Moving towards Closing the Gap

Under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the Australian Government has released its second Closing the Gap Implementation Plan.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said the Plan was about practical action and invested $424 million in additional funding to Closing the Gap.

But, she said, they needed to do more.

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“A lot of the foundational work has been done over the last two years and now we can really turn our efforts towards real action and real change,” she said.

“We saw the outcomes in the 2022 Closing the Gap Annual Report and know that we need to be doing more as a Government.

“This additional funding is a concrete commitment from the Albanese Government to prioritise Closing the

Thursday Island/Horn Island Ferry Timetable from 06/02/2023

IMPORTANT NOTE: We will ALWAYS meet any QANTAS and Skytrans flight from Cairns – should extra services be scheduled (eg school holidays) we will add services that may be outside this schedule. For late flights – you MUST have a booking.

Gap and see sustained progress over the life of the National Agreement.

“Our measures are going to be more specific and more targeted, making real impacts that complement work underway in states and territories, and back-in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations to lead work in their communities.

“Every day, we get better at working together with our jurisdictional partners and with First Nations communities and this Implementation Plan is our commitment to improve life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

The plans detail each parties’ responsibility in the next steps forward aimed at strengthening partnerships between government and Aboriginal communitycontrolled organisations.

Assistant Minister Malarndirri McCarthy said the plan would “help turn the tide”.

“The substantial investment in clean drinking water, remote housing and food security will be a gamechanger for so many Indigenous Australians who live out in bush communities,” she said.

“Together, this comprehensive support will help build stronger families and communities today, and ensure future generations can get the best start to life and achieve their full potential.

“Indigenous Australians know the challenges and opportunities facing them more than anyone else and it is so important that decision-making and ownership is taken over the policies affecting their communities.”

The Commonwealth’s Implementation Plan is available on the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s website www. niaa.gov.au/ctg

New measures in the 2023 Implementation Plan include:

1. $150 million over four years to support First Nations water infrastructure and provide safe and reliable water for remote and regional Indigenous communities through the National Water Grid Fund. This will be targeted at communities that currently do not have access to clean drinking water.

2. $111.7 million Commonwealth contribution to a new one-year partnership with the Northern Territory Government to accelerate building of new remote housing, targeted at addressing the worst over-crowding.

3. $11.8 million over two years for the National Strategy for Food Security in remote First Nations communities. This is about making essential food more affordable and accessible in remote communities.

4. Continued funding of $68.6 million over two years for Family Violence and Prevention Legal Service providers to deliver legal and non-legal support to women and children experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence.

5. $21.9 million over five years to Support Families impacted by family violence and at risk of engaging in the child protection system, through delivery of seven place-based, trauma-aware and culturally responsive healing programs aimed at early intervention and recovery, and keeping families together.

Important: please request pickups at least 1 hour prior to Ferry departure �me

Please note: Please be aware that we will have ferries to meet EVERY QANTAS and SKYTRANS flight from Cairns. If you can not see a ferry that suits your flight please CALL the office on 4069 1586.

Bookings are essen�al for 18:00/18:10 ferry Mon-Fri, and Saturday 06:15/06:20 & 13:45/14:00

Sunday ferry 17:15/17:30 ONLY operates when Qantas operates a late flight.

Office hours are Monday to Friday - 08:00 - 17:00 - Please consider these hours to make bookings - our office is not manned outside of these hours and we can not look up bookings or emails. We answer the phone whilst the ferry is running, but please try to book during office hours.

6. $38.4 million over four years to boost On-Country Education for remote First Nations students. This includes greater access to junior rangers and more choice for families of culturally appropriate distance learning.

7. $21.6 million to support quality boarding for rural and remote students for an additional year.