Meeting Communiqué: Indigenous Evaluation Committee, 13 September 2019

The Indigenous Evaluation Committee’s fifth meeting was held in Canberra on 13 September 2019.

Key discussions

• The Policy Analysis and Evaluation Branch provided updates on the:
  • National Indigenous Australians Agency’s (NIAA) implementation of the recommendations from the Australian National Audit Office’s audit of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) Evaluation Framework.
  • Status of the 2019-20 IAS Annual Evaluation Work Plan and evaluations and strategies in the IAS 2018-19 Evaluation Work Plan.
  • Timeframe for the publishing of completed evaluations.
  • Development of a tool to assist with the prioritisation of evaluations.
  • Development of an Indigenous Data Strategy.
• Commissioner Romlie Mokak from the Productivity Commission presented on the development of a whole of government Evaluation Strategy for policies and programs affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• The Education, Community Safety and Health Group presented on the work to strengthen policy and program architecture.
• The Health and Wellbeing Branch provided an update on youth suicide prevention activities.
• The Policy Analysis and Evaluation Branch presented an update on the Early Childhood evaluation Strategy.

Key message

The Committee highlighted the importance of building the evaluation capability of staff and noted that evaluation should be embedded within the NIAA.

Other business

• The Committee proposed that at the next Committee meeting updates are provided on:
  • Policy and program architecture
  • Randomised Controlled Trials

Next meeting

• The Committee’s next meeting is planned for March 2020.

Prof. Maggie Walter
IEC Chair