Description

In 2002, Australian governments committed themselves collectively to overcoming the disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Australians. As part of this commitment governments agreed to a regular public report on progress. This is the fifth edition in the series. More than just a collection of data, the report draws on extensive evidence to identify the areas where government policies will have the greatest impact. The intention is to inform Australian governments whether policy programs and interventions are achieving positive outcomes for Indigenous people and to guide further work where needed. The terms of reference were updated in 2009 to reaffirm the government’s commitment to being accountable for improved outcomes for Indigenous Australians and to serve as a public report card on the progress against COAG targets and significant indicators. The report has three main parts: this overview, which summarises the report’s key messages; the main report, which provides the evidence base supporting the report’s framework and more detailed information on outcomes; and attachment tables (available electronically), which present and expand on the data used in the report. Across virtually all the indicators in the 2011 report, there are wide gaps in outcomes between Indigenous and other Australians. The report shows that the challenge is not impossible – in a few areas, the gaps are narrowing. However, many indicators show that outcomes are not improving, or are even deteriorating.

Related Items

See other periodic OID Reports