Description

This annual report details South Australia’s progress on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, and the SA Implementation Plan.

Drawing on information from the Productivity Commission’s most recent Closing the Gap Annual Data Compilation Report (July 2023), it reports on SA’s efforts in 2022-23 across the 4 priority reform areas, 17 socio-economic outcomes and 19 related targets of the National Agreement.

While the data shows that progress at the national level against the targets has been limited, there are positive signs of improvement across the targets assessed as not on
track.

South Australia has generally made a positive contribution towards the national targets, showing improvements in 10 targets, and performing better than all other jurisdictions in 2 targets. However, progress against 3 targets is worsening.

More effort is needed to reduce the rate of Aboriginal incarceration and increase the rate of Aboriginal youth who are in employment, education and training. The rate of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care has also increased in SA more than any other jurisdiction, and more effort is required to change this trajectory.

The steps SA is taking to meet our commitments in the National Agreement are set out in our Implementation Plan, which commits South Australian government agencies and their Aboriginal partners to specific actions that will contribute to the priority reform areas and socio-economic outcomes. The status of these actions is detailed in SA’s Closing the Gap Implementation Status Update at Attachment A, but in summary, of the actions reported on for the 2022-2023 reporting period (as of June 2023):

• 66 were complete
• 138 were in progress – on track
• 35 were in progress – delayed
• 7 were not yet due to commence
• 6 were no longer being progressed
• 1 was in progress – with revised timeframes.

Building strong partnerships has continued to be a focus in 2022 -23, which will support continued success against priority reforms and targets.

In March 2023 South Australia became the first jurisdiction to legislate a First Nations Voice to Parliament – securing the first step towards implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full in this state.