Progress has been mixed across the seven education, employment and health targets in the annual Closing the Gap report.
The campaign is aimed at closing the health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians, with the hope of ensuring that any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child born in Australia by 2030 has the same opportunities as other Australian children to live a long, healthy and happy life.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the findings from the 2016 report in a national address earlier this week.
In the report Mr Turnbull states that although there has been “encouraging progress” towards the Closing the Gap targets it is “undeniable that progress has been variable, and that a more concerted effort is needed.”
The report states that the target to close the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2031 isn’t on track and that progress needs to be accelerated.
While Indigenous mortality rates have declined by 16 per cent since 1998 due to improvements in the rate of death from chronic diseases, particularly circulatory disease, Indigenous cancer mortality rates are rising and the gap is widening. There have been improvements in healthcare access and reductions in smoking which should result in long-term improvements in the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
More positively, the goal of halving the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five by 2018 is on track. Since 1998, Indigenous child mortality rates have declined and the gap has narrowed. There have been some improvements in recent years in the proportion of Indigenous mothers attending antenatal care and reduced rates of smoking during pregnancy.
The original target to ensure access for all Indigenous four-year-olds in remote communities to early childhood education expired unmet in 2013. A new goal has been set for 95pc of the same demographic to be enrolled in early childhood education by 2025.
In 2013, 85 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander four-year-olds in remote communities were enrolled in early childhood education – a higher rate than in regional areas 74pc and in major cities 67pc.
The target of closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance by 2018 saw little change in 2015 with the Indigenous school attendance rate only increasing by .2pc from 2014 to 83.7pc.
The report states that progress will need to accelerate from now on for this target to be met. In some remote communities, where attendance rates can be low, a new, community-led approach through the Remote School Attendance Strategy has seen improvements.
The goal to halve the gap for Indigenous children to achieve the national minimum standards in reading, writing and numeracy by 2018 has been partially met across four of the eight areas (reading and numeracy for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9)
NAPLAN results for Indigenous students vary sharply by remoteness area and were better for female students than males. Although the literacy and numeracy gap remains, the numbers required to halve the gap are within reach.
The aim to halve the gap for Indigenous Australians aged 20-24 achieving Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment by 2020 is on track
The proportion of Indigenous students attaining Year 12 was higher in major cities and regional areas than remote and very remote areas. Over the long-term the retention rates to Year 12 for Indigenous students in 2014 was at 60pc up from 32pc in the late 1990s.
The target of halving the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2018 isn’t on track. Although no progress has been made against the target since 2008, Indigenous employment rates are considerably higher now than they were in the early 1990s.
In response to the findings of the 2016 reports findings Apunipima Cape York Health Council (ACYHC), the Aboriginal health service for Cape York in far north Queensland wants to know if the government are going to continue business as usual or look at serious reforms in order to meet the Closing the Gap targets.
While acknowledging the report and the limited progress being made, ACYHC CEO Cleveland Fagan said, the council accepts the governments right to set targets they aren’t seeing the corresponding accountability for those targets not being met.
“We welcome the fact that nationally the report is showing progress in some areas but it isn’t the experience we have in the remote Aboriginal communities in Cape York,” Mr Fagan said.
“While making good progress in infancy and early childhood through our award winning Baby One Program, overall life expectancy is certainly not on track,” he said.
He said funding for Aboriginal health has been decimated in recent years and the government has indicated in recent months that there will again be significant cuts to health funding which will impact closing the gap targets.
“We have also seen increased bureaucracy with the introduction of the Health and Hospital Services and Primary Health Networks which means the indigenous health dollar rarely reaches the services on the ground in remote communities.
“Remote Aboriginal communities in Cape York are going to suffer if there is no funding reform, how are we expected to achieve outcomes with less or the same levels of funding and an increase in government red tape?”
Mr Fagan said in the report the Prime Minister talks about partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to meet the Closing the Gap targets and Council of Australian Governments (COAG) having indigenous affairs and the pursuit of reforms as a key priority.
“We welcome these reforms and have been advocating for the past five years for community driven, community led solutions to be introduced in order to Close the Gap and improve health outcomes for the people of Cape York.
“Cape York people have already designed and developed a model of care that encompasses and has positive impacts upon each of the Closing the Gap targets.
“This has been carried out through the delivery of comprehensive primary health care delivered in a culturally appropriate way, the development of local employment, training, learning and development opportunities, increased social engagement leading to improved social emotional wellbeing for the individual, family and community all designed to create a sustainable future.”
Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) Vice President of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Health Carmen Parter said after ten years the government needs to refocus efforts to close the life expectancy gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“The government has made a good start but harder hitting goals are needed to reach health equality in 2030,” Ms Parter said.
To do this, the government needs to set aside appropriate funding for the Implementation Plan in the 2016 Federal Budget,” she said.
“We need to do more to reach our 2030 goals. If we keep going at this rate it could add another ten years to the plan.”
