The claims come in the wake of a damning report on indigenous wellbeing.

The Productivity Commission’s Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage report found indigenous wellbeing has stagnated or worsened across a number of key areas and pointed to a failure of policy and oversight.

Among the findings, hospitalisations for self-harm increased by 56 per cent from 2004-05 to 2014-15, the adult imprisonment rate increased by 77 per cent from 2000 to 2015 and the amount of people reporting substance misuse increased by 35 per cent from 2002 to 2015.

While the report found some indicators of wellbeing had improved, including child mortality rates, year 12 completion and rates of post school education, Productivity Commission chairman Peter Harris said the increase in mental health problems and imprisonment rates were “alarming”.

Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative chief executive Karen Heap said these issues were no different for Ballarat’s indigenous population.

“The truth about the matter is we still have issues around family violence, drug and alcohol abuse, lack of housing and huge numbers in justice systems,” she said.

“Those things aren’t any different to anywhere else.”

Productivity Commission Deputy Chair Karen Chester said the report highlighted the need for greater oversight and evaluation of indigenous programs.

“The overwhelming lack of robust, public evaluation of programs highlights the imperative for Indigenous policy evaluation,” she said.

Ms Heap said the government was failing to adequately consult with the community.

“There’s action from government, that’s fine, but the consultation with the Aboriginal community and hearing our voices as Aboriginal people should be paramount,” she said.

“We’re the ones that can actually help to solve the issues for our communities.”

Ms Heap said the region suffered from a lack of resources and service ability, particularly around substance abuse.

“There are issues that have never been dealt with in the past and there are things that are still continuing on for people that shouldn’t be continuing on, they should be fixed,” she said.

“But due to lack of detox centres, rehabilitation centres and healing services, we continue to see a growth in this area.”

The 2011 census showed Ballarat had an indigenous population of a little more than 1000 and Ms Heap said that there are now around 1600 indigenous people in Ballarat and surrounding districts. 

This relatively small number meant indigenous issues in the region were often ignored, Ms Heap said.

“We do appear to be invisible because Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia take over,” she said.

“Our Victorian communities are just as strong and we have just as many issues as anywhere else in this country.

“It’s time that people understood that just because we’re in Victoria doesn’t mean to say that we don’t exist.”

The Productivity Commission’s report argued that for better governance around indigenous programs there should be a cooperative approach between government and indigenous people, greater community involvement in program design and a “bottom-up rather than top-down” approach.

Ms Heap said it was essential Aboriginal people were listened to.

“It’s time people listen to what we’re saying and started taking note of what we’re saying and making those changes,” she said

“We can’t do it by ourselves, we’ve got to do it together and we should be walking that line together to make the change.”