Closing the Gap Report 2019

On 14 February 2019, Prime Minister Morrison reported on the failure of the Closing the Gap Strategy to deliver Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the equality promised them in 2007.

The Australian Government’s Closing The Gap Report 2019 states that of the current seven Closing the Gap targets only two are on track to be met.

Of the remaining targets the report says:

1. The target to halve the gap in child mortality rates by 2018 is not on track. Since the target baseline (2008) Indigenous child mortality rates have declined by 10 per cent (not statistically significant) but the gap has not narrowed as the non-Indigenous rate
   has declined at a faster rate.
2. The target to have 95 per cent of Indigenous four year olds enrolled in early childhood education by 2025 is on track. In 2017, 95 per cent of Indigenous four year olds were enrolled in early childhood education.
3. The target to close the gap in school attendance by 2018 is not on track. Attendance rates for Indigenous students have not improved between 2014 and 2018 (around 82 per cent in 2018) and remain below the rate for non-Indigenous students (around 93 per cent).
4. The target to close the gap in life expectancy by 2031 is not on track. Between 2010–12 and 2015–17, Indigenous life expectancy at birth improved by 2.5 years for Indigenous males and by 1.9 years for Indigenous females (both not statistically significant), which has led to a small reduction in the gap.
5. There is no new national data available for three targets and their status remains the same as for the 2018 Report.2 The target to halve the gap in Year 12 attainment or equivalent by 2020 is on track. The target to halve the gap in reading and numeracy by 2018 is not on track. The target to halve the gap in employment by 2018 is not on track.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) says it

“…wholeheartedly welcomes the renewed focus of engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations in amending the framework. Importantly the inclusion of our people in the planning and delivery of related programs will also place responsibility upon us to work on reaching the targets.”

Speaking for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Bishop Macbeth-Green said:

“The Church sees itself as a critical part of the national effort to support Indigenous communities in critical areas like education, health care and social service delivery.

Outside government, the Catholic Church is the largest provider of the key building blocks of society like quality education, health services and community support in almost every corner of the country,

The Church is deeply committed to support all Indigenous Australians through our ministries, guided by the wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – those who know best the way to help address the unacceptable gulf that our nation must tackle.”

Many Ministerial PJPs and their ministries continue to be active partners with  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in their struggle to achieve equality and opportunity.

For more information please read the:

Australian Government’s Closing the Gap Report 2019

NATSICC statement

ACBC Statement