Closing the Gap” in Indigenous Health in Australia

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The Closing the Gap strategy reflects a renewed determination arising from the goodwill brought about by the National Apology to Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; the apology was a formal acknowledgement of the injustice of past government practices and it provided an important foundation for a new relationship between Indigenous and other Australians based on mutual respect and responsibility” (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing 2013). “To monitor development on social elements and health outcomes for Indigenous Australians a number of reports are prepared regularly. Prime Report is presented to the Australian Parliament each year and reports on progress in Closing the Gap targets (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing 2013). The regular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Agenda Report which examines over 50 key data collections related to Indigenous health outcomes, health system performance and social, economic and environmental determinants of health (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing 2013). The COAG Council provides a comprehensive report each year on progress against the National Indigenous Reform Agreement which includes analysis of progress on Closing the Gap in Indigenous life expectancy, child mortality, early childhood development, education and employment and the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage framework - against which the Productivity Commission reports on a range of social, economic and health indicators” (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing 2013).

Closing the Gap initiative
Closing the Gap is a method that implemented by Australian Government in March 2008, the aim of this strategy to reduce ...

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...s polices not meeting the UN declaration about the indigenous people’s rights in Australia (Steering Committee 2010). According to the Steering Committee the good relation between Australian government and indigenous people is important for achieving the UN declaration about the Indigenous community (Steering Committee 2010). Moreover, the UN Announcement states the significance of Indigenous people being capable to self-determine in favours to choice, contribution and control over economic, social and cultural development (‘The Human Right Commission’ 2010:). According to the UN Declaration to ‘CTG, all levels of government must meet the standards of free, prior, informed consent when engaging with Indigenous people and communities before the creation of laws, policies and services can be implemented like health services and the NTER (‘The Commission’ 2010:2).

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