Janelle Saffin (Page, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. What is the government’s response to GenerationOne’s address to the nation on Closing the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians?

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Page for her question and acknowledge the hard work she does in her electorate to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. I am very pleased to be able to congratulate GenerationOne for their terrific grassroots campaign to bring all Australians together to create equality of opportunity for Indigenous Australians.

Last night around six million Australians were able to see the broadcast put out by GenerationOne and to witness 13-year-old Madeleine Madden give a wonderful address to the nation, calling all of us together to close the gap—to do everything each and every one of us can do to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The GenerationOne website had around 1.6 million hits after the broadcast was aired and now has around 58,000 people signed up to support the campaign.

What Madeleine said to each and every one of us is that we really need to make our own individual effort and to play our own individual or community part, whether we are in business, in the community or in government. All of us need to work together to make sure that we improve the lives of Indigenous peoples. As governments we have a job to do. Each and every government around Australia has signed up to specific targets to close the gap—to close the life expectancy gap, the literacy and numeracy gap and the employment gap—and to make sure Indigenous people are able to meet their aspirations for themselves and their families.

The government has allocated more than $5 billion to make sure we address the much needed work in education, health and employment. There are now specific efforts to help people get a job and to help Indigenous people to set up their own businesses. There are specific employment targets for government contracts that we expect to be met. There remains an enormous amount to be done, but I want to acknowledge Madeleine’s efforts, GenerationOne’s efforts and the efforts of many Australians who are doing so much to close that gap.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Housing and Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, I would like to associate the opposition with the remarks made by the minister in relation to GenerationOne. When the former Prime Minister made his apology in the House on behalf of the nation, he referred not only to past matters but to the aspirations of this parliament and all Australians to improve the lot of our Indigenous brothers and sisters in this country. That remains a continuing challenge to which we all must be committed.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.