Latest news with #ClosingTheGap
SBS Australia
4 days ago
- Business
- SBS Australia
'I'm more than chocolate': Indigenous entrepreneurs see stronger demand and increased exports
'I'm more than chocolate': Indigenous entrepreneurs see stronger demand and increased exports Published 11 July 2025, 8:08 am Some Indigenous businesses are seeing stronger demand for their products and an increase in exports to other countries. It comes as a landmark report says they create more than $40 billion in social value each year, helping to progress Closing the Gap targets and leading to better mental health outcomes, and better connection to culture and country.
SBS Australia
07-07-2025
- Politics
- SBS Australia
A Victorian treaty is closer than ever and this Indigenous body is expected to gain new powers
Victoria's Indigenous representative body is expected to gain new powers to make decisions over issues like confirmations of Aboriginality, approve statutory appointments to government boards, and hold the state government accountable for Closing the Gap progress under a Treaty. The First Peoples Assembly of Victoria and the state government are in the middle of negotiations on a statewide Treaty, which have primarily focused on the future role of the Assembly. In a joint statement released on Friday, both parties confirmed a Treaty bill is expected to be agreed upon and put to parliament by the end of the year. The Treaty will expand the power of the Assembly, with the parties now negotiating over how it will make representations and provide advice to the government - essentially acting as a Voice body. Assembly co-chair and Gunditjmara man Rueben Berg told NITV the Assembly is also looking to create an independent Closing the Gap oversight body. "Some of the key powers we're seeking are the power to have an independent accountability mechanism to actually monitor government progress and how they're delivering on their commitments and obligations," Mr Berg said. "We're also to be able to see where there are specific aspects of the state's business where First People should be making decisions ... particularly as it relates to confirmation of Aboriginality." Mr Berg said the Assembly would work with different Traditional Owner groups to determine how they wanted to decide on confirmations of Aboriginality on an individual basis. "At the moment most people would be familiar we have the three-part test ... one of those aspects is around acceptance by your community, and at the moment it seems a bit ad hoc," Mr Berg said. "We'll be looking to work with experts in our communities to come up with the rules around what that actually means to say 'Yes you are accepted by your community.'" Negotiations are also looking giving the Assembly the authority to run events like NAIDOC Week, and grant programs like the Aboriginal Community Infrastructure Program. It would also continue the truth-telling process, after the Yoorrook Justice Commission finished its work last month. And while the Assembly looks to provide advice to government, it is also hoping to create a duty for ministers to consult with it over laws and policies that affect Aboriginal people. "A lot of times government will just measure success in terms of statistics or financial benefits and we often draw form our cultural knowledge or cultural understanding to ensure that we're engaging with all those different aspects of success," Mr Berg said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan. Credit: James Ross/ AAP photos Credit: JAMES ROSS/AAPIMAGE Both parties have confirmed that the Treaty process would not give the future Assembly powers to veto policy or legislation, noting that would not be possible under the state's parliamentary system. It would also be subject to oversight by the Ombudsman and the state's anti corruption commission.
The Australian
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Australian
Editorial. Yoorrook justice report will fail for same reason as Voice to parliament
It will fail for the reason the voice to parliament was rejected by the Australian people at the 2023 referendum. A decisive majority demonstrated no appetite for denying, as the national anthem puts it, that 'we are one and free'. As prime minister Kevin Rudd put it in the 2008 apology to the Stolen Generations, 'profound grief, suffering and loss (were inflicted) on these our fellow Australians'. There is also a sleight of hand in the report, making the case that the memory of the destruction of cultures weighs so hard on Indigenous Australians now that a parallel government is needed to lift their burden. The commission presents 100 recommendations, many focused on symbolism that will do nothing to reduce Indigenous imprisonment or improve health and housing, employment and education. Despite this, Rueben Berg, co-chairman of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, said on Tuesday: 'When it comes to issues facing First Peoples, we need a different approach, one that draws on the expertise of First Peoples to design and deliver practical solutions to local challenges. That's what treaty is all about.' It is also exactly what the Coalition of Peaks is doing without a political assembly. The 80 or so grassroots community organisations that make up the Peaks work on the federal government's Closing the Gap program and are 'accountable to our communities, not governments … we know how to best advance our lives'. Ideologues who cannot accept the voice result may not like it, but the Peaks approach is politically practical while the Yoorrook commission's call for 'the transition to genuine nation-to-nation relationships' is not. As for those of its recommendations that call for specific improvements to the lives of Indigenous Australians, they are all matters for government now. Indigenous Australians in Victoria working to build careers and set their children up for long and happy lives are entitled to all the assistance government provides. They have a right to see their cultures respected and their histories acknowledged. And Premier Jacinta Allan knows it, responding with a back-covering 'we share the Yoorrook Justice Commission's goals of truth and justice and will carefully consider the commission's final findings and recommendations'. The history of settler society is far more nuanced than appears in the commission report; British governments were not indifferent to the rights of Indigenous Australians. It is incontestable that the arrival of 19th-century settlers was a calamity for millennia-old Australian economies and cultures. But the Yoorrook Justice Commission's recommendations must be judged on how enacting them would improve the circumstances of disadvantaged Indigenous Australians now and in the future. Awareness, indeed anger, among Indigenous Australians today at what occurred in the past should be recognised – it was the point of Mr Rudd's apology, which is still recognised in Sorry Day. But history cannot be undone; guilt is not hereditary. 'Let the dead Past bury its dead,' as poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow put it.
The Guardian
23-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Governments are leaving ‘heavy lifting' on Closing the Gap to underresourced Aboriginal groups, review finds
Australian governments are failing to do 'the heavy lifting' needed to address entrenched disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, an independent review of the national Closing the Gap strategy has found. The review by the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology Sydney is the first to independently assess the implementation of the Closing the Gap agreement since its establishment in 2008. The agreement, committed to by all Australian governments and the Coalition of Peaks – a representative body of more than 80 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations (ACCOs) – aimed to reset the relationship between governments and First Nations people, with a focus on shared decision-making and structural reform. But despite the landmark agreement and the subsequent 2020 refresh by the Morrison government the review found that states, territories and the federal government are still falling short. 'Much of the burden for that success rests too heavily on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parties, while government parties carry a lighter responsibility,' the report states. 'The Peaks, ACCOs and communities are doing the heavy lifting while at the same time being under-resourced in comparison with governments,' it said. The review authors consulted more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia over five months. They found that the overall architecture of the agreement was sound but was hampered by systemic failures including 'inaction' from governments, and structural racism which they said was 'baked in society'. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email One of the report's most damning findings is that racism continues to pervade every aspect of the strategy, and that governments have failed to take serious steps to address it. 'Despite the National Agreement commitment to identifying and eliminating racism, no systemic steps have been taken despite, or perhaps because, racism is a deeply rooted problem that was baked into government institutions from their very inception of this country,' the report said. The latest government update on Closing the Gap targets shows only four are now on track. Six are improving but not on track, four are worsening, and a further four cannot be assessed. Prof Lindon Coombes, the director of the Jumbunna Institute, said the report should prompt reflection for those leading the way to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians. 'We want this review to provide constructive feedback for all parties to the National Agreement, and to hear the voices of the people it seeks to support,' he said. 'What has become apparent is that there needs to be a consideration by all governments and the Coalition of Peaks about the nature of their relationships and how it underpins or hinders implementation.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion Tom Calma was the social justice commissioner at the time of the 2008 agreement. The Kungarakan and Iwaidja elder from the Northern Territory told Guardian Australia that the review's findings emphasise the need for governments to consult with a wide variety of Indigenous groups and organisations. He said it was vital to hold Australian governments and organisations accountable for their role in improving the inequities experienced by many Indigenous people, as most Indigenous people relied on mainstream services. 'There's not enough effort being put into getting mainstream organisations and governments to do their share. There's no targets for them. All the targets are for community control sector,' Calma said. 'If we look at health alone, less than half [Indigenous peoples] use community-controlled health services. The majority use mainstream or public services. 'There's no specific reference to them being culturally competent, for them addressing the racism and discrimination within their systems … They're all issues that need to be addressed if we are going to close the health gap.' The Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency CEO, Muriel Bamblett, condemned governments for failing to address 'real progress towards closing the gap'. 'Today's review has once again highlighted that without clear accountability, and a lack of genuine partnership between Government and Aboriginal people, progress will continue to be critically slow,' she said in a statement.
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
NSW Labor government commits $202million to help improve the lives of Aboriginal Australians and close the gap
The 2025/26 NSW Budget, to be handed down on Tuesday, will allocate $202million to Closing the Gap initiatives to help improve the lives of Aboriginal Australians. This investment will be delivered partnership with Aboriginal organisations and communities, to achieve more targeted and tangible outcomes for Aboriginal people across health, education, employment, criminal justice, and economic development. The funding includes $20million for Aboriginal-led, culturally safe programs that support Aboriginal adults and children leaving custody, aiming to reduce reoffending. It also includes $13.4 million for the NSW Aboriginal Legal Service and the Department of Communities and Justice to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal children in the criminal justice system through Aboriginal-led solutions. An additional $17.9 million will support Aboriginal organisations, such as Local Aboriginal Land Councils, to acquire and activate land - such as through rezoning - to unlock economic opportunities. Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said the Labor Government has maintained a strong focus on delivering real outcomes for Aboriginal people. 'Delivering on Closing the Gap and creating a more equitable state, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, is not only the right thing to do; it builds a better NSW by strengthening our society, economy, culture and communities.' The budget will also allocate nearly $80 million to position NSW as the best place to innovate, attract investors, and scale businesses. NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey says his third budget declares the state is 'open for business' to help expand its $900 billion economy. 'There is a global race for capital ... and we want NSW at the front of that race.' The state has a world-leading workforce and offered businesses stability and connection to global industries, Mr Mookhey told reporters on Monday. 'What we want to add now is the confidence for businesses to get on and make the big calls to sign off on the $1 billion-plus investments that drive growth,' he said. Housing affordability would remain a major issue but supporting business confidence was a major factor to boost jobs and wages and address unaffordability, Mr Mookhey said. 'We're pretty determined to get the balance right,' he told AAP in the lead-up to the budget. 'There's a lot of opportunity and a lot of ambition in NSW, and the changes we're making are designed to hold on to what we love.' The government will duplicate efforts to speed up planning, with an Investment Delivery Authority to receive almost $18 million. Similar to the Housing Delivery Authority which started in December, the four-person panel will override councils and accelerate planning approvals for businesses amid complaints making major investments in NSW is too complex and time-consuming. Other funding announced on Monday includes $38.5 million for Australia's largest technology and innovation hub, Tech Central, and $20 million for emerging technology commercialisation to help boost growth in the housing and energy sectors. In 2024, NSW accounted for 65 per cent of Australia's venture capital investment, and hosts five out of eight 'unicorn' companies - privately-held start-ups valued at over $1 billion. Major projects to be considered by the new panel may include hotels, data centres, renewable energy projects and commercial developments. Too many major projects from the private sector were getting bogged down in red tape, Premier Chris Minns said. 'It's costing us high-paid, high-skilled jobs in our modern economy, and something has to change,' he told reporters on Monday from data centre operator NextDC's facility in Sydney's north. NextDC chief executive Craig Scroogie said the announcement would help the company move on its $15 billion investment pipeline. 'The planning system was never designed to move at the speed that technology is moving, let alone the speed that artificial intelligence is changing the way we live and work every day,' he told reporters. 'This is a global opportunity for Australia to be a leader in artificial intelligence and large-scale infrastructure, and it needs modern planning systems to be deployed.' NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to buy 50 new 'bendy' buses and $150 million for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million EDUCATION: * $9 billion across four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused on growing suburban communities, including three new public primary schools with attached public preschools in west and southwest Sydney * $3.4 billion towards TAFE and upskilling, including $40 million to enable 23,000 construction students to complete their apprenticeships for free HEALTH: * Another $700 million towards construction of the $2 billion Bankstown Hospital and relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, with the $492 million investment to include an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens such as Ebola and measles * $23 million to cut down the overdue surgery list by 3500 * $83 million to bolster maternity care ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS: * $202 million for Closing the Gap projects, including $23 million towards community-led suicide prevention programs LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, including $50 million to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million across five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for more solicitors HOUSING: * $145 million across four years for the state's Building Commission to hire more prosecutors, investigators and inspectors to weed out dodgy residential builds * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date INNOVATION AND BUSINESS: * $80 million in innovation funding, including $38.5 million to boost technology hub TechCentral * A four-person Investment Delivery Authority to fast-track planning approvals for billion-dollar projects ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces, including the repair of heritage-listed Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct, housing wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects, for $115.5 million * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * Establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector, including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions
