Tony Abbott has today delivered his first Closing the Gap report as Prime Minister, and has addressed parliament on the many important aspects of Indigenous policy that we as a nation are working together to improve upon, including life expectancy, education, unemployment. The aim, of course, being to significantly bridge the current and continuing divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by the year 2030.
The Closing the Gap targets that were set back in 2009:
. Halve mortality gap between Indigenous children and other children under 5 within a decade.
(The latest report card is expected to show this goal is on track)
. Provide access to early childhood education for all Indigenous 4-year-olds in remote communities within five years.
. Halve the gap in literacy and numeracy achievement between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and other students within a decade.
. Halve the gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous students in rates of Year 12 attainment or an equivalent attainment by 2020.
. Halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians within a decade.
. Close the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians within a generation.
“The gap between Indigenous and general Australian attainments in these important areas could easily be glossed over and neglected, and we shouldn’t ever gloss over or neglect this gap as long as it exists,” Abbott said.
Mr. Abbott also pointed to research showing that only 31% of indigenous students were meeting national standards in reading and writing skills. “Yet it’s being demonstrated in places like Aurukun that a strong education in traditional culture is actually helped by a good education in English. Right around our country, it should be possible to be proudly Aboriginal and a full participant in modern Australia” he said.
He went on to say: “That doesn’t just mean access to a good education in cities, towns and remote settlements – it means actually going to school. One of the worst forms of neglect is failing to give children the education they need for a decent life.”
Mick Gooda, the Closing the Gap campaign co-chairman, agrees on the importance of boosting attendance rates: “Of course it’s a problem – we see some appalling attendance rates around the country. The anecdotal evidence I see is kids are really comfortable going to things like TAFE colleges rather than high school.”
Gooda also called to examine the reasons for such trends: “What’s happening in high schools that are causing this great drop-out rate? Let’s look at what’s the quality of education our kids are getting in the high school – what’s causing them to drop out?”
Abbott finished by saying, “There is probably no aspect of public policy on which there is more unity of purpose and readiness to give others the benefit of the doubt. On this subject at least, our parliament is at its best and our duty, Madam Speaker, is to make the most of this previous moment.”
Hear, hear!
via Radio Australia
Image via Getty
