Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Ruston. Can the minister advise the Senate how the Commonwealth's Closing the Gap Implementation Plan announced today will lead to better outcomes for Indigenous Australians across Australia?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for his question on this very important topic. Firstly, I acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we meet today—the Ngunawal people—and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. I also would particularly like to acknowledge Senators McCarthy, Dodson, Lambie and Thorpe in this place.

The release today of the Commonwealth's Closing the Gap Implementation Plan is a really significant milestone in achieving the targets of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which came into effect last year. With the release of the plan we are committing more than $1 billion in new measures to support the achievement of closing the gap measures, and we're turning our commitments made under the national agreement into practical and real actions. This plan is about real reconciliation, how we get there and making sure all governments are held to account—state and federal—whether through delivering new health clinics and housing for health professionals to close the gap in relation to life expectancy, initiatives to lift participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in quality and culturally appropriate early childhood education and care services, or the Territories Stolen Generation Redress Scheme, which supports healing for Stolen Generations survivors.

We will deliver the outcomes and evidence fund to incentivise evidence based service delivery and deliver tangible and improved outcomes to support child and family safety. We are providing an additional $254.4 million for infrastructure and to better support Aboriginal community controlled health organisations so they can continue to do the critical work they have been doing very successfully over recent years. And we're investing $160 million in new funding to ensure the best start in life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children through a range of different initiatives. Most importantly, we're doing this together. This plan is co-designed and it will be co-delivered.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a supplementary question?

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister explain to the Senate why working in partnership is important for closing the gap and how this is different from previous approaches?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As part of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, we've set out four priority reforms to fundamentally change how governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples work together. The implementation plan that was announced today details how governments will do our part in achieving these reforms. It highlights the real and practical actions to be taken across all areas of government and, most importantly, it commits funding to actions that will ensure we get there.

Importantly, all governments will work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders with an increasing level of accountability, transparency and responsibility. This reflects the new model of working together. We'll prioritise investments so that we are all responding to the evidence and doing things that will make the most difference. The Morrison government is committed to working with Indigenous Australians to deliver the outcomes needed to close the gap.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a final supplementary question?

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What are the benefits of this new approach under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under the new national agreement, we've committed to work in true partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. Like the Commonwealth, all parties are required to develop implementation plans that outline how they will deliver their parts and their commitments under the national agreement. They are required to report on their actions annually, ensuring there is a much greater level of shared accountability than under previous agreements. Increased transparency is built on data. The Morrison government have already delivered towards this priority reform this year with the release of the Closing the Gap dashboard, and we will continue to deliver on our commitments.

The implementation plan is also firmly in line with our continued commitment to working in genuine partnership with Indigenous Australians in policy development and program and service delivery. This commitment to shared decision-making will be embedded in the design, implementation and monitoring of policies and programs to improve life outcomes for all Indigenous Australians.