The Opportunity, Choice, Healing, Responsibility and Empowerment (OCHRE) strategic plan is NSW Government’s Aboriginal Affairs community focussed plan. Aboriginal Affairs is an agency that sits with the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC). The plan embeds Aboriginal voices and perspectives into policy development and implementation – it outlines ways to work with and support Aboriginal communities by partnering with them, while keeping respect for Aboriginal culture, leadership and self-determination front of mind.
The goals outlined in OCHRE plan involve:
- teaching more Aboriginal languages and culture, to build people’s pride and identity
- supporting more Aboriginal students to stay at school
- supporting more Aboriginal young people to get fulfilling and sustainable jobs
- growing local Aboriginal leaders’ and communities’ capacity to drive their own solutions
- focusing on creating opportunities for economic empowerment
- making government and communities more accountable for the money they spend.
The NSW Deputy Ombudsman (Aboriginal Programs) independently monitors progress against OCHRE, provides feedback to agencies and partners, and tables an annual report on OCHRE’s progress to Parliament.