Currently, decisions about how the Community Development Program is designed, implemented and measured do not reflect the partnership principles in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. While contracted CDP providers are required to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned organisations or in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned- organisations, they do not have to be local community-controlled. They are bound by contracts that are designed in Canberra, and their ability to respond to local needs is hampered by complex rules.

The Fair Work Strong Communities proposal sets out a new pathway forward. It has been developed by an alliance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations, and others, over several years. This proposal will directly address the employment gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, while contributing to rebuilding the capacity of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector to address community needs. It will reduce poverty for families across remote Australia and provide thousands of people with an opportunity to take up paid employment that is meaningful for them.