This National Close the Gap Day (Thursday 18 March 2021), the Angus Knight Group reaffirms its unwavering commitment to be part of the solutions that are needed to achieve equity in life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We believe that everyone deserves the right to a healthy future, and we understand that many of Australia’s First Peoples are experiencing entrenched disadvantage compared to non-indigenous Australians.
Hear from our Group CEO Cameron Judson on Close the Gap
The National Agreement on Closing the Gap (the National Agreement) is designed to be a true partnership between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and governments. At Angus Knight Group we commend the collaborative and proactive approach between Australian governments and the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations. Through our daily work, we deeply understand that we achieve more together, and in close collaboration with the communities we serve.
The 16 targets of the National Agreement address priority needs in education, employment, health and wellbeing, justice, safety, housing, land and waters and languages. As we look ahead to the next decade of work that still needs to be done to close the gaps by 2031 and earlier, the Angus Knight Group expects to grow its service areas and community collaboration, particularly in relation to our focus areas of education, employment and community development.
Closing the Gap Targets
The National Agreement on Closing the Gap has 16 national socio-economic targets across areas that have an impact on life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The progress against the targets will be monitored by the Productivity Commission and will help all parties to the National Agreement understand how their efforts are contributing to progress over the next ten years, with the aim of Close the Gap in life expectancy within a generation, by 2031.
It will take the right investment and commitment to achieve the necessary socio-economic outcomes outlined in the National Agreement:
- Outcome 1: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will enjoy long and healthy lives.
- Outcome 2: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are born healthy and strong.
- Outcome 3: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are engaged in high quality, culturally appropriate early childhood education in their early years.
- Outcome 4: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children thrive in their early years.
- Outcome 5: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students achieve their full potential.
- Outcome 6: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students reach their full potential through further education pathways.
- Outcome 7: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth are engaged in employment or education.
- Outcome 8: Strong economic participation and development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
- Outcome 9: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people secure appropriate, affordable housing that is aligned with their priorities and needs.
- Outcome 10: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system.
- Outcome 11: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are not overrepresented in the criminal justice system.
- Outcome 12: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are not overrepresented in the child protection system.
- Outcome 13: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and households are safe.
- Outcome 14: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people enjoy high levels of social and emotional wellbeing.
- Outcome 15: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people maintain a distinctive cultural, spiritual, physical and economic relationship with their land and waters.
- Outcome 16: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and languages are strong, supported and flourishing.
The Angus Knight Group’s Focus
For the past 30 years, the Angus Knight Group has delivered education, employment and community development outcomes to Australians.
We deliver Vocational Training and Employment Centres (VTEC), Disability Employment Services (DES) and Community Development Programs (CDP) in direct support of the National Indigenous Australians Agency, which implements the Australian Government’s policies and programs to improve the lives of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our companies and programs are building the capacity of some of the most remote communities in Australia, through job readiness, vocational education and job placement.
- Nyirrunggulung-Rise
- Real Futures
- Rise Ngurratjuta
- Rise Ventures
- Rise Community Art
- The Real Futures Women’s Business Second Chance Hub
The WBSC hub is a ground-breaking program that aims to ensure that women who are at risk of being left behind have access to participate in and achieve quality learning, entrepreneurship, and employment outcomes through educational and vocational training. Real Futures has partnered with UN Women to deliver the first program of its kind in a developed country. The WBSC hub, supported by BHP Foundation as part of their global commitment to enabling access for all women to quality education, is being piloted in Western Sydney, a region that has the highest concentration of Aboriginal people of any single region in Australia.
How you can get involved this National Close the Gap Day
The National Close the Gap Day campaign is an independent, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led campaign that calls on political leaders from all levels of government to act on health and education equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This year’s theme is ‘Leadership & Legacy through Crisis: Keeping Our Mob Safe’.
While we await the government’s Closing the Gap report in July 2021, the Close the Gap Campaign will release its own report on Thursday 18 March 2021.
You can:
- Sign the pledge. Add your signature to the pledge to close the gap on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island life expectancy.
- Call, tweet or write to your local Member of Parliament and tell them that you want them to Close the Gap
- Listen to and share the stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on Facebook – visit the Close the Gap Facebook page.
- Share your photos and stories on social media. Use the hashtag #ClosetheGap
