Recommendations for designing an effective standalone National Plan, and to be applied to the development of the current Action Plan The Australian Government must ensure: 1. First Nations women and children in all their diversity lead in the development of a selfdetermined standalone National Plan. This should involve the establishment of governance mechanisms, such as advisory councils, to incorporate diverse First Nations voices throughout the design of the standalone National Plan, including victim-survivors and family violence specialist practitioners and experts, ensuring representation of: a. LGBTIQA+SB people b. Children c. Those with disability d. Carers for children, those with disability, elders and mental health needs e. Women and children with experiences of incarceration and detention f. Regional and remote communities. Government must work together with First Nations women from the outset and at all stages of the standalone National Plan—from engagement through to evaluation—prioritising the leadership, expertise and solutions of First Nations women, community-controlled organisations and programs, and specialist experts. 2. The convening of a dedicated taskforce of First Nations women representative of a broad range of lived experiences and subject-matter expertise, including victim-survivors, those with disability and those who identify as LGBTIQA+SB, to develop a framework for engagement, design and delivery of the standalone National Plan. As a starting point this should incorporate, but not be limited to, principles of: a. Cultural security and intelligence b. Trauma and healing awareness and practice c. Inclusivity and transparency d. Respect for diversity e. Recognition of women and children’s strengths and knowledges as the foundation of forming approaches to address end violence f. Willingness to embrace and invest in unique place-based solutions g. Women and children centred approaches in the design of service systems. Participants at the Forum were clear on the need for greater representation of First Nations women in the design of the plans. Government must establish a mechanism that adequately reflects First Nations women and children in all their diversity and lived experiences and knowledges. Representation on the taskforce should be designated through a transparent process. Government should also consider an approach that includes rotation and a means to address specific issues. In practice, appointments to the taskforce should be time-limited and supported by working groups tasked with consultation on specific issues. Wiyi Yani U Thangani • First Nations Women’s Safety Policy Forum • Outcomes Report | 40