Community raises concerns ahead of August Hearings
Our community came together in strength at Boomanulla Oval on 15 July for a consultation session ahead of the upcoming ACT Government Hearings. Around 50 community members turned up to share their lived experiences and speak honestly about what is – and isn’t – working in government policies, programs and services.
Through yarning circles, we heard powerful and, at times, confronting stories about the ongoing gaps between government promises and the reality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT.
We explored pressing issues, including:
- what the ACT Government says it’s doing versus what the community is actually experiencing
- whether government programs are meaningfully improving outcomes, or simply repeating the same approaches with limited results
- how the system is failing to deliver culturally safe and effective services in areas like health, education, housing and justice.
Many spoke about the frustration of not seeing real change on the ground, despite the commitments made under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Agreement 2019–2028.
We heard calls for action that is community-led, transparent, and accountable – not just more reports and reviews.
Chairperson Maurice Walker thanked the community for showing up and speaking out.
‘We are grateful for your courage, honesty and wisdom,’ Maurice said. ‘Your input is a powerful reminder that our community is watching, and we expect more than words – we expect action.’
‘What we heard was clear: many of the government’s systems and services are still not working for our people. That must change.’
The consultation was not just a check-in – it was a call to action. Community voices will directly inform the questions ATSIEB puts to the ACT Government during the Hearings from 12 to 14 August 2025.
These Hearings are a vital opportunity to hold the Government accountable – not only to its own policies, but to the people those policies are meant to serve. The ACT Government must do more than acknowledge the issues. It must act on them.
We will continue to make sure the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are at the centre of decision-making, and that governments are held to their commitments with integrity and transparency.
