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Articles on Closing the Gap

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While death rates from heart and kidney disease have dropped among Indigenous people, death rates from cancer are on the rise. from shutterstock.com

To close the health gap, we need programs that work. Here are three of them

Politicians make sweeping statements on how to close the gap. But here’s advice from people working directly with Indigenous communities who have evidence for what actually works.
The average year nine Indigenous student in a very remote area scores about the same in NAPLAN reading as the average year three non-Indigenous city student, and significantly lower in writing. Aap/Tracey Nearmy

Closing the gap in Indigenous literacy and numeracy? Not remotely – or in cities

Using equivalent year levels provides us with a clearer picture of the gap for Indigenous students, who can be up to an equivalent of 7.7 years behind their non-Indigenous counterparts in writing.
The ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative has existed since 2006, but the statistics show the gap is growing. Mick Tsikas/AAP

We’re not closing the gap on Indigenous employment, it’s widening

To Close the Gap, Indigenous Australians are the experts. Indigenous organisations are more likely to achieve outcomes because they understand local issues and have ‘skin in the game’.
Indigenous schoolchildren dance during a launch of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan in Brisbane. AAP

Radical rethink of Closing the Gap required, despite some progress

The latest census data reveals valuable insights into Closing the Gap targets. While there’s some improvement in school attendance rates, all other indicators suggest a radical rethink is required.
Like so many Indigenous people in the NT, Dr G. Yunupingu had chronic hepatitis B since he was a child. DAN HIMBRECHTS/AAP

Dr G. Yunupingu’s legacy: it’s time to get rid of chronic hepatitis B in Indigenous Australia

Hepatitis B rates in Indigenous communities are ten times higher than the rest of Australia. Eliminating the infection from Indigenous Australia can make a significant contribution to closing the gap.
Some of the notable additions to the PBS include drugs to treat eye and HIV infections, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. from shutterstock.com

New drugs on the PBS: what they do and why we need them

An independent expert provides his pick of the most notable drugs added to the PBS on May 1, 2017.
Tony Abbott’s additional target focusing on school attendance rates has not improved at all since 2014. Neda Vanovac/AAP

Closing the Gap is failing and needs a radical overhaul

The report focus on the government’s own policies fails to acknowledge genuine differences of opinion on key issues such as constitutional recognition and income management.
Birth registration is required for many activities throughout a person’s life yet in some states up to 20% of Aboriginal children aren’t registered. Marianna Massey/AAP

Invisible children: research shows up to one in five Aboriginal newborns aren’t registered

Around 20% of Aboriginal births in Western Australia between 1996 and 2012 weren’t registered, new research shows. This has many social and health ramifications for their future.
In Ali Curung, 400km north of Alice Springs, the things that work for the community, including a local broadcasting and computer centre, are a response to local strengths and needs. AAP/Dan Peled

Ideas for Australia: Closing the gap is proving hard, but we can do better by working developmentally

In some Indigenous communities, the ratio of programs to people served is possibly the highest in the world. Somehow, for many, Closing the Gap remains an elusive goal. A rethink is needed.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is calling for innovation to improve the lives of Indigenous people, but must beware of causing instability with new policies that dismiss everything before them. AAP/Mick Tsikas

How community-based innovation can help Australia close the Indigenous gap

Across Indigenous Australia, innovation is occurring locally, under the radar of government policies and support. We can look to this innovation and stop fixating on finding the elusive policy solution.
To improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nutrition and health we need real community consultation, improved public governance and political will. Gina Lyons, Irrunytju WA. Photo by Suzanne Bryce, NPY Women’s Council.

We can close the Indigenous nutrition gap – here’s how

After years of neglect and a notable absence in last week’s Closing the Gap report, nutrition is finally being recognised as integral to closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage.

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