Closing the Gap must remain a daily priority

Closing the Gap must remain a daily priority

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma has used national Close the Gap Day today to urge the federal government to make closing the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians a daily priority.

"Just over a month ago we witnessed the historic signing of a Statement of Intent between the Australian government, Indigenous and non-Indigenous health experts and the reconciliation movement to work together to Close the Gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians by the year 2030," Commissioner Calma said.

“We must do everything in our power to build on this momentum and to put flesh on the bones of the rhetoric and sentiment of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations in February.

"While the Prime Minister's commitment to report on progress in closing the gap on the first day of federal Parliament each year is welcomed, I implore all governments around Australia to continue consulting, planning and implementing the steps along the way towards ensuring that benchmarks and targets for achieving these fundamental human rights for Indigenous Australians become a reality."

Commissioner Calma said the ‘Close the Gap’ campaign, launched in April last year, involved more than 40 organisations pushing for government commitments to fixing the tragedy of Indigenous health.

"The Close the Gap coalition has put the crisis in Indigenous health under the national spotlight and I call today on all Australians to look beyond 2020 and realise that together we can work to ensure that an Indigenous baby born in 2030 has the same life expectation, the same access to quality health services and the same life outcomes as non-Indigenous Australians,” Mr Calma said.