Where we are up to
Court Services Victoria has embarked upon a project to develop a strategy for the accurate, consistent and holistic capture of Koori data. This project is being led by the Dhumba Murmuk Djerring Unit (DMDU) from within Courts Corporate, which provides central coordination and support to jurisdictions in advancing self-determination.
The Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) completed significant work to improve the quality of Aboriginal identification in crime data and better understand the data needs of Aboriginal communities, organisations and representative groups. This improved the availability of high-quality data to support Aboriginal decision-making in relation to policy and program development.
Victoria Police identified several IT barriers that was impacting upon the integrity of the data. Victoria Police invested significantly in IT enhancements. The Standard Indigenous Question (SIQ) IT Enhancement project worked collaboratively with CSA and Corrections Victoria (CV) to improve the recording and reporting of Standard Indigenous Question (SIQ) data. Victoria Police and CSA continue to monitor data quality.
In parallel, Victoria Police implemented a communications plan to encourage asking the SIQ for every victim, every offender – every time. A suite of educational and communication packages has been distributed across the organisation, complementing local initiatives. These materials are available internally to all members on a communication hub. The Victoria Police Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training package will also encourage asking and recording the SIQ.
Quarterly data is collected on the number of services offered to Aboriginal victims of crime.
In February 2019, the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Victoria (BDM) launched a new core business system, Registry Information Online (RIO). This was designed to enable improved data collection for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status on the Notice of Birth (provided to BDM by hospitals/midwives following a birth). This information has enabled BDM to monitor birth registration rates and online engagement from our Aboriginal customers. This data has been used by the Aboriginal Relationships Officer to contact mothers who haven’t submitted a birth registration statement 100 days after the Notice of Birth is received.