Liam McNally
The annual Closing the Gap report has found that only two of the seventeen targets aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal Australians are “improving” or “on track” and four are “worsening”.
The two improving targets are rates of babies born with a healthy birth weight and children enrolled in preschool.
The four receding outcomes are levels of children being school ready, adults incarceration rates, children in out-of-home care and deaths by suicide.
Melton’s Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Skye Gooch said incarceration rates and children in out-of-home care are two issues particularly impacting Aborginal people locally, she said the child removal rate in the west are “unbelievable”.
“It just shows where we’re lacking as a nation in closing the gap, and it’s really disheartening that four of the targets are going backwards,” she said.
“When it comes to child removal, we see here in the Melton area five removals a week within Aboriginal families, and that’s been the statistic this whole year,” she said.
Ms Gooch said they need more support from local and state governments to create Aboriginal-led solutions, but she is confident in the national attention making a difference.
“The best way forward is letting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people be the narrators of their story and really being the voice for what they want to be put forward.”
“I think that this report will definitely bring about change, and I’m really confident in the government that’s in place now and the work that the greens are doing to make these recommendations come to life, so I do think there is some light at the end of the tunnel.”
“It always feels like we’re taking one step forward and two backwards, but that’s what I love about my culture and my people, we’re a resilient bunch and we’ll keep on fighting the good cause until we truly have self determination and our kids are kept with their families.”
Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney presented the report to parliament on Wednesday, November 30.
She said Closing the Gap is a “top priority” for the federal government.
“The numbers in the annual report tell an important story – a story of mixed progress,” she said.
“We have to work more closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make real and much needed progress.”
