Albanese Government Reports Mixed Progress on Closing the Gap, Announces New Funding

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed Parliament on Thursday, presenting the annual report card on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. The report indicated mixed progress across the 19 targets, with four currently on track to be met by 2031 and six showing improvement. Concurrently, the government announced over $600 million in new funding initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, alongside detailing broader health funding agreements.

Prime Minister Albanese stated his government is not contemplating failure regarding the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, emphasizing that focusing solely on setbacks could overlook the aspirations and achievements of Indigenous Australians and community efforts.

The agreement, a collaborative effort with the Coalition of Peaks and state and territory governments, aims to address disparities in outcomes for First Nations people.

National Agreement Progress

Current data indicates varied progress across the 19 targets:

On Track: Four targets are on track to be met by 2031, with six targets showing improvement. Targets on track from data released last year include increasing land and sea rights, adult employment rates, and early childhood education enrollment rates. The target for 95% of children enrolled in pre-school is anticipated to be achieved upon the release of new data later this year.
Regressing/Not Improved: Targets regressing or showing no improvement since 2017 include rates of suicide, children in out-of-home care, adult incarceration, early childhood development, healthy birth weights, and youth justice outcomes. Data for domestic violence rates has not been updated.
State and Territory Variations: New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory have shown progress in reducing children in out-of-home care, despite a national worsening trend. Western Australia, Victoria, and South Australia are making progress in reducing youth detention, although the national trend remains unchanged from 2016-17 levels.

New Funding Commitments

The federal government announced several new commitments to support the Closing the Gap initiatives:

Employment: An additional $299 million to expand jobs in remote communities under the Remote Jobs and Economic Development (RJED) scheme, targeting 6,000 jobs by 2030.
Health Infrastructure: $144.1 million for upgrades and repairs to community-controlled health clinics.
Remote Essential Services: $27.4 million to extend subsidies for 30 essential grocery items in remote stores, and $32.7 million for food storage to assist 75 additional remote stores in managing extreme weather events.
Maternal Care: $44.4 million for Birthing on Country maternal care programs.
Accommodation: $48.3 million for short-term hostel accommodation.
Mental Health: $13.9 million for mental health support service 13YARN to extend operating hours and launch a text message service.
Domestic Violence: The first standalone national plan to address violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children, launched recently, is supported by $220 million in federal funding over four years.

Additionally, a $25 billion funding agreement reached last month with states and territories includes $450 million for Indigenous health, with $250 million contributed by the Commonwealth and $200 million from the states.

Healthy Birth Weights and Birthing on Country Programs

New data from the Productivity Commission indicates that 88.9% of Indigenous babies in Australia are born at a healthy weight, compared to 93.9% of non-Indigenous babies. This percentage falls short of the national 'Closing the Gap' target of 91% healthy birth weights within five years. Low birth weight (under 2.5kg) is more prevalent in the Indigenous population and can increase the risk of infant mortality and long-term health issues.

Factors contributing to low birth weight include maternal smoking, maternal underweight status, pre-existing maternal health conditions, limited attendance at antenatal appointments, inadequate regional maternal services, and food insecurity. Western Australia is identified as the only state not on track to meet the 2031 target for healthy birth weights.

'Birthing on Country' programs, such as those implemented by Waminda, an Aboriginal health service in New South Wales, aim to address these disparities. These programs focus on providing continuity of care, building trust, and offering comprehensive support to families. Studies suggest positive outcomes, including higher rates of normal vaginal births, increased exclusive breastfeeding post-hospital discharge, greater engagement with culturally safe wellbeing programs, reduced rates of preterm birth, and fewer removals of newborn babies.

Experts like Dr. Yvette Roe and Professor Rhonda Marriott highlight challenges within the current system, particularly regarding timely support in remote and socio-economically disadvantaged areas. While $44.4 million has been allocated for ten 'Birthing on Country' services, some experts consider this insufficient to meet extensive needs.

Stakeholder Perspectives and Reviews

Scott Wilson, Deputy Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, emphasized the importance of empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organizations to lead solutions for closing the gap.

Opposition spokeswoman for Indigenous Australians, Kerrynne Liddle, stated that Closing the Gap targets continue to worsen and called for prioritization of family violence data. Productivity Commissioner Selwyn Button advocated for increased investment in community-controlled organizations and genuine partnerships, citing evidence of their effectiveness. Independent Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe criticized the 'Closing the Gap' framework for its perceived lack of enforceability and accountability.

A 2024 Productivity Commission review found that state and federal governments' engagement with Indigenous communities had been "tokenistic." Additionally, a 2023 independent First Nations-led review by the Jumbunna Institute noted that Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) were "doing the heavy lifting while at the same time being under-resourced in comparison with government." A review of the framework is scheduled for later this year.

Prime Minister's Comments on Perth Incident

During his address, Prime Minister Albanese acknowledged an alleged terrorist attack at an Invasion Day rally in Boorloo/Perth. He stated the incident presented real danger and was motivated by racism and white supremacy ideology. The Prime Minister affirmed the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to gather and express views without fear of violence and to hold a full and equal place in the nation.