Page 608 - Week 02 - Thursday, 20 March 2014
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on a public housing community for elderly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tenants; an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school scholarship program; and implementation of the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tobacco control strategy.
Improvements have been recorded in areas which contribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life expectancy. The 2013 report on government services shows that the ACT has programs and initiatives that are working. One of our positive results is the apparent retention rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students across all ACT schools from year 10 to year 12 in 2012. It was 65.4 per cent compared with the national rate of 53.3 per cent.
This was the second highest rate of all jurisdictions behind South Australia. In ACT public schools, the percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students receiving a year 12 certificate improved from 80 per cent in 2009 to 86 per cent in 2012. In addition, 71 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students received a nationally recognised vocational qualification and 18 per cent received a tertiary entrance statement. We know that education is one of the key factors in improved life outcomes and leads to further education and employment opportunities.
The Legislative Assembly standing committee, led by Dr Bourke, is currently working on a report to government into ACT public service Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment. I look forward to seeing what our one government approach can bring to this area.
I also look forward to the Productivity Commission’s next overcoming Indigenous disadvantage report, expected later this year. The ACT government is also well serviced in achieving these targets by our community partners and the elected body who provide valuable advice to me and the directorates on key issues affecting local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
In the past two years I, and previously Dr Bourke, released a closing the gap report that was focused on ACT outcomes and indicators. The value of these reports lies in the presentation of accurate, contemporary data and I remain committed to informing the broader community of the ACT’s progress. However, the ACT will not be developing a report in 2014 as key reporting data will not be updated and published this year.
It is expected that new data will be available early to mid-2015. Upon the release of this data, we will be developing a 2015 closing the gap report. I look forward to engaging with the local community on these and related issues in the interim. I expect we will see we have a way to go but I believe that by working together as a territory we can overcome the disparity in life outcomes.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Appropriation Bill 2013-2014 (No 2)
Mr Barr, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement, a Human Rights Act compatibility statement and supplementary budget papers.
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