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

Thank you very much, Senator Smith, for that question. Can I say that the Prime Minister's speech today in delivering the Closing the gap:report2019 will mark a particular turning point in the way I hope all governments do business with Aboriginal and Torres Strait and Islander Australians. As the Prime Minister said, 'Together, we can achieve anything.'

I'm pleased that in nearly every area we've seen positive trends and progress, despite that only two of the seven national targets are on track. More children are getting the benefits of an early education. More mums are accessing antenatal care, not smoking during pregnancy and getting their children immunised. More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are living longer. More Indigenous people are in work—especially, more women are employed. More Indigenous people have year 12 qualifications. But the rate of change has not been what is necessary, which is because of a number of reasons, but particularly because the basis of the original targets was flawed. They were not designed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait and Islander people, and reflected a way of thinking in those days that Canberra had the answers. So when a coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies came to us asking for a different approach, I would like to commend the leadership of the Prime Minister for embracing that partnership model and for bringing that commitment to the Council of Australian Governments. Partnerships work—for example, the Empowered Communities initiative and Western Sydney Indigenous Business Hub. In fact, 100 per cent of our CDP providers are now Indigenous organisations. I'm very pleased that we are taking this partnership model and applying it right across government. As a down payment on these reforms, we've announced an additional $200 million for scholarships, Indigenous student academies and mentoring support, and we are waiving HELP debt to get more teachers into remote communities.