National Agreement on Closing the Gap - Annual Data Compilation Report

[Ananda Barton]

Dear Colleagues

 

Please find below a link to the Productivity Commission’s fourth Annual Data Compilation Report on progress under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, released on 31 July 2024.

 

The Productivity Commission is the Australian Government’s independent research and advisory body on a range of economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of Australians. It aims to help governments produce better policies, in the long-term interest of the Australian community.

 

The National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) has 19 national socio-economic targets across areas that have an impact on life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The progress against the targets is monitored by the Productivity Commission to help all parties to the National Agreement understand how their efforts are contributing to progress over the next ten years.

 

The Productivity Commission assessed 15 out of the 19 socio-economic targets, which includes new data for nine targets since last year. Some targets are on track to be achieved, such as healthy birthweight, pre-school enrolment, and land and sea subject to Indigenous rights. However, outcomes are worsening in four areas: children removed into out-of-home care by child protection systems, the proportion of children who are developmentally on track, the rate of people taking their own lives and the number of adults imprisoned. And while five outcomes have improved since measured at the commencement of the Agreement, they are not on track to be met. This includes life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

 

Please find the report here https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/annual-data-report

 

Best wishes,

 

Ananda Barton (he/him)

Benevolent Hands Inc.