New Closing Gap Data

The Productivity Commission’s latest data on Closing the Gap shows some progress.

The Productivity Commission has released new data on 8 of the Closing the Gap targets and nine supporting indicators.

Overall, 5 out of 19 targets are now on track, an improvement from 4 out of 19.

Encouragingly, the proportion of First Nations babies born at a healthy weight has improved and is on track to meet the target of 91 per cent by 2031.

The target of a 15 percent increase in land and sea country covered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples legal rights is also on track.

But there has been no improvement in closing the gap on life expectancy, with Indigenous Australian males and females expected to live 8.8 and 8.1 years respectively, less than other Australians.

The target to reduce the number of children in out of home care is not on track, while the target to reduce adult imprisonment is not on track and worsening.

The Government is committed to strengthening efforts to work in partnership with First Nations people to make progress on Closing the Gap and improve life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

As part of its Closing the Gap strategy the Government last month announced a range of specific measures including:

• $707 million investment in the new Remote Jobs and Economic Development program to create 3000 jobs in remote communities
• Establishing a National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People to address the number of children in out of home care and in youth detention.
• Continue funding for the Justice Policy Partnership to address the high rates of incarceration of First Nations adults and young people.

The Productivity Commission is scheduled to release a further update to the Closing the Gap dashboard and the fourth Annual Data Compilation Report in July 2024.

Productivity Commission March 2024 dashboard update

Targets on track

• Target 2 – By 2031 increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies with a healthy birthweight.
• Target 15 A – By 2030, a 15 per cent increase in land mass subject to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests.
• Target 15B – By 2030, a 15 per cent increase in sea covered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s legal rights or interests.

Targets not on track

• Target 1 – By 2031, close the Gap in life expectancy within a generation
• Target 10 – By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults held in incarceration by at least 15 per cent
• Target 12 – By 2031, reduce the rate of overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care by 45 per cent
• Target 14 – Significant and sustained reduction in suicide of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people towards zero.

Targets with no change

• Target 11 – By 2031, reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people (10‑17 years) in detention by at least 30 per cent, shows no change from the baseline (2017).

Quotes attributable to Minister Burney

“It is encouraging to see improvements in the number of babies born at healthy birth weight as healthy birth weight helps to lay foundations for lifelong health.

“But the new data on 8 targets, shows there is still a long way to go.

“The Albanese Government is committed to strengthening our relationship with the Coalition of the Peaks and working in partnership to design and implement programs that will make a difference to lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.”

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister McCarthy

“The latest data indicates we are making progress in some areas but this is not enough to carry through to other positive life outcomes for First Nations people.

“We need to do more to address the unacceptable results we continue to see, such as the number of children in out-of-home care and incarceration rates for First Nations youth and adults.