The Department of the Premier and Cabinet oversees the establishment and operation of a number of committees for Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). In early 2007, the CEOs committees were overhauled and the Strong Indigenous Communities CEOs Committee replaced the Partnerships Queensland CEOs Committee as the specific forum for advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues.
The Committee primarily addresses issues relating to the 19 communities covered by Meeting Challenges Making Choices (MCMC). In July 2007, former Premier Peter Beattie and the mayors of 15 Aboriginal councils signed the Indigenous Partnership Agreement (IPA), which committed communities and the Queensland Government to specific actions to improve the quality of life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the community.
The IPA will guide the development of Local Indigenous Partnership Agreements (LIPAs) to identify each community's goals and priorities for change.
Queensland Health Director General Uschi Schreiber is a member of the Strong Indigenous Communities CEOs Committee and the Government Champion for the Yarrabah community, which is a signatory to the IPA. The IPA identifies improvements in maternal and child health, identifies opportunities to reduce the burden of chronic disease among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and identifies opportunities to raise the priority of the issue among governments.
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