Inroads made in closing the gap

Relationships with community are vital to closing the gap: (from left) Adela Mirrirri Yunupingu, the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and Maryanne Yalmakany Yunupingu nursing Latoya Banbirrngu Gurruwiwi, Yirrkala, NT, June 2011.

Inroads are being made in tackling Indigenous disadvantage, as outlined in the Closing the Gap Prime Minister’s Report 2012.

The Closing the Gap report, which will be tabled by the Prime Minister in Parliament on 15 February 2012, shows that the foundations are now in place to build lasting change across the country. Progress made so far, as outlined in the report, includes:

• We are on track to meet the under-five mortality target with a continued decline in mortality rates for Indigenous children — falling by 48 per cent from 1991 to 2010 across the three jurisdictions in which long-term comparison is possible (Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory).
• Overall Indigenous mortality rates have declined by 36 per cent from 1991 to 2010 in the three jurisdictions for which reliable data are available for this period (Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory).
• Indigenous children are doing better at school including strong improvements in National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results for Indigenous students. In seven of the eight areas in which we can assess progress at the national level, the gap with non-Indigenous students narrowed from 2008 to 2011.

The Australian Government is working with Indigenous people to improve services in areas such as health, education and housing, as part of an unprecedented effort to improve life expectancy and opportunities for Indigenous people.

Ending this unacceptable disadvantage will take time. It will also require a sustained effort by all governments, businesses, not-for-profit organisations, Indigenous Australians and the wider community.

• Read the joint media release.
• Download the 2012 Closing the Gap Report.
• Find out more about Closing the Gap.

 

• 

  Creating Indigenous job opportunities in child care

  12 January 2012
• 

  Helping them learn

  4 November 2011
• 

  A grandmother’s love

  21 September 2011
• 

  Good parenting starts before birth

  20 September 2011
• 

  A fresh start for Alice Springs

  4 August 2011
• 

  The inspirational Mary Davis

  16 May 2011
• 

  Dads help mums have healthy babies

  6 August 2010
• 

  Research finding the key to growing up strong

  4 March 2010

Find out more

Early Childhood is one of the building blocks in the Closing the Gap strategy, agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). It recognises that a good start is basic to a good life.

Two of the Closing the Gap targets set by COAG in 2008 relate to early childhood:

• to halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five within a decade
• to ensure access to early childhood education for all Indigenous four-year-olds in remote communities within five years.

Through this building block, governments are providing more quality services in areas such as pre-school, child care, family support and parenting, and maternal, antenatal and early childhood health.

COAG’s National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Early Childhood Development is funding 38 Children and Family Centres to integrate early childhood services. The agreement is also expanding services in maternal and child health and antenatal, pre-pregnancy and teenage sexual and reproductive health.

Education is also being addressed as part of the Australian Government’s Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory legislation.

The Australian Government is building a better understanding of the needs of Indigenous children through the Footprints in Time study and the Australian Early Development Index.

The Indigenous peak body is the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care.

For more information on Indigenous children’s services, go to:

• Indigenous Families & Children at the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
• Early Childhood and Indigenous Early Childhood at the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
• Healthy for Life at the Department of Health and Ageing.

Paid parental leave

Eligible working parents of children born or adopted on or after 1 January 2011 may get 18 weeks of government-funded pay at the National Minimum Wage, currently $589.40 a week before tax, to help them care for a new child. For more information and eligibility details visit the Family Assistance Office.