Today, National Close the Gap Day (NCTGD), we celebrate the resilience, innovation and success of our Aboriginal communities.
But we also acknowledge that we still have a long way to go in combating Aboriginal disadvantage.
NCTGD is a national day of action to pledge support for helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders achieve health, social and educational equality by 2030.
Sadly, last month’s national Closing the Gap Report highlighted that, after 11 years, the Territory has reached just one of the seven targets set out to achieve this aim.
This is why the Territory Labor Government is investing significantly in remote housing, early childhood health and education and local jobs, to achieve generational change for our communities.
But true generational change can only be achieved when we give Aboriginal people an equal seat at the decision-making table, to determine how best their communities should be run.
Last year, after a Special Gathering of several prominent Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander Australians, the Closing the Gap targets were refreshed.
The gathering called for the next phase of Closing the Gap to be guided by the principles of empowerment and self-determination and to deliver a community-led, strengths-based strategy that enables Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to move beyond surviving to thriving.
The Territory Labor Government has heard this from Aboriginal Territorians, which is why we are implementing a local decision making agenda, to give power back to community members.
It is also why we have also appointed the Territory’s first Treaty Commissioner, Mick Dodson, as we work towards a treaty between Aboriginal Territorians and the NT Government.
The Territory Labor Government is currently refreshing its Aboriginal Affairs Strategy to more closely align with the Closing the Gap refresh, and will continue to work closely with the Commonwealth Government to deliver better health, education and employment outcomes for Aboriginal Territorians.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Selena Uibo.
“Australians enjoy some of the longest life expectancies on earth, but unfortunately, that does not extend to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who have among the poorest health outcomes of any group of people in the world.
“On average, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians die 10 years earlier than other Australians and suffer higher rates of chronic disease, incarceration and unemployment.
“We can be the generation that closes this gap, and the best way to do it in the Northern Territory is by creating generational change.
"We do this by targeting the early years, investing in housing infrastructure and jobs, and working with and for Territorians in the most inclusive way possible - through full participation and involvement in decision making.”
Media contact: Kim Stephens 0417 683 144