Closing the Gap began in response to a call in 2007 for governments to commit to achieving equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in health and life expectancy within a generation. The first Closing the Gap framework outlined targets to reduce inequality in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's life expectancy, children's mortality, education and employment. The commitment focused on delivering policies and programs across fundamental 'building blocks' as priority areas, which would underpin improvement. These were: early childhood, schooling, health, economic parti... Show more
Closing the Gap began in response to a call in 2007 for governments to commit to achieving equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in health and life expectancy within a generation. The first Closing the Gap framework outlined targets to reduce inequality in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's life expectancy, children's mortality, education and employment. The commitment focused on delivering policies and programs across fundamental 'building blocks' as priority areas, which would underpin improvement. These were: early childhood, schooling, health, economic participation, healthy homes, safe communities, and governance and leadership. The Commonwealth Government has delivered an annual report on progress on Closing the Gap since the National Indigenous Reform Agreement [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 104.530] was established.
Progress against the Closing the Gap targets has been mixed over the past decade. Key points relating to education, training and employment include: the majority of Indigenous students attended school for an average of just over four days a week in 2019 and the target to halve the gap for Indigenous children in school attendance within five years (by 2018) was not met; at the national level, the share of Indigenous students at or above national minimum standards in reading and numeracy has improved over the past decade to 2018, but despite these improvements, about one in four Indigenous students in Years 5, 7 and 9, and one in five in Year 3, remained below national minimum standards, and the target to halve the gap in the share of Indigenous children at or above national minimum standards within the decade (by 2018) was not met; in 2018-19, around 66 per cent of Indigenous Australians aged 20–24 years had attained Year 12 or equivalent and the target to halve the gap in Year 12 or equivalent attainment rates by 2020 is on track; In 2018, the Indigenous employment rate was around 49 per cent compared to around 75 per cent for non-Indigenous Australians, and the target to halve the gap in employment outcomes within a decade was not met.
The Commonwealth, state, territory governments, and the Australian Local Government Association, in partnership with representatives of the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations, are working to develop a new Closing the Gap framework and targets to set the direction for the next 10 years.
Edited excerpts from publication.
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