Patrick Dodson WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Senate)
2:00 pm
My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Health, Senator McKenzie. The Close the Gap Campaign Steering Committee today released its 10-year review of the Closing the Gap strategy. Given the review states that the strategy has been 'effectively abandoned amid extensive funding cuts', can the minister confirm that the government has not allocated a single dollar to the Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013-2023 in the three years since it was released?
Bridget McKenzie Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications
I thank Senator Dodson for his question. Our government is committed to effecting much more rapid change to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health. Despite the obvious challenges in trying to turn around a 200-year-old disadvantage gap in just 10 years, we have made real progress after the last decade in improving the lives of our First Australians. Of course, I won't be pre-empting the Prime Minister's Closing the Gap update on how we're tracking the targets, but we have learnt a lot over the last decade, building on solid foundations to create a truly productive—
Doug Cameron NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services
Yes, a point of order on relevance. This is not about what the Prime Minister may or may not do. What has been asked is: can the minister confirm that the government has not allocated a single dollar to the implementation plan?
Scott Ryan President
The question included a preamble making assertions about government policy, and the minister is addressing that part of the question. I can't direct the minister how to answer the question. The minister has been reminded of the terms of the question. Senator Wong?
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Mr President, perhaps you could direct the opposition's attention to which part of the preamble discussed government policy.
Scott Ryan President
I try to take notes as accurately as I can. There were assertions around funding cuts, I believe, and—
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
That's the point of order of direct relevance.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
The direct relevance point goes to the dollar—
Scott Ryan President
The minister is allowed to address the preamble of the question.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
I invite you, Mr President, after question time to consider your statement that the preamble went to government policy as a basis for ruling against the opposition on the point of order.
Bridget McKenzie Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications
I was actually going to talk about some of the improvements that have been made over the decade in this area and to acknowledge that we all need to do more, not just at a Commonwealth level but, importantly, given the constitutional areas of responsibility in the Closing the Gap targets, with our states and territories. But, in terms of the implementation plan, it is core business, and the Indigenous Australians' Health Program provides $3.6 billion over the forwards to assist with this target. I could go on more. I'm not sure whether the senator would like me to talk about where we have made a difference in child mortality rates, in trachoma—and we've done that in partnership with Indigenous communities—
Scott Ryan President
Order, Senator McKenzie! Senator Wong, on a point of order.
Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Given the minister's invitation, I raise the point of order that Senator Cameron raised on direct relevance, which is the proposition that the government hasn't allocated a single dollar to the Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan since it was released. That was the only question asked.
Scott Ryan President
On the point of order, Senator Wong, I believe the minister is being relevant to the terms of the question asked when the question is considered in its totality. I will do what you asked after question time and review the Hansard. Senator McKenzie.
Bridget McKenzie Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications
Again, my advice from the Minister for Indigenous Health is that the implementation is core business. We've provided $3.6 billion, which compared with previously is a significant increase. Implementation plan deliverables are also delivered through mainstream programs such as the MBS, the PBS, public hospital funding, aged care and health workforce, for which we are providing record funding to each and every state and territory government.
Patrick Dodson WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Senate)
2:04 pm
Can the minister confirm that the government has delivered on just four of the 106 deliverables in the implementation plan since its release in 2015?
Bridget McKenzie Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications
As to details of the implementation plan, I will be happy to go back to the Minister for Indigenous Health and seek more technical advice on that.
Patrick Dodson WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Senate)
2:05 pm
The Close the Gap co-chair, Mr Rod Little, has said that the government:
… must get the engagement on this right. Not preconceived policies that are imposed, rather than respectfully discussed and collectively decided.
How is the Turnbull government adjusting its past failures to ensure it gets engagement with Australia's first peoples on the Closing the Gap 'refresh' right?
Bridget McKenzie Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Communications
I thank Senator Dodson for his question. He is absolutely right: we need to be engaging with First Australians and ensuring, when we're implementing our Closing the Gap targets, that we're working with our First Australians and their Indigenous communities—and, indeed, the states and territories. That's why the discussion tomorrow is so important, around the health council and these specific issues.
When it comes to consultation, my advice is that in 2017 the Department of Health and the Implementation Plan Advisory Group, made up of Indigenous health experts, met with over 600 people, received 102 submissions and led an extensive national consultation process, with over 13 face-to-face forums right around Australia. So we do indeed take very, very seriously the need to engage consistently and holistically with Indigenous leaders and communities in the implementation plan.