Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McKenzie. I am pleased to report that the government's new approach is taking effect. Getting Aboriginal and Islander children to school of course is one of the government's top priorities in this area. We have committed significant funds to lift school attendance rates in remote Australia through the Remote School Attendance Strategy. We have rolled that out in 73 schools from Western Australia to Queensland, and from South Australia to the Northern Territory. But of course it is not how much we have invested—it is the results. I am happy to report to the Senate that the results, in terms of the attendance data, are showing an overall upward trend, and that trend is sustainable. The average daily attendance rate is up by 5.1 per cent compared with term 1 in 40 communities participating in stage 1.

We are already getting unprecedented levels of data and cooperation from all the jurisdictions, and for that I thank them. This even comes down to receiving daily data. Education departments are telling us that, in many cases, this is the first time that they have been able to peruse the data on a daily basis. And of course we know that we cannot manage what we cannot measure.

I congratulate everyone who has taken up this challenge in this very important area, particularly the communities. As I have travelled around the communities, I have noticed that they are talking about what they are going to do in their own context, without assistance, to ensure that their children are engaged with school. But the ante has been upped, and I think that the communities have decided that they are going to take control and ensure that this negative narrative is in fact turned around.

Very importantly, COAG has now agreed to the new target to close the gap on school attendance within five years. All those jurisdictions have made that commitment. My department is working closely with the providers; most importantly, with families; and with communities to ensure that this fantastic trend continues.