In 2006, Australia’s peak Indigenous and non Indigenous health bodies, non government organisations and human rights organisations initiated the Close the Gap Campaign to achieve equality for health and life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by 2030.
The campaign was deemed necessary as Australia has one of the world’s worse life expectancy gaps between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians.
As a response, the National Indigenous Reform Agreement was agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). The Reform Agreement outlined two health/medical goals and four educational/employment goals to be achieved in partnership with Indigenous community and health organisations. A further education target related to school attendance rates was added in May 2014. These goals were to:
• improve Indigenous life expectancy to the Australian average by 2031
• halve the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous mortality rates
• ensure that 95% of all Indigenous four year olds are enrolled in early childhood education by 2025 (revised goal)
• close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance by 2018
• halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for Indigenous students by 2018
• halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 (or equivalent) attainment rates by 2020, and
• halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and other Australians by 2018.
How are we doing?
The Closing the Gap Report released in February 2017, shows that little progress has been achieved over the past 12 months, nor since the National Indigenous Reform Agreement was established in 2008.
At present only one target is on track to being achieved, with some areas declining.
Target Close the gap in life expectancy within a generation
Target year 2031
Results Not on track
Progress Some progress in the area of circulatory disease, However, the Indigenous mortality rate from cancer (the second leading cause of death) is rising and the gap is widening.
Target Halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five within a decade
Target year 2018
Results Not on track
Progress Long term progress shows the child mortality gap has declined by 31% since 2008 with Indigenous child mortality declining by 33%. However, Indigenous children aged 0-4 are more than twice as likely to die than non-indigenous children.
Target 95% of all Indigenous four year olds enrolled in early childhood education
Target year 2025
Results New baseline for data is 2015. Not on track.
Progress In 2015 87% of Indigenous four year olds were enrolled in early childhood education compared to 98% of their non Indigenous counterparts.
Target Close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance by 2018
Target Year 2018
Result There has been no change in the Indigenous attendance rate from 2014 (83.5%) to 2016 (83.4%). In 2016 the attendance rate for non Indigenous students remained steady at 93.1%.
Progress Progress will need to accelerate for this target to be met.
Target Halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for Indigenous students
Target year 2018
Result Not on track
The report shows that only Year 9 numeracy is on track to meet the target.
Progress Statistically significant gains have been made in Years 3 and 5 reading and Years 5 and 9 numeracy in the proportion of Indigenous students at or above the national minimum standard between 2008 and 2016.
Target Halve the gap for Indigenous Australians aged 20-24 in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates
Target year 2020
Result On track
Progress The proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 20-24 year-olds achieving this standard has increased from 45.4% to 61.5% since 2008.
Target Close the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians
Target year 2018
Result Not on track
Progress There has been a decline in Indigenous employment rates since 2008. Employment rates are considerably higher in the major cities than in remote areas.
To read more about the Closing the Gap Report 2017, click on this link http://closingthegap.pmc.gov.au/