Thursday, 7 August 2025
Stories and events of the Kaurareg homeland of Kaiwalagal, the Torres Strait homeland and Cape York homelands of the Anggamuthi, Atambaya, Wuthathi, Yadhaykenu and Gudang Peoples.
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New partnership hope for Closing the Gap
Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and actor Jack Thompson at the Garma Festival last weekend. Pic supplied.
The Federal Government has established a new First Nations Economic Partnership with the Coalition of Peaks and the First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance on the heels of the release of the latest Closing the Gap data. The Annual Data Compilation Report (ADCR), which tracks Australia’s performance towards the targets and indicators in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, was released late last week and showed mixed progress with just four of 19 targets on track to be met. An assessment of progress for nine out of the 15 targets showed: • outcomes were worsening in four targets: adult imprisonment (Target 10); children in out-of-home care (12); suicide (14); and children developmentally on track (in all five domains of the Australian Early Development Census) (4). • outcomes were improving, but were not on track to be met in six targets: life expectancy (Target 1); healthy birthweights (2); year 12 or equivalent qualifications (5); tertiary qualifications (6); youth engagement (7); and appropriately sized housing (9A). • outcomes were improving and on track to be met in four targets: preschool program enrolments (Target 3); employment (8); and land mass and sea country subject to legal rights and interests (15A and 15B). • outcomes for one target were assessed as having no change from the baseline year: youth justice (Target 11). The National Indigenous Health Leadership Alliance (NIHLA) welcomed the findings of the Productivity Commission’s report and an independent review of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap released last month (see next page).
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“Together, they confirm what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have long said: governments are not doing enough to meet their own commitments and the gap is growing – not closing – across many critical areas,” they said. NIHLA Chair Karl Briscoe said not enough of the 19 socio-economic targets were on track. “Alarmingly, rates of adult imprisonment and children in out-ofhome care continue to rise,” he said. “The report highlights that without urgent structural reform, these outcomes will persist or deteriorate. “We are seeing the consequences of government inaction – the data speaks for itself. The evidence is clear: the failure is not with our communities, but with the lack of systemic change. “We cannot wait any longer. “Structural reform, cultural safety, and shared decision-making must become the default, not the exception.” Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Council (QAIHC) urged all governments to strengthen their commitment. “This year’s CTG report card remains disappointing and continues to demonstrate a lack of focus on delivering priority reforms, and the need for local practical solutions to the challenges of Closing the Gap,” QAIHC Chief Executive Officer Paula Arnol said. “There must be a focus on the Priority Reforms under CTG – [we need] formal partnerships and shared decision making, building the community-controlled sector, transforming government organisations and shared access to data and information at a regional level. “If we commit to these priority reforms, improvement in the targets will follow.” Continued on PAGE 3 N