Defined Terms and Documents      'Aboriginal Teenager Life Skills' RTV Social Inclusion Early Intervention Programme 

Closing the Gap on Indigenous Disadvantage means:

A.        The below point 2 of Accepted Year 9 Aboriginal Students notes that at least 40% (at least 56 of the 140 Accepted Year 9 Aboriginal Students) will possess manifest Aboriginal Heritage:

"2.      At least 40% of the 140 Accepted Year 9 Aboriginal Students (56 Accepted Year 9 Aboriginal Students) will be full-blood Aboriginal Heritage.  At least a further 40% of the 140 Accepted Year 9 Aboriginal Students will enjoy at least one quarter Aboriginal Heritage Ipso facto, at least 80% or at least 112 Accepted Year 9 Aboriginal Students will possess manifest Aboriginal Heritage."  

B         Summary of Australian Indigenous health notes 'inter alia' that "......669,736 Indigenous people (were) living in Australia in 2011..." which represented 3% of the Australian population.

C.       

"Ipso facto", the initial three of the Thirteen Deliverables of ATLSEIP will materially 'Close the Gap' in the below COAG targets 4., 5. and 6. of the "...six ambitious targets..." - set by COAG in 2008 and explained in the Council of Australian Governments web page - 'pasted' immediately  below:

"In 2008, COAG agreed to six ambitious targets to address the disadvantage faced by Indigenous Australians in life expectancy, child mortality, education and employment.

They are to:

  1. close the gap in life expectancy within a generation (by 2031);
  2. halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five by 2018;
  3. ensure access to early childhood education for all Indigenous four year olds in remote communities by 2013;
  4. halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for children by 2018;
  5. halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 (or equivalent) attainment rates by 2020; and
  6. halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and other Australians by 2018.

The targets are set out in the National Indigenous Reform Agreement which commits the Commonwealth, States and Territories to unprecedented levels of investment to close the gap in Indigenous disadvantage.

Closing the Gap is a long-term, ambitious 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 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.

Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes

The National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes, agreed by COAG in 2008, commits governments to around $1.6 billion of expenditure over four years. Key activities during 2010-11 included the rollout of smoking cessation and reduction programs, and training of workers to support these programs.

Supporting Indigenous Early Childhood Development

The $564 million National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Early Childhood Development, provides for early learning, support for Indigenous families and improved health for mothers and their children. As part of the Agreement, a network of 38 Children and Family Centres is being established, offering integrated early childhood and parenting services. The first centre opened in April 2011, and all centres are on track to be established by 2014.

Improving Remote Indigenous Housing

The 10 year, $5.5 billion National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing was established to reform responsibilities between the Commonwealth, States and the Northern Territory in provision of housing for Indigenous Australians living in remote communities and to address overcrowding, homelessness, poor housing conditions and severe housing shortages in those communities.

Investments in Schooling

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan was endorsed by COAG in May 2011.

The Action Plan commits governments to a unified approach to closing the gap in education outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. It brings together mainstream education reforms, under COAG’s National Education Agreement, with a range of actions specific to improving outcomes for Indigenous students.

The States and Territories have identified 900 Focus Schools under the Action Plan, where actions will make the greatest difference in progressing the Closing the Gap targets for education. The plan reflects the commitment by governments to introduce substantial structural and innovative reforms in early childhood education and schooling as outlined in national agreements between the Commonwealth Government and State and Territory Governments. The plan continues to inform COAG agreements to ensure that education reforms are aligned with the Closing the Gap Agenda.

New Remote Service Delivery Model

The $291 million National Partnership Agreement on Remote Service Delivery aims to improve access to government services for Indigenous Australians, raise the standard and range of services being delivered in remote communities, improve governance and leadership, and increase economic and social partnership wherever possible.

A Single Government Interface, including a Government Business Manager and Indigenous Engagement officer, is now operating in 29 priority locations. These are supported by six Regional Operations Centres, staffed by Commonwealth and State/Territory officers.

Boards of Management are established in each jurisdiction, and community members are making an important contribution through the development and implementation of Local Implementation Plans."

 

WHERE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIVE notes:

             "Almost one third of the preliminary estimated resident Indigenous population resided in Major Cities (32%); 21% lived in Inner Regional areas; 22% in Outer Regional areas; 10% in Remote areas and 16% in Very Remote areas.

            Over half of the preliminary estimated resident Indigenous population lived in either New South Wales (29%) or Queensland (28%); 15% resided in Western Australia and 13% in the Northern Territory. The distribution of the Aboriginal population across the states and territories closely reflected that of the total Indigenous population, while 64% of the Torres Strait Islander population lived in Queensland (which includes the Torres Strait Area).
Of the states and territories, Northern Territory had the largest proportion (45%) of its population living in Remote and Very Remote areas, with four-fifths (79%) of its Indigenous population living in these areas.
Indigenous people in the Northern Territory comprised about one third (32%) of the total Northern Territory population, and 13% of the Australian Indigenous population. New South Wales has the largest Indigenous population of the states and territories (148,178 or 29%); however Indigenous people represent only about 2% of the total New South Wales population."

Closing The Gap In Indigenous Disadvantage is one of Thirteen Deliverables From 'Aboriginal Teenager Life Skills'  Early Intervention Programme.