CLOSING THE GAP ON INDIGENOUS DISADVANTAGE: THE CHALLENGE FOR AUSTRALIA FEBRUARY 2009 CONTENTS FOREWORD 1 THE GOVERNMENT’S APPROACH TO INDIGENOUS POLICY 3 THE CHALLENGE FACING AUSTRALIA: THE EVIDENCE 9 COAG – A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL GOVERNMENTS 19 HARNESSING THE CORPORATE AND COMMUNITY SECTORS 25 AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES FOR 2009 29 CONCLUSION 33 III FOREWORD The challenge we now confront is to work together to Close the Gap in real life outcomes In 2008 the Australian Parliament and the Australian between Indigenous and non-Indigenous nation came together for an historic moment in our Australians. This is the objective to which the nation’s history, when we formally apologised to Australian Government is committed, but cannot the Stolen Generations – those Aboriginal and achieve on its own. As a nation, we must come Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly together around this vision and take substantive removed from their families and their communities action – Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, through the actions of past governments. Commonwealth, state and territory governments, business and the wider community. We said sorry for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that infl icted profound The Australian Government is committed to grief, suff ering and loss on our fellow Australians, this national eff ort in cooperation with other in particular the Stolen Generations – those who governments. In 2008, the Council of Australian suff ered the hurt, the humiliation, the cruelty and Governments (COAG) agreed to six ambitious the sheer brutality of being taken away, often forever, targets relating to Indigenous life expectancy, from their mothers and their fathers, their families health, education and employment. and their people. We have already begun to put in place the The Apology was about acknowledging a dark measures that will help to achieve these six targets. chapter in our nation’s history. It was also about The COAG commitment of $4.6 billion in 2008 recognising past wrongdoings and in a modest way provides a framework to mobilise investment in righting the wrongs of the past. The Apology is only basic health, education and other services needed the fi rst step. to put Indigenous Australians on an equal footing with other Australians. This is an historic agreement. If we are to move forward together as a nation, and It is the fi rst time that a truly national commitment – build a stronger and fairer Australia in the twenty-fi rst encompassing all governments – has been made century, we must address the appalling gap between that aims to ensure that Indigenous Australians the life opportunities enjoyed by Indigenous and have an equitable share in the opportunities which non-Indigenous Australians. our nation off ers. Throughout the history of European settlement, At the same time we must be realistic and a baby born to an Indigenous family in Australia acknowledge the size of the task ahead of us. has had far more limited opportunities than a baby Meeting our targets will not be easy, and at times born to a non-Indigenous family. The Australian may be controversial, but we must not be defl ected Government is resolutely determined to change from our goals. this reality. This statement outlines the Australian Government’s Closing the Gap is fundamentally important to approach to Closing the Gap. It describes progress in building a fairer Australia. In the later decades of our fi rst year, and sets out our priorities for the future. the twentieth century, our nation implemented There is much to be done, and it will require patience, the important legal reforms that recognised the perseverance and a sustained national eff ort from equality of Indigenous Australians before the law. every part of the Australian community. In the years While legal rights are essential for overcoming ahead, we aim to report annually on the progress entrenched disadvantage, rights alone cannot Australia is making towards this national objective. Close the Gap. They only establish a foundation for making progress. Kevin Rudd Prime Minister 1 THE GOVERNMENT’S APPROACH TO INDIGENOUS POLICY 3 THE GOVERNMENT’S APPROACH TO INDIGENOUS POLICY Addressing Indigenous disadvantage The gulf that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in these critical areas is a national responsibility that will require remains signifi cant and, in some areas, is widening as the rate of improvement has been greater for the energy and commitment of all other Australians than for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Australians. Working with all parts of the Islander peoples over recent years3. Australian community, the Government In remote areas, successive governments have failed to properly coordinate their eff orts and to is determined to drive real improvements, fund them adequately, resulting in acute and visible focused on outcomes and guided by need. In urban and regional areas, services provided for all Australians have not been accessed by or evidence. Central to the Government’s eff ectively delivered to Indigenous people. Blurred responsibilities have allowed Commonwealth, state strategy is a new partnership with and territory governments to avoid accountability Indigenous Australians, based on for their failures. mutual respect, mutual resolve and In more recent times, governments have taken strong action to intervene in Indigenous communities in mutual responsibility. order to protect children from violence and abuse. While such urgent action has been and may again be necessary in the future, too little focus has been In the more than four decades since the 1967 given to the longer term task of building personal Referendum, Australian governments have and community responsibility – a challenge that must developed and funded policies and programs to be met if Indigenous life outcomes are to improve. improve the socio-economic status of Indigenous people, and overcome a long history of poverty The Australian Government is committed to working and marginalisation. Progress has been made. in partnership with Indigenous Australians, with state Yet in 2009, despite the formal recognition of equality and territory governments, with business, community so many years ago, Indigenous people remain among organisations and all Australians so that Indigenous the most disadvantaged Australians. Many simply Australians have access to opportunities that allow do not have the opportunities aff orded their fellow for self-respect, independence and better living Australians, and many are not able to participate standards – an education, a job, and a decent home fully in our national life. – while still retaining a strong cultural identity and sense of community. It is unacceptable that Australia, Too many Indigenous Australians experience a successful, developed nation with a modern unacceptable levels of disadvantage in living economy, should tolerate fundamental inequality standards, life-expectancy, education, health and between its Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. employment. Rates of chronic disease, mental illness and hospitalisation are signifi cantly higher for the Indigenous population than the non-Indigenous population1.Literacy and numeracy results for Indigenous students are consistently below the national average, especially in remote areas.2 1 Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council, 2008, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2008 Summary. 2 2008 National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy, Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Aff airs, (MCEETYA), 2008. 3 Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council, 2008, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework 2008 Summary. 4 Setting clear, measurable targets For the fi rst time, the Australian Government, Engagement guiding government policy together with the states and territories through The Australian Government will establish a COAG, has set specifi c and ambitious targets to national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander address Indigenous disadvantage. The six key targets representative body to give Indigenous that form the Closing the Gap objective are to: Australians a voice in national aff airs. 1. close the life expectancy gap within a generation The Government has undertaken an extensive 2. halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous round of consultations with Indigenous children under fi ve within a decade communities across all states and territories to seek views on a proposed model for a 3. ensure access to early childhood education for all representative body. A national workshop Indigenous four years olds in remote communities of Indigenous leaders, convened by the within fi ve years Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mr Tom Calma, will be 4. halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy held in March 2009 to guide the development achievements for children within a decade of a proposed model. The results of the national 5. halve the gap for Indigenous students in year 12 workshop and further consultations are expected attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020, to be presented to the Government in July 2009. and This work supports the Government’s genuine 6. halve the gap in employment outcomes between commitment to facilitate a collaborative approach Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within to improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians. a decade. These agreed measures will form the baseline