Closing the Gap

Prime Minister’s Report 2016

The Prime Minister’s annual report to Parliament on progress in Closing the Gap

Prime Minister’sintroduction

In the days following my appointment as Prime Minister in September, I outlined my key aspiration that our first Australians be afforded the same opportunities and prosperity that everyone else enjoys in this great country.

But this opportunity-for-all aspiration will only be fully realised by closing the substantial gap in health, education and employment outcomes between Indigenous and other Australians. The responsibility to do this belongs with every Australian.

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Executive summary

This 2016 Closing the Gap report shows, as in previous years, that there has been mixed levels of success in meeting the targets set by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2008.

The results outlined in this report reiterate that while these targets may be ambitious, striving to meet them is essential in building a robust and healthy Australia. The targets focus on the areas of health, education and employment, which are recognised as the key drivers for success in addressing the significant disparity in the health, wellbeing and prosperity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

Report chaptersat a glance

01 Infancy and early childhood

Creating a better future for children and their families starts from the very beginning – from conception and pregnancy through infancy and early childhood education.

02 Education

Education is a foundation for hope and success and can help people overcome other disadvantages.

03 Employment

Being employed improves the health, living standards and the social and emotional well being of individuals, families and communities.

04 Economic development

Economic development brings businesses, goods and services into local economies and creates opportunities for employment and training.

05 Healthy lives

The inter-relationships between health and social determinants such as education, employment status, overcrowding and income are well established in the national and international literature.

06 Safe, healthy communities

Strong, safe and functioning communities can support people and provide them with a sense of connection and belonging.

07 Constitutional Recognition

Recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Constitution