First Nations employees.
Building cultural capability aims to address clauses 59a and b of the National Agreement; identify and eliminate racism, and embed and practice meaningful cultural safety respectively. This will then be measured across agencies through the Monitoring and Accountability Framework being led by Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to identify and report on the maturity of agencies in implementing Priority Reform Three.
The First Nations Unit will work with the Secretaries Board and through other governance mechanisms to ensure baseline expectations of cultural competency and safety are built into Secretary and senior executive performance agreements, including through the APS Reform initiative to build Behaviour and Outcomes-Based Performance Management.
Secretary performance agreements will also include monitoring of recruitment, attrition and development of First Nations employees, as well as First Nations employees’ perceptions of their respective agencies. Secretaries will also commit time to develop a broad and deep understanding of how their portfolios engage with, and impact, First Nations communities and the legacy of policy interventions. This work will complement the development of the Monitoring and Accountability Framework.