“For the past decade the greatest progress towards Closing the Gap has been in areas where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have led the design and implementation from the very start.
Gone are the days of doing things “to” people as we reframe our relationship to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have every opportunity to truly thrive across all aspects of life.”
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Jackie Trad said partnering with Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander peoples to co-design policies and programs was vital for guaranteed outcomes.
Please Note : The Prime Ministers Closing the Gap report (10.00 AM ) and the Oppositions reply speech will be covered by NACCHO Media extensively over next 2 days
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The Palaszczuk Government has today, on the anniversary of the National Apology to Stolen Generation, become the first state to release a whole-of-government report card on efforts towards Closing the Gap.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the public report, a historic first, documented the state’s progress and highlighted opportunities for improvement, a decade on from the landmark Closing the Gap Report.
“Closing the Gap is a nationwide effort with all governments accountable for driving change in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” the Premier said.
“Queensland is making significant progress in key areas including in early childhood education, Year 3 reading and numeracy, Year 9 numeracy and Year 12 attainment and we want to duplicate this success across all areas including school attendance, employment and child mortality targets.
“Latest available data shows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders now have the highest life expectancy in Australia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“But we still have a lot more to do. This report card is a reality check and sets the tone as we develop meaningful, communityled solutions to create real change.
“The Queensland Government welcomes the Council of Australian Governments’ decision to finalise Closing the Gap targets and implementation through a genuine, formal partnership between the Commonwealth, state and territory governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through their representatives.”
The COAG partnership announced on 12 December will include a Ministerial Council on Closing the Gap and is anticipated to be in place by late February 2019.
Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Jackie Trad said partnering with Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander peoples to co-design policies and programs was vital for guaranteed outcomes.
“Queensland is proudly home to the nation’s second highest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population and we are determined to move towards an approach underpinned by the strengths, knowledge and rich cultural traditions of the world’s oldest living cultures.
“We must work better together to guarantee improvements as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities are empowered to move beyond surviving to thriving.”
Ms Trad said Queensland’s approach towards Closing the Gap, including any new and revised targets, would be informed by community consultation and Queensland voices.
“The Queensland Government supports calls for the next phase of the Closing the Gap agenda, including every priority and target, to be guided by overarching principles of healing, eliminating racism and systemic discrimination, and self determination.”
Consultation also identified additional targets for national consideration including out-of-home care, family violence, adult imprisonment, youth justice (10-17 years), housing, entrepreneurship (economic development), land and waters, social inclusion and disability, and culture and language.
For more information visit https://www.datsip.qld.gov.au/programs-initiatives/closing-gap
About Closing the Gap
Closing the Gap is a long-term framework that builds on the foundation of respect and unity provided by the 2008 National Apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It acknowledges that improving opportunities and life outcomes for Indigenous Australians requires intensive and sustained effort from all levels of government, as well as the private and not-for-profit sectors, communities and individuals.
In 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed the National Indigenous Reform Agreement (NIRA) (PDF), which included the following targets:
- close the life expectancy gap within a generation (by 2031)
- halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under 5 within a decade (by 2018)
- ensuring that 95% of all Indigenous 4-year-olds are enrolled in early childhood education (by 2025)
- halve the gap for Indigenous students in reading, writing and numeracy within a decade (by 2018)
- halve the gap for Indigenous people aged 20-24 in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020, and
- halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade (by 2018)
- close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance within 5 years (by 2018).
Queensland Closing the Gap Report Card 2018
This Queensland Closing the Gap Report Card 2018 (Report Card) is an important step in the Queensland Government’s commitment to closing the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Queenslanders. It moves away from the deficit model and towards an approach underpinned by the strengths, knowledge and rich cultural heritage of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Report Card also:
- supports ongoing and regular reporting to track progress, identify and build on strengths and success stories, and inform areas of focus
- informs a partnership and co-design approachwith Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and communities, moving away from ‘doing to’ to ‘doing with’
- uses the latest data to measure Queensland’s progressin the COAG Closing the Gap targets
- provides additional data on other priority areasraised by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders including through nine community consultations held across remote, regional and urban Queensland.
The Queensland Government is committed and dedicated towards working in genuine partnership to guarantee improved outcomes that move Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities from surviving to thriving.
