Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to speak on the 2016 Closing the Gap report and pay my respects to all Indigenous Australians, past and present. I firstly would like to commend the contributions of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition yesterday regarding this report. I take this opportunity to place on record that while I applaud the inroads that we made in the last 12 months—and there have been some—of course more still needs to be done.

Pleasingly, the Prime Minister said yesterday that this government will honour the commitment of not delivering to Indigenous Australians but, rather, working with Indigenous Australians and their communities across Australia. My electorate of Durack has the third highest number of Indigenous Australians per electorate in the country, with at least 28,870 Indigenous Australians calling Durack home, making up over 16 per cent of my electorate, according to the 2011 census. Health, education, employment and economic development are often the four most significant areas for any individual, and I am pleased to say that the report outlines improved outcomes in those areas in the last 12 months. This illustrates that partnerships created and sustained by the Turnbull government with businesses and individuals are starting to pay dividends, but progress is too slow. Success in these areas also illustrates effective engagement with Indigenous Australians, but we all know that we can do better.

One of the targets I am most pleased about is that we are on track to halve the gap in Indigenous child mortality by 2018. This year's report has found that Indigenous infant mortality has more than halved in the last 16 years. This is positive news, but, as I said at the outset, more still needs to be done. The fact that Indigenous child mortality has more than halved in the last 16 years is something that we and previous governments, together with Aboriginal leaders, should be proud of.

Today more Indigenous children are immunised by the age of five than non-Indigenous children, with 92.8 per cent of Indigenous children being immunised, some 1.1 per cent higher than the figure for non-Indigenous children. We know the best start in life comes from quality prenatal and postnatal care, parent and family programs and support for vulnerable children. I am pleased to say that this government has invested some $94 million over three years from 2015-16 in the Better Start to Life approach, which increases access to child and maternal health activities. This funding is particularly important in the rural and remote electorate of Durack, which boasts over 300 towns and communities, where availability of these services has improved.

This year's report also found that halving the gap in year 12 attainment by 2020 is on track. As members of both sides of this chamber will know, I am a fierce advocate for improved education, but particularly in the bush. As Nelson Mandela famously said, 'Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.' Retention rates for Indigenous students to year 12 are at 60 per cent, up from 32 per cent in the late 1990s, so it is an improvement, but we must work harder to ensure that all Aboriginal youth complete their education—it is critical. The Indigenous Advancement Strategy Children and Schooling Program is supporting a number of projects, including mentoring activities, intensive school based activities, scholarships and mobility projects.

We are not on track to halve the gap in employment by 2018. There has been a long-term improvement in this area, with Indigenous employment up by a paltry 10 per cent from 1994 to 2012-13. I think this highlights once again how critical education is for young Indigenous people. However, there is some good news beneath the surface that is not reflected in the Closing the Gap report, and I am pleased to say that almost 50 jobs a day are being created for Indigenous people through our employment programs. Additionally, this government has committed real action in this area, having awarded contracts to Indigenous businesses worth around $40 million so far this financial year alone—some six times the value of only a couple of years ago.

I am particularly pleased to see the life expectancy gap close more than any other target. I believe the government's allocation of $3.3 billion to the Indigenous Australians' Health Program for the next four years will contribute to improving the life expectancy gap, as will the implementation of the National Aboriginal And Torres Strait Health Plan 2013-2023, which is underpinned by collaboration across governments, health sectors and Indigenous Australians. Good eyesight, good hearing, improving diabetes: these are just some of the health issues we must focus on.

I am glad to say that locally in Durack I have some fantastic programs and initiatives which are playing their role in closing the gap. Aiming to support, educate and empower young people with the life skills and tools to ensure their future is in their hands, the organisation called SHINE plays a vital role in retaining students—non-Indigenous girls as well—at secondary school in my largest city, Geraldton. SHINE runs its program in an innovative hairdressing salon environment. SHINE was established at John Willcock College in Geraldton in 2010, and over 200 students have been through the program, led by the very enthusiastic, excitable, dedicated, inspirational founder, Mandy Jolley. The program retains and engages students who might not otherwise have continued their schooling education. I just want to make the point that this is a program for young girls, and this is why it is so innovative. Of course, we have heard about other wonderful programs around Australia, but it is certainly something I am focused on in the seat of Durack. This is a fabulous initiative which ensures more Indigenous young girls continue through high school and provides them with practical pathways to continue their education. Very pleasingly, with Indigenous Advancement Strategy funding from the federal government, SHINE has been able to expand its program to Geraldton Senior College for the oldest female students. I managed to get a sneak preview yesterday of what the new salon environment looks like, and it is very impressive.

Also aiding to support improved health for Indigenous people is the work by mental health worker Glen Fleeton. Mr Fleeton has done a sterling job looking after the rural towns in the Mid West through his very effective programs—I might say with minimal financial assistance. This includes organising sport in rural towns like Mount Magnet, Yalgoo, Mingenew, Morawa and Perenjori. He also tailors programs for farmers, getting them to take their mind off their troubles for the day by playing sport amongst other town locals. These are just a few activities that Mr Fleeton runs which go a long way to bridging the gap for Indigenous Australians but, more importantly, bringing Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together. Well done, Glen Fleeton. Mr Deputy Speaker, as you can see, people in Durack are highly innovative and using their creative and bright minds to create headway in my electorate of Durack.

I would now like to conclude my comments here today, and I just wanted to finish off where I started, and that is that there has been some success in closing the gap; however, more needs to be done, and I think there would not be one member in parliament who would not agree with that statement. But only the Turnbull government can truly deliver a better way forward for Indigenous Australians. But I must say that only by working with Indigenous Australians will we actually achieve closing the gap.

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