‘Gap’ remains open

Morrison hails progress, new approach to indigenous equality

SCOTT Morrison has hailed the beginning of a new era in improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, after admitting the current approach fails to work in partnership with indigenous communities.

The Prime Minister yesterday released the latest Closing the Gap report, declaring things are “better than they were ... but we have not made as much progress as we should have by now”.

“The results are not good enough,” he told Parliament. “Over decades, our top-down, ‘government knows best’ approach has not delivered the improvements we all need.

“Today I make the final report of an old approach, as well as the first report of a new era.”

The report reveals indigenous health and employment continues to be a concern. In 2018, the indigenous child mortality rate was 141 per 100,000 – twice the rate for non-indigenous children, which is 67 per 100,000.

Life expectancy is 71.6 years for indigenous males (8.6 years less than non-indigenous males) and 75.6 years for indigenous females (7.8 years less than non-indigenous females).

In 2018, the indigenous employment rate was 49 per cent compared to 75 per cent for non-indigenous Australians.

The report was initiated by former prime minister Kevin Rudd following the apology to the stolen generations.

The goal of 95 per cent of all indigenous four-year-olds being enrolled in early childhood education by 2025 is close to being reached, with an 86.4 per cent enrolment rate in 2018, compared with 91.3 per cent of non-indigenous children. As well, halving the gap in terms of Year 12 attainment is on track. In 2018-19, 66 per cent of indigenous Australians aged 20-24 years had attained Year 12 or equivalent. Over the decade the proportion of indigenous Australians aged 20-24 years attaining Year 12 or equivalent increased by 21 percentage points.