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Barton Deakin Brief:  Closing the Gap Report

12 February 2015

The Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP, yesterday tabled a report in the House of Representatives detailing progress on policy measures designed to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

The Commonwealth’s seventh Closing the Gap Report assesses the six targets set by the Federal State and Territory Governments at the Council of Australian Government (COAG) meeting in October 2008. It has found that only two of the six targets are on track:

There has been limited progress towards reducing the difference in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2031;

Australia is on track to halve Indigenous child mortality rates by 2018;

The aim to provide access to early childhood education for all Indigenous children by 2013 was not met;

There has been no overall improvement in Indigenous reading and numeracy levels since 2008;

Australia is on track to narrow the gap in Year 12 or equivalent attainment levels for Indigenous persons; and

There has been a decline in employment outcomes for Indigenous Australians in comparison with the 2008 baseline figures.

In May 2014, the Prime Minister successfully sought agreement amongst the COAG Leaders to add a seventh target; close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance within five years. Future progress on this target will be assessed against 2014 figures.

Targets

Life expectancy

Close the gap in life expectancy within a generation

The report notes that there has been a 16 per cent decrease in overall Indigenous death rates between 1998 and 2013. However, there has been little progress in the period between 2006 and 2013. Australia is not on track to meet this target by 2031.

Child mortality

Halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five within a decade

There has been a 35 per cent decrease in the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous in relation to of child death rates. The report finds that this positive trend indicates Australia is on track to half the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children by 2018. 2

Early childhood education

Ensure access for all Indigenous four-year-olds in remote communities to early childhood education

Australia has not met the target to provide access to early childhood education for 95 per cent of Indigenous children in remote communities by 2013. The report notes that 15 per cent of four year old children in remote communities are not enrolled in early childhood education.

School attendance

Close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance within five years

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) figures indicate that the gap in Year 10 attendance between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in the Northern Territory has reached 31 per cent.

The 2018 school attendance target was formally agreed to by Australia’s governments at the May 2014 COAG Leaders’ Meeting.  Progress on this target is not detailed in the report.  Barton Deakin’s Brief on the outcomes of this meeting can be accessed here.

Reading, writing and literacy

Halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for Indigenous students

There has been no overall progress in relation to overall Indigenous educational outcomes. In 2014, only 34.9 per cent of Indigenous students living in very remote areas met National Minimum Standards for Year 7 reading. Figures for Indigenous students in metropolitan and urban areas had significantly higher results.

High-school attainment

Halve the gap for Indigenous Australians aged 20-24 in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates

Australia is on track to halve the gap for Indigenous Year 12 attainment rates. Results vary based on geographical factors. Young Indigenous people in remote areas are less likely to have finished high school or an equivalent qualification.

Employment outcomes

Halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians

There has been no progress in halving the gap in employment outcomes by 2018. There has been a 6.9 per cent increase in the employment gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous working aged people.

Background

Under the former Rudd Labor Government, Australia’s governments signed a National Indigenous Reform Agreement that sets out the ‘closing the gap’ target. The first annual Closing the Gap Report was published in 2009. 3

Under these arrangements, intergovernmental cooperation on addressing Indigenous disadvantage focuses on the following issues:

  • Early Childhood;

  • Schooling;

  • Health;

  • Economic Participation;

  • Healthy Homes;

  • Safe Communities; and

  • Governance and Leadership.

Further information

A transcript of the Prime Minister’s speech to the House of Representatives can be accessed here.

On 28 November 2012, the 43rd Parliament established a Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to inquire into the progress required for a successful referendum on the insertion of a clause recognising Indigenous Australians in the Commonwealth Constitution. The 44th Parliament agreed to continue with this committee in December 2013.

The committee will hold public hearings on these matters in February, March, April and May 2015.

For further information, please contact Grahame Morris on +61 411 222 680, David Alexander on +61 457 400 524 or Alexander Clark on +61 418 894 040.