Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I thank you, Senator Stewart, for your question and for your role and leadership in helping to develop the economic strategy for us. The Albanese Labor government is delivering action and working in partnership with First Nations communities, peak bodies and state and territory governments to close the gap.

One of our key priorities is job creation in remote Australia. We have commenced the Remote Jobs and Economic Development program, which will create up to 3,000 jobs in remote communities over the next three years. We've also expanded the Indigenous Rangers Program, creating 1,000 new jobs, including 770 positions for First Nations women. On housing, we're delivering real action. We've built more than 200 new homes in remote Northern Territory communities, working towards our 10-year goal to halve overcrowding. We're ensuring First Nations children have a strong start in life by expanding the Connected Beginnings program to 50 communities, supporting early childhood development for 20 per cent of First Nations children. Already, over 20,000 students are involved.

Additionally, we are taking action to keep families safe. We've significantly increased funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal services and family violence prevention legal services to assist more women and children escaping domestic and family violence, and we've invested in community led justice reinvestment initiatives in 27 sites across the country. The difference our investments are making on the ground is clear and, yes, of course we need to continue to keep going, as we are with the Australian Family Partnership Program in South-East Queensland, where more than 93 per cent of First Nations babies have been born within a healthy birth weight range, beating the target of 91 per cent.