Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Howard, as Prime Minister, made I think a genuine attempt with the then secretary of PM&C to drive COAG coordinated trials in five locations, Senator Scullion, and they were an unmitigated disaster. It was not due to a lack of will or a lack of effort, but they were an unmitigated disaster.

What we have continued to try to do is work with the states to find real solutions to assist Indigenous communities to drive change in their communities and to address the appalling gap between their life expectancy and their life reality and those of other Australians. I can assure the senator that this government and the state governments remain absolutely committed under the new COAG arrangements to continuing the drive to close the gap in Indigenous disadvantage. The senator can see that through the range of initiatives that both Ms Macklin and Senator Arbib are driving on a whole range of fronts—housing, employment, health—to try to ensure that we make serious progress on these matters. I think all Australians and all members of this parliament want to do that. We have just got to continue that commitment and work on solutions that actually get good results. (Time expired)