New data reveals mixed results with ongoing progress towards the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, with just four out of 19 targets currently on track to be met.
The latest findings released by the Productivity Commission show that, despite some positive steps, major issues like Indigenous imprisonment, suicide rates, and children in out-of-home care aren’t moving in the right direction.
The data highlights a worrying 15 per cent rise in the imprisonment of Indigenous adults between 2023 and 2024. But it’s just one of the couple of troubling trends, with rates of suicide and child removals continuing to go in the wrong direction since the baseline year of 2018/19.
As reported by the Guardian, First Nation children in out-of-home care increased from 47.3 per 1,000 in 2019 to 50.3 per 1,000 in 2024.
The rate of suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reached 30.8 per 100,000 in 2023, the highest recorded since 2018. However, researchers stated there were caveats due to changes in population data.
Looking at the overall targets, only four are on track to be met by their deadlines, namely early childhood education, employment, land rights, and sea rights. That’s down from last year when five targets were on track.
A further six targets show improvement although they’re not on track to be met. Meanwhile, outcomes are worsening against four targets, with a similar number unable to be assessed.
Commissioner Selwyn Button said the Closing the Gap data found “governments had not taken enough meaningful action to meet their commitments under the Agreement”.
“The continued worsening of outcomes we’ve seen in some Closing the Gap target areas shows the importance of governments taking their commitments to the National Agreement seriously, and taking meaningful actions to fully implement the priority reforms,” Button said in a statement on Thursday.
There has been encouraging progress in some key areas across all states and territories, particularly in land and sea rights and internet access. However, critical challenges remain and require urgent government action.
‘Governments must step up’ to meet targets
The Coalition of Peaks — which represents more than 80 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled peak bodies — agreed there has been “real progress” in some areas, with genuine partnerships between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities delivering positive outcomes.
“The growing recognition of our land and sea rights and increased digital access show what is possible when the right policies and investments are made,” said Pat Turner AM, lead convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, said in a statement on Thursday.
“But in critical areas … we are seeing setbacks. Governments must step up and fully implement the Priority Reforms of the Closing the Gap Agreement. Too often, we see delay, half-measures, and a failure to empower our communities with real decision-making power. If we are to achieve lasting change, the solutions must be led by us, not imposed upon us.”
Turner cautioned that, if stakeholders fail to work in an interconnected manner, policies “risk sounding good in theory but failing in practice”.
“Collaboration and a genuine commitment to real partnerships aren’t just ideals – they are essential to Closing the Gap. This is a lifelong journey that requires mature leadership from all of us, particularly from governments,” Turner said.
The Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) — the national body for Indigenous children — said the figures should serve as a “wake up call”.
“These are not the failings of our children, our families or our organisations,” said Catherine Liddle, chief executive of the SNAICC, per the SBS.
“It’s clear the ‘business-as-usual approach’ is not hitting the mark and the need for community-led early intervention programs and family support services are not being met.
“Systems built for us, but without us, will never drive the change we have to see.”
If you’re keen to peep more information on the latest data, including how individual states and territories are faring, you can check it out here.
Lead image: Getty
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