Community Services Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué

Community Services Ministers (CSM) met via videoconference on 17 September 2021. 

Ministers discussed the draft of Safe and Supported: The National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children 2021-2031.

Ministers agreed in-principle to the new National Framework and acknowledged the significant work by all those involved in achieving this important milestone. Ministers noted that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group endorsed the National Framework, and recognised the contribution of the Leadership Group and other stakeholders in developing and finalising the Framework.

Ministers agreed they would provide formal and final endorsement of the new National Framework in the coming weeks and launch the new National Framework in November 2021. 

Ministers also agreed that to allow all parties time to continue working together to develop and agree the outcomes and actions to support the new National Framework, the first five year action plan and the first Indigenous-specific five-year action plan will be finalised by March 2022.

Ministers agreed to meet in November 2021 to finalise a forward work plan to agree the two action plans.