Essay

The Australian government has put the close the gap program in place in order to reduce the
disadvantage between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.1 The program started in 2006, as
a response to the justice report of 2005, which highlights the socio-economic differences in life
expectancy, death rates, infant and child health, chronic diseases, mental health and disabilities.2
The lower standard of life the majority of Indigenous Australians experience 3compared to non-
indigenous is a large margin. The changes and progress the close the gap movement has had since it
was launched is being achieved at a slow rate. Based on the current level of progress, achieving the
aims of closing the gap of life expectancy and the disadvantages between the non-indigenous and
indigenous Australians has not been up to the standards. This is a major factor, as the program has
set to reach the aims by 2030. 4

The social justice report of 2005 by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner
Tom Calma, highlighted several factors as to why there was a need for an initiative to decrease the
inequalities between non-indigenous Australians and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Tom
Calma presented the report to the Australian government, addressing health inequality, human
rights and the campaign to put in place. Under government funding, he was able to survey the
health trends existing in the indigenous communities. During the survey, the trends he saw in the
health of the indigenous Australians included high rates of chronic diseases, high rates of poor
health among infants, underprivileged access to primary health services and high rates of hazardous
behaviour associated to the abuse of alcohol and tobacco use. These issues did not obtain the
needed attention from health frameworks and needed conveying5. The goal of the movement was
to achieve health equality in 25 years, from 2005, to increase life expectancy and equal access to

1
What is Closing the Gap? Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. (2017). Healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au.
Retrieved 20 September 2017, from http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/closing-the-gap/key-
facts/what-is-closing-the-gap#fnl-3
q
2 Author: Unknown. Social Justice Report 2005: Fact Sheet 2 - Shared Responsibility Agreements |
Australian Human Rights Commission. (2017). Humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 21 September 2017,
from http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/social-justice-report-2005-fact-sheet-2-
shared-responsibility-agreements-0

3 Author: Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma (2005). Humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 26

September 2017, from
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/social_justice/sj_report/sjreport05/pdf
/SocialJustice2005.pdf

4 Author: Unknown (2016). Humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 26 September 2017, from

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/Progress_priorities_rep
ort_CTG_2016_0.pdf

5
Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma (2005). Humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 26 September 2017
primary health services. Achieving these aims will allow indigenous Australians to live longer lives
and to have equal social status as well as health benefits, just as non-indigenous Australians.

The roadblocks faced by the campaign is the rate of progress in which the life expectancy of
indigenous Australians is increasing. There has been positive progress; child mortality rates have
decreased, early education for children and attaining education to year 12 or an equal achievement.
The overall life expectancy, academic achievement and employment levels are not at the same
standard6. Some of the indigenous community leaders are consentient in the need for new direction.
Effective communication and consulting with the indigenous communities, has enabled them to
have more control over their lives. Other indigenous Australians, however, abhor the term
disadvantaged. These ones believe in celebrating the achievements they have made and are
independent of the program. These feelings have also been expressed Troy Rugless, who has said, I
grew up in housing commission. My grandfather's family was part of the Stolen Generation ... We
just have to change our thinking, we have to get out and have a go ... we need to break the cycle and
become responsible and independent. It gives you choice. 7

The 2016 campaign report has shown the progress and the effects of the movement. There has been
no negative effects of the program, but there are still negatives that the program has been unable to
change. The mortality rate of infants has more than halved since 1998, from 13.5 per 1,000 live
births to 6.3 per 1,000 in 2015. The disadvantaged gap of infants has significantly decreased by 84
percent. Looking to younger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, current statistics
compared against non-indigenous Australians, show that they experience 1.7 times higher levels of
malnutrition and 1.6 times higher levels of child obesity. These statistics show that some areas,
concerning these young children, still need attention to end the gap. The report noted an increase in
people from 20-24 years of age completing year 12 or above, the statistics was 48 percent in 2008 to
62 percent in 2014-15. This overall increase in education means that young indigenous Australians
are able to find a capable career in which they support themselves. Adults whose main income was
from employment also increased from 32 percent in 2002 to 43 percent, resulting in a household
income increase as well. 8 The ongoing issues still present is the unchanged level of domestic abuse
since 2002, an increase in the report of high levels of psychological stress and the indigenous
imprisonment rate which increased by 77 percent from 2000 to 2015. These factors, despite not
correlating to the movement, need addressing.

6 Author: Dr John Gardiner-Garden. Closing the Gap Parliament of Australia .

(2017). Aph.gov.au. Retrieved 26 September 2017, from
http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pub
s/BriefingBook44p/ClosingGap

7 Author: Stan Grant. Indigenous university graduates provide hope. (2017). ABC News. Retrieved
26 September 2017, from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-14/closing-the-gap-a-little-
window-of-hope-stan-grant/8266332

8 Author: Unknown (2017). Humanrights.gov.au. Retrieved 27 September 2017, from

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/Close%20the%20Gap
%20report%202017.pdf
The close the gap program has had positive effects. There has been no negative effects, but there
are still issues that remain unaddressed. The positive effects have benefited infant mortality rates,
the chances that young adults can complete year 12 education and the employment rates of adults.
The close the gap program is able to achieve its goals in the future, however, at its current rate, the
period of time it would take does not seem to be achieved by the year 2030. In order to achieve its
aim, the close the gap program has to see an increase of the life expectancy of aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders, which can only occur with everyone having a part in supporting Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander communities, helping to close the gap.