Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2005
Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2005, was released on 12 July 2005. In addition the Overview of this report was released as a separate publication. The text of the overview is included in the full report.
In April 2002, the Council of Australian Governments commissioned the Steering Committee to produce a regular report against key indicators of Indigenous disadvantage. This report has an important long-term objective. It is to inform Australian governments about whether policy programs and interventions are achieving positive outcomes for Indigenous people. This will help guide where further work is needed.
To help ensure the relevance and appropriateness of the indicator framework for the report, the Steering Committee circulated a draft framework for reporting on Indigenous disadvantage in October 2002. The consultation period ended in February 2003, after which, the framework was revised. The revised framework was endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments in August 2003. The Steering Committee prepared a report on its consultations, Draft Framework for Reporting on Indigenous Disadvantage.
Ongoing consultations continued after the publication of the first Report in 2003. Following the release of Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2005, the Steering Committee consulted with a range of government, research and Indigenous organisations and individuals about the framework and Report. The formal consultation period ended in June 2006. The feedback received during the formal consultation period will help to improve the next edition of the Report, due to come out in mid 2007.
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Full report by chapters - RTF (ZIP 2.2 MB)Media Release
Second Report on Indigenous Disadvantage
This media release was issued with the Steering Committee report, Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2005, on 12 July 2005.
The second in the series of reports Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators, has been released. Commissioned by the Council of Australian Governments, the report’s function is to provide indicators of Indigenous disadvantage "that are of relevance to all governments and Indigenous stakeholders, and that can demonstrate the impact of program and policy interventions".
The vision behind the Report is that Indigenous people will one day enjoy the same overall standard of living as other Australians. The Report’s strategic framework will help track over time where government policies or actions have had an impact on Indigenous disadvantage — and where work still needs to be done.
The Chairman of the inter-governmental Steering Committee responsible for the Report, Gary Banks, said "the Report works on the fundamental premise that prevention is a better strategy for reducing disadvantage than ‘fixing up’".
Commenting on this second edition, Mr Banks said, "while it is heartening to see improvements in some of the economic and social indicators, many show little or no movement. In all areas, the gap between the experience of Indigenous peoples and other Australians is still wide. This was of deep concern to the many people in government and within Indigenous communities who were consulted during the preparation of this Report".
Gary Banks observed, however, that the aggregate data can hide some significant developments. "Our consultations across the country have also revealed that there are initiatives occurring at the community level where positive outcomes are being achieved. These are often at the instigation of Indigenous people themselves. Many involve constructive new relationships with government and non-government bodies, as well as with the private sector."
Mr Banks praised the cooperation behind the Report, noting that "it has benefited greatly from the feedback of many people within government and the wider community, and particularly from Indigenous people".
The Report is a product of the Review of Government Service Provision. It is overseen by a Steering Committee comprising senior officials from the Australian, State and Territory governments and supported by a secretariat drawn from the Productivity Commission. The report is available at: www.pc.gov.au/gsp.
02 6240 3330 / media@pc.gov.au
