Federal Budget: Funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities a positive step, but not enough to close the gap

The nation’s peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander body says last night’s Federal Budget contained some positive steps, but more will be needed to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous life outcomes. 

Coalition of Peaks Acting Lead Convenor, Catherine Liddle, said the measures contained in the budget were important, but would not solve everything. 

“Funding for housing, education and health will be good for our People, but a holistic approach is needed to close the gap,” Ms Liddle said. 

“The challenges our communities face are not isolated, they are deeply interconnected. Economic insecurity fuels domestic violence, a lack of investment in education fuels young people ending up in the justice system – nothing happens in isolation. 

“A big bag of money for some sectors is not being wisely invested if other sectors are underfunded, because they are all pieces of the same puzzle and we need to figure out how they all work together.” 

In February, a major Productivity Commission review found Federal, State and Territory Governments were failing in their commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. 

The review warned governments urgently needed to “close the gap between words and action” and end “government knows best” thinking when designing and implementing services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

Ms Liddle said it was not just about what government funds, but how they implement it. 

“We cannot close the gap unless governments change the way they work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We need genuine partnerships, not tick-a-box consultation,” she said. 

“We need funding for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, because they know how best to deliver services to their communities and get results.

“We need governments to fundamentally change how they work with our People, and eliminate the conscious and unconscious racism that too often characterises our interactions with government services.

“And we need access to, and the capability to use, the data and information necessary to set priorities and drive our own development.

“These are the priority reforms governments have committed to under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

“What has been announced in the budget is a welcome step, but ultimately what will drive sustainable change is for governments to fully fund and implement their Closing the Gap commitments.”

The budget will also redirect $20 million that had been allocated to the Voice. 

Ms Liddle said any decisions about its reallocation should be in line with the Government’s commitment, under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, to share decision-making with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

“Any significant changes to the Indigenous Affairs policy agenda and decisions on taking forward elements of the Uluru Statement would be subject to an open and transparent process,” Ms Liddle said. 

Media contact: Iona Salter (Essential Media), 0413 185 634, iona.salter@essentialmedia.com.au