Page 4368 - Week 10 - Thursday, 22 September 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
One of the key recommendations the elected body made to the government was to consider ways to overcome Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage—a focus on increased budget allocation, and policy attention to the areas of education, health, law and justice, and housing.
The ACT government and its directorates are working closely with the elected body to further address the needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, particularly in areas identified by the elected body as needing more attention. As part of the annual budget process the need to provide additional resources will be considered along with other priorities.
Whilst I acknowledge the considerable policy work that is being undertaken by ACT government directorates in many areas identified by the elected body’s recommendations, I also acknowledge that there is still a way to go before we close the gap in life outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Canberrans. It is timely that the tabling of this elected body report comes close behind the release in August of the Productivity Commission’s fifth biennial Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage: key indicators 2011 report.
In acknowledging that the Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage report clearly demonstrates that there is still much to do in the ACT to close the gap in life outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people—for example, in the statutory care or justice systems—the Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage report also demonstrates that the ACT is building a strong foundation for progress and even taking the lead nationally on significant indicators for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing such as housing and home ownership, school retention rates and employment.
For example, Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage reports 36.7 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander year 12 retention rates, the highest proportion of any state or jurisdiction. In 2009 the apparent retention rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from years 10 to 12 was 75 per cent, again the highest proportion nationally. In health, Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage finds that the percentage of daily smokers among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 18 or over was 30 per cent, which is the lowest percentage of all jurisdictions.
Economically, the Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage employment and income indicators were very promising for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of the ACT. The ACT exceeds all other jurisdictions, with 72 per cent of the Indigenous working-age population employed in 2008. Between 2002 and 2008 the median household income for Indigenous households increased from 71 per cent of non-Indigenous households to 83 per cent of non-Indigenous households.
Significantly, Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage recognises that the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body itself is a model of best practice for community engagement and consultation.
I am confident that as we continue to engage with the elected body, and through it to listen and respond to the community’s concerns and recommendations, we can achieve more progress across a range of areas.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video