The Indigenous Community Coordination Pilots (ICCP) were established under the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) framework to trial a more coordinated approach to service delivery to Indigenous communities and to engender increased shared responsibility between governments and Indigenous communities for improved outcomes.

Whilst the trials are still in their early stages, they are already raising important questions about the need for new and innovative approaches to improving service delivery, that will result in real outcomes on the ground.

Even more importantly, the trials are also highlighting many underlying structural issues that require detailed policy consideration. These include the lack of historical attention provided in assisting communities to develop effective and sustainable governing institutions and to invest in the development of the necessary skills to operate these.

The trials also pointing to the critical need to focus on more accurately projecting future, not just current, community needs and the implications this has for planning at the local, regional and national levels.

The paper explores these issues from the perspectives of both the Australian and Northern Territory Governments and identifies some challenges and practical options for the way forward.