Prime Minister Julia Gillard has today delivered the latest report card on the progress made to meet the Closing the Gap targets, which are focused on eliminating Indigenous disadvantage.
The six ambitious targets relate to life expectancy, child mortality, education and employment.
Ms Gillard delivered the fifth annual Prime Minister’s Closing the Gap statement in Parliament House and tabled this year’s Closing the Gap Prime Minister’s Report.
The report highlights the Australian Government’s achievements in tackling Indigenous disadvantage since its commitment to closing the gap in 2008.
The report notes that the first Closing the Gap target, that all Indigenous four-year-olds living in remote communities have access to early childhood education by 2013, will be met this year.
Unprecedented effort to address Indigenous disadvantage under the Closing the Gap framework has ensured that more Indigenous children than ever before now have access to preschool or kindergarten programs.
Two other Closing the Gap targets, relating to mortality rates for Indigenous children and education attainment rates, are either on track to be met or are ahead of schedule.
In 2013, the Government will continue to implement major reforms in education, health, housing, economic development and community safety as part of an unprecedented effort to improve life expectancy and opportunities for Indigenous people.
Eliminating Indigenous disadvantage will take a sustained commitment over many years from all levels of government, the business sector, non-government organisations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the wider community.
The Closing the Gap report is available here.
For the latest news stories and information on Closing the Gap, visit www.indigenous.gov.au or join the discussion regarding this year’s report on Twitter using the hashtag #CtGreport2013.