FACT SHEET
May 2015
Good Governance Guidelines
The Good Governance Guidelines (the Guidelines) provide a transparent pathway for regional alliances to
progress through Local Decision Making, practicing good governance in accordance with good governance
principles
What are the good governance principles?
What are the Good Governance Guidelines?
The principles reflect key dimensions of governance
The Guidelines are designed to support Aboriginal
as identified by the Centre for Aboriginal Economic
regional alliances to progress through each phase of
Policy Research, and provide a starting point for
Local Decision Making by focusing on specific good
assessing governance in practice.
governance principles, not at the exclusion of all
When assessing governance in accordance with the
others.
good governance principles the following important
It is important to note that the good governance
parameters should be considered:
•
principles will apply to and carry over each phase of
they are not a magic checklist, but an ideal that
Local Decision Making.
people can work towards;
•
Particular principles including governance capacity
no society or government in the world has fully
development, the governance environment and the
attained them;
•
governance of government will cut across each
they have important cultural foundations that will
phase of Local Decision Making and may support (or
determine how they play out in practice;
•
constrain) regional alliances efforts to strengthen their
they overlap and sometimes reinforce each
governance arrangements.
other;
•
judgement and balance need to be used in their
How
application;
•
Aboriginal
and non-Aboriginal
alliances
governance
be
The NSW Government recognises that due to the
diversity of circumstances in Aboriginal communities
views and
there will be no ‘one size fits all’ model of ‘good
expectations need to be investigated; and
•
regional
assessed?
they require both qualitative and quantitative
evidence;
•
will
governance’ for Local Decision Making.
practical, simple measures need to be identified
that can be used by leaders, organisations and
Exactly how regional alliances demonstrate or exhibit
governments.
particular good governance principles is up to each
Local Decision Making committee.
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However, the NSW Government will need to be
Governance of government
satisfied that regional alliances are practising good
The Guidelines also highlight the need for NSW
governance before transferring greater decision-
Government agencies will need to strengthen their
making authority.
Clear
criteria
capacity to formulate policy and service delivery
for
assessing
regional
guidelines, and implement downwards accountability
alliances
and funding mechanisms which are flexible and
governance in accordance with the good governance
responsive to the needs of regional alliances, whilst
principles, will be negotiated and agreed in Local
recognising Aboriginal leadership and decision-
Decision Making Accords.
making.
Establishment and Start Up - Advisory Delegation
Governance capacity development
(Phase 1)
As a part of Accord negotiations, NSW Government
Prior to Phase 1 Accord negotiations each regional
agencies and regional alliances will need to negotiate
alliance will need to work out how their regional
capacity
alliance will run and make decisions, including how
strengthening
strategies
and
identify
resources to ensure regional alliances are able to
they will be accountable to the broader community.
meet prerequisite good governance principles and
As part of this work the regional alliance will need to
that government is flexible and responsive to the
demonstrate power, leadership, decision-making,
needs of regional alliances.
and cultural geography and legitimacy.
Advisory
Delegation
(Phase
1)
The governance environment
-
Planning
Regional alliances do not exist in isolation, but are
Delegation (Phase 2)
“situated within a wider, inter-connected ‘governance
If a regional alliance decides it wants to progress to
environment’ that spreads across local, regional, state
Phase 2 of Local Decision Making this will need to be
and
outlined in the Phase 1 Accord. Before they can
environment will have major, ongoing impacts on the
progress to Phase 2 the regional alliance will need
role and effectiveness of regional alliances.
demonstrate strategic direction, participation and
Local
voice, and accountability.
national
Decision
levels”.
Making
The
wider
includes
governance
a
government accountability framework designed to
facilitate change and flexibility, and ensure that
Planning Delegation (Phase 2) - Implementation
government is not overly bureaucratic.
Delegation (Phase 3)
If a regional alliance decides it wants to progress to
the Phase 3 of Local Decision Making this will need to
be outlined in the Phase 2 Accord. Before they can
progress to Phase 3 the regional alliance will need to
demonstrate
resource
whole-of-
governance
and
organisational performance.
Governance capacity development - Governance environment - Governance of government
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