Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too commence by acknowledging the traditional custodians of this land and I pay my respects to elders past and present. In 2008, the former Labor government approved the National Indigenous Reform Agenda, which set out how to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. We identified six areas of critical importance, and they are very much clear priorities: life expectancy; mortality of children under five; access to early childhood education; reading, writing and numeracy; year 12 attainment rates; and employment outcomes. All these targets or priorities are interrelated. School accessibility and attendance rates lead to higher education, which increases the chances of employment, which impacts on life expectancy, which improves the prospects of future generations.

The COAG Reform Council's recent report indicates that we have made significant progress in three areas: child mortality rates, access to early childhood education and year 12 or equivalent attainment. The improvement in reducing Aboriginal infant mortality is particularly significant. Across Australia, the Indigenous child mortality rate has dropped by 32 per cent and, as I understand it, according to this report we are on track for halving the gap in child mortality rates within the decade. I am not going to say that that is something we should be proud of, but it does indicate that it is something we are making progress on. Child mortality is an issue that, in this place, we would often speak about in respect of Third World countries, not a notion that should be considered in a country such as Australia.

Last year, we met our first Closing the Gap target, with every preschooler living in a remote community having access to early childhood education, and we are set to have 95 per cent of children in remote areas enrolled in preschool education within a decade. Again, that is something that many of us in this country would take for granted for our families. I applaud all the efforts that are taking place in regional communities to make this a reality for all children. Early childhood education is a fundamental stepping stone towards a successful future, instilling in young ones a love of learning, discipline and ambition to achieve—something that we all aspire to for our own families.

There is no denying that we have a long way to go in reaching our targets, particularly in life expectancy and employment, but that is no reason to undermine the efforts that have been made or to in any way diminish the things that have been achieved. There are many issues and, certainly, challenges prevalent in our remote communities which are interrelated and directly affect the prospects of reaching the Closing the Gap targets, such as the incarceration rates of young Aboriginal men in particular; and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and other forms of violence, which, quite frankly, must be addressed. Rates of alcohol related violence in Aboriginal communities rose by 15 per cent last year. Domestic violence is something that is the scourge of all communities and we see it at alarming rates. But, in Indigenous communities, reported cases of domestic violence have risen by 21 per cent over the last 12 months. The Aboriginal Women Against Violence program, run by the Joan Harrison Support Services for Women, and the Sisters For Sisters program, which operates in my electorate, have told me on repeated occasions how Aboriginal women are very reluctant to come forward and give information on their partners to the authorities. This is not simply out of fear of their partners but also because there is very much a driving view that going to the authorities on a matter of domestic violence could actually lead to their children being removed. That is not something that occurs only in remote areas; this is a very live and real fear that occurs in south-west Sydney at the moment. In that regard, I applaud the local police, who are working very hard to address those fears and ensure that they can protect women in their home environment.

The Closing the Gap targets aim to ensure future generations best meet adulthood, have access to good education and achieve appropriate employment not only in remote communities but also throughout our economy. This must always be seen as very much a bipartisan issue in this place, but we clearly need to work more with various Aboriginal communities to fulfil the aims and desires that they have—as we all do—for their children. In creating the policies, we must be involved with those who are being directly affected and allow them access to all the appropriate information and material and also allow them to be resourced. There are many underlying issues that need to be truly understood, rather than simply imposed as instructions on people.

Closing the Gap is about justice, inclusion and opportunities for equality for Australians, and it builds upon the very vision that was set forward in 2008 when Kevin Rudd made the apology to the stolen generation. It was a watershed moment in this parliament, not simply because of the speech but also because the apology focused forever on a day in this parliament when our attitude to the first peoples of this nation changed. With the knowledge of the past, respect for people and a commitment to the future, the apology has been the basis for changing many of the attitudes of all Australians and certainly the basis upon which we move forward.

It was a pleasure to be in the parliament to hear the speeches of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. I genuinely believe that they reflected the views of both sides of this parliament accurately and in a way that reflected our genuine commitment to move towards closing the gap. I will always speak on the Closing the Gap address. It is not only an appropriate time to reflect on the broader issues of achieving our targets as set in 2008 but also an opportunity for all members to address issues of injustice as they apply in our local communities.

Debate adjourned.

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