Policy development in Australia has often overlooked Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems, leading to policies that fail to address their unique needs and aspirations. This paper aims to develop a culturally grounded framework for co-designing policy with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by employing a framework synthesis approach and yarning methods. The proposed framework aims to amalgamate Indigenous perspectives into policy co-design, ensuring inclusive, effective and culturally informed policies. 

In Australia, yarning is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander way of respectfully communicating. By centering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing, yarning is uniquely distinct from Western qualitative methods, such as focus groups or interviews.

The existing evidence underscores the importance of co-design in Indigenous policy, underpinned by shared power, strong leadership and culturally grounded principles. The literature suggests that co-designing policy with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can bridge the gap between Indigenous knowledge systems and policy development, fostering trust and creating meaningful, lasting change.