Introduction

In March 2008, the then Australian Government and Opposition in signing the Close the Gap Statement of Intent committed to closing the health equality gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians by 2030. They were followed by the then Governments and Opposition Parties in Victoria in March 2008; Queensland in April 2008, Western Australia in April 2009; the Australian Capital Territory in April 2010, New South Wales in June 2010; and South Australia in November 2010.

The Close the Gap Statement of Intent is a document with national importance which provides both the Close the Gap Campaign and Australian governments with a blueprint for closing the health equality gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians by 2030.

In April 2008 the then Australian Government (and subsequently supported by the then Opposition)^[9] further committed to providing an annual report to Parliament on progress towards closing the gap with a particular focus on the achievement of the COAG Closing the Gap Targets found in the National Indigenous Reform Agreement (NIRA). Reflecting the long-term nature of the challenge, this has become a non-partisan annual event that generates significant national attention and is supported by all sides of parliament.

This reporting process keeps the national effort to close the gap fresh in the nation’s mind and is a means for the Australian Government and the wider community to monitor and assess progress. It presents data for the nation to consider, enables accountability, recognises successes and identifies areas requiring greater improvements.

Since the first Australian Government report in 2009, the Campaign Steering Committee has provided an annual complementary 'shadow' report representing its assessment of progress, including against the COAG Closing the Gap Targets for health and life expectancy equality, and the commitments in the Close the Gap Statement of Intent. This is done in the spirit of an open and constructive dialogue between government, the wider community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This progress report is this year’s contribution to this ongoing dialogue.

This report affirms that the national effort to close the gap is slowly but surely working. It reaffirms that this effort is above politics - fundamentally non-partisan. It reiterates that it is a nation-building exercise of the highest importance. It calls on the new Australian Government to stay the course and ensure much-needed policy and program continuity towards the goal of health and life expectancy equality. It also outlines further steps that need to be taken to expand and strengthen the national effort to close the gap.

The report comprises three parts:

Part one: Close the gap – A shared national priority examines the effort to close the gap as a national, non-partisan effort, founded on the empowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to exercise responsibility for their health.

Part two: Progress in the national effort to close the gap assesses progress against the health-related COAG Closing the Gap Targets and also evaluates progress using other data.

Part three: Opportunities to strengthen the national effort to close the gap sets out the Close the Gap Campaign’s vision for strengthening the national effort to close the gap over the current term of Parliament.

The Close the Gap Statement of Intent

The Close the Gap Statement of Intent was signed on 20 March 2008 by Hon Kevin Rudd MP (then Prime Minister); Hon. Nicola Roxon MP (then Minister for Health and Ageing); Hon. Jenny Macklin MP (then Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs); and Dr Brendan Nelson MP (then Opposition Leader).

Most state and territory governments and oppositions have also signed the Close the Gap Statement of Intent including Victoria in March 2008; Queensland in April 2008, Western Australia in April 2009; the Australian Capital Territory in April 2010, New South Wales in June 2010; and South Australia in November 2010.

^[9] See for example: Scullion, N. (Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs), Ministerial Statements – Closing the Gap Prime Ministers’ Report of 2012, 27 February 2012. URL: http://www.nigelscullion.com/electorate/speeches/ministerial-statements-closing-gap-prime-ministers-report-2012 (Accessed 14 January 2014).