The objects of the Family Responsibilities Commission are to restore local authority and socially responsible standards of behaviour in Aurukun, Coen, Doomadgee, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge.
Local Commissioners are Elders or respected community members who encourage individuals appearing before the Commission to take the necessary steps to make lasting changes which will benefit their health, wellbeing, home and community life.
The Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Local Commissioners meet regularly to conference clients and make referrals to community support services, or in certain circumstances, to Services Australia for income management. Community members may also voluntarily approach the Commission for support.
The Commission delivers services to five communities, all of which are culturally unique and some of which are geographically remote. Each community is different, yet each can be characterised by the entrenched disadvantage of Indigenous community members. High rates of welfare dependency and multi-generational poverty have resulted in communities with individuals and their families who have complex needs.
In meeting this challenge, the Commission works with community-based service providers and partner agencies with statutory requirements under the Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008 to achieve individualised client outcomes.
The FRC as a legal decision-making entity is made up of two distinct components to perform the different statutory functions of the organisation:
The structure of the Commission is set out in our organisational chart.
Vibrant welfare reform communities that are responsible, healthy, safe and sustainable, built on cultural respect, self-determination and empowerment for a future of opportunity.
Supporting welfare reform community members to restore socially responsible standards of behaviour, local authority and wellbeing for themselves and their families.
Our core values provide the framework for our decisions, actions and behaviours, and underpin our commitment to human rights. Working to our values requires us to meet the highest standards of corporate behaviour:
The FRC partners with the Australian and Queensland Governments and FRC communities to help Close the Gap on life outcomes for our clients.
The FRC supports the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community:
Our strategic objectives for 2023-2027 are to:
Further information is available in the FRC Strategic Plan.
The Family Responsibilities Commission knows that you value efficient and effective engagement and support. Our aim is to provide the best service possible. We will partner with the Australian and Queensland Governments, stakeholders and clients to deliver outcomes that are responsive to the needs of the communities in which we work. In doing so, we will nurture a spirit of inquiry and innovation, and will embrace the challenge of sourcing unconventional and creative solutions to address the complex problems that confront those we serve.
