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| Closing the Gap framework | |
|---|---|
| Name | Closing the Gap framework |
| Established | 2008 |
| Jurisdiction | Australia |
| Focus | Indigenous Australians' health and socioeconomic outcomes |
Closing the Gap framework
The Closing the Gap framework is a policy initiative introduced in 2008 to address disparities in health, education, employment and life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, developed amid dialogues involving the Prime Minister of Australia, Governor-General of Australia, Council of Australian Governments, Australian Health Ministers' Conference and peak organisations such as the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation and the Lowitja Institute. It has been discussed alongside national reviews involving the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Productivity Commission and international comparisons with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the World Health Organization, the OECD, and the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The framework emerged from policy debates during the tenure of Kevin Rudd and the Rudd government and was shaped by inputs from leaders including Lowitja O'Donoghue, representatives of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, and advisers connected to the Closing the Gap Prime Minister's Report process, referencing historical initiatives such as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and responses to landmark events like the Mabo v Queensland (No 2) decision and the Bringing Them Home report. Early formulations drew upon international models exemplified by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, the Uluru Statement from the Heart dialogue context, and reconciliation processes such as the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.
Initial targets were set to reduce mortality differentials, increase school attendance and attainment, and close income and employment gaps, aligned with measurable indicators tracked by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, measured in line with frameworks used by the United Nations Development Programme, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and benchmarked against data practices of the British Office for National Statistics and the Statistics New Zealand. Targets were periodically revised in reports produced under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Australia, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs (Australia), and cabinet processes involving the Treasury of Australia and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Governance arrangements involved coordination between the Council of Australian Governments, state and territory leaders such as the Premier of New South Wales, the Premier of Victoria, the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations including the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia, and community-controlled bodies modelled on the Northern Land Council and the Central Land Council. Implementation involved partnerships with institutions like the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, the Australian Medical Association, universities including Australian National University and University of Sydney, and non-government actors such as the Australian Red Cross and philanthropic entities like the Myer Foundation.
Monitoring relied on statistical inputs from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and programmatic reporting by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, supplemented by audits and reviews from the Productivity Commission, inquiries such as those led by the Australian Human Rights Commission, and evaluation methodologies referenced by the World Bank and the International Labour Organization. Data sources included health records from hospital networks including Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and registries used by the Menzies School of Health Research and demographic surveys in collaboration with the Australian Electoral Commission for enrolment metrics.
Evaluations published in successive reports by the Prime Minister of Australia and analyses by the Productivity Commission and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicate mixed progress on targets such as closing life-expectancy gaps and improving school completion rates, with sectoral case studies involving programs at institutions like Charles Darwin University, Flinders University, and University of Queensland frequently cited. International observers including the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Commonwealth Secretariat have commented on outcomes relative to commitments under treaties such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Critics including members of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, academics from the Australian National University, and advocacy groups like the Australian Council of Social Service have argued that target-setting was insufficiently co-designed, echoing critiques raised during debates over the Northern Territory Intervention and referencing concerns voiced in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Controversies have involved disagreements between federal and state leaders such as Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard era policymakers, disputes over data sovereignty championed by groups including the Lowitja Institute, and legal or political tensions invoking figures like Anthony Albanese and institutions like the High Court of Australia.
The framework underwent revisions culminating in refreshed targets and governance changes, engaging leaders from the Morrison government, the Turnbull government, and later administrations led by Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, and informing successor initiatives integrating Indigenous-led approaches advocated in the Uluru Statement from the Heart and regional agreements such as those involving the Torres Strait Regional Authority and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission's successors. Newer strategies reference partnerships with research centres like the Cochrane Collaboration and funding mechanisms influenced by advice from the Productivity Commission and philanthropic actors such as the Paul Ramsay Foundation.
Category:Indigenous Australian politics