Close the Gap

ANTaR commends the ACT Government for being the leading jurisdiction in Australia to pursue this legislative change. We appreciate the need to weigh up the best way to protect young children from adverse and damaging interaction with the justice system, and particularly incarceration and the need to continue serving and protecting the wider community.

The 12th annual Close the Gap Campaign report entitled, Leadership and Legacy
Through Crises: Keeping our Mob safe is a wakeup call to Australian Governments that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have the solutions to health inequality in their grasp.

This year’s report was produced by the Lowitja Institute, Australia’s community controlled national institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health research,on behalf of the Close the Gap Steering Committee.

The report showcases the resilience, strengths and leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations throughout critical health crises in 2020: devastating bushfires and climate change, the coronavirus pandemic and the mental health emergency facing First Australians.

The Close the Gap Campaign is cancelling its public events to mark Close the Gap Day on Thursday 19 March 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Close the Gap Campaign report will still be launched online on Close the Gap Day – this Thursday 19 March 2020.

You can show your support by signing the Close the Gap campaign pledge at https://antar.org.au/closethegappledge.

Follow #CloseTheGap, #closethegapday, #nurtureculturefuture and @closethegapOZ for more details.

You can read more about the Close the Gap Campaign on the ANTaR website at www.antar.org.au/closethegap

Petition available to use for National Close the Gap Day 2020.

Help gather supporter for this year's call to action. Send us back as many of these filled sheets as possible to Close the Gap Campaign, PO Box 77 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012

File size: Less than 1MB

A report prepared by the Lowitja Institute for the Close the Gap Steering Committee.

Following on from the 10-year review in 2018, the 2019 report identifies urgent prioritie themes of the Close the Gap Campaign such as:

• Targeted, needs-based primary health care
• Responsive health care system
• Good housing for good health.

The success stories highlighted in this report demonstrate that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are involved in the design of the services they need, we are far more likely to achieve success.

The Close the Gap Campaign media release following Prime Minister Morrison's 2019 Closing the Gap Report statement to Parliament.

"Indigenous involvement and participation in this important national strategy is vital. It really is the only way forward, because we know that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are included in the design and delivery of services that impact their lives, the outcomes are far better."

Close the Gap Campaign Co-Chairs: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar AO and the Co-Chair of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples Rod Little.

My Life My Lead: Opportunities for strengthening approaches to the social determinants and cultural determinants of Indigenous health: Report on the national consultations 2017

Council of Australian Governments (COAG) statement outlining the outcomes of the most recent COAG meeting regarding the Closing the Gap Refresh process.

This review assesses the most significant national effort to date to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health: the 2008 Council of Australian Governments Closing the Gap Strategy with its target to achieve life expectancy equality by 2030.  Ten-years after its commencement it is time to critically analyse why Australian governments have not yet succeeded in closing the health gap.  

Close the Gap Campaign Steering Committee Progress and Priorities Report 2017