Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, upon notice , on 13 March 2012:

With reference to the National Indigenous Reform Agreement on the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Reform Council website:

(1) Given that the seven National Partnerships associated with the National Indigenous Reform Agreement are: the National Partnership on Indigenous Economic Participation; the National Partnership on Remote Indigenous Public Internet Access; the National Partnership on Remote Service Delivery; the National Partnership on Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory; the National Partnership on Closing the Gap in Indigenous Health Outcomes; the National Partnership on Remote Indigenous Housing; and the National Partnership on Indigenous Early Childhood Development, can details be provided of the:

  (a) total funds committed to date for each National Partnership; and

  (b) total funds expended for each National Partnership , including a breakdown by state and territory where applicable.

(2) Given that the six targets of the National Indigenous Reform Agreement are to: 'close the life expectancy gap within a generation'; 'halve the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five within a decade'; 'ensure all Indigenous four year olds in remote communities have access to early childhood education within five years'; 'halve the gap for Indigenous students in reading, writing, numeracy within a decade'; 'halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020'; and 'halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade', which National Partnerships relate to the following targets:

  (a) 'halve the gap for Indigenous students in reading, writing, numeracy within a decade'; and

  (b) 'halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020'.

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

The Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator ' s question:

(1) (a) and (b) Funds committed is understood to refer to funds committed by the Commonwealth and equates to how much is in the National Partnership agreement. Funds expended is how much money the Commonwealth has paid to the States.

This information is publicly available. Information on funding in National Partnerships is available on the federal financial relations website at: www.federalfinancialrelations.gov.au/content/national_partnership_agreements/default.aspx

While information on how much money the Commonwealth has paid the States is reported in the Final Budget Outcome at:

http://budget.gov.au/2012-13/content/fbo/html/index.htm

Please note, the following National Partnership agreements are not payments to the States but Commonwealth Own Purpose Expenditure:

(2) (a) and (b) The COAG Reform Council, in its assessment of the targets 'halve the gap for Indigenous students in reading, writing, numeracy within a decade' and 'halve the gap for Indigenous students in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment', specifically draws on the National Education Agreement and the National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy.

The broader Closing the Gap Framework recognises that outcomes in other areas, such as health, housing and early childhood, are also likely to contribute to improving outcomes in areas such as reading, writing, numeracy and Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment.