2016 CLOSING THE GAP REPORT
TARGET: Halve the gap in child mortality by 2018.
STATUS: On track.
WHY: Indigenous child mortality rates have fallen by 6 per cent since the 2008 baseline, gap has narrowed by 34 per cent since 1998.
TARGET: 95 per cent of indigenous four-year-olds enrolled in early childhood education by 2025.
STATUS: New time frame. 2013 target not met.
WHY: 67 per cent enrolled in major cities in 2013, 85 per cent in remote communities.
TARGET: Close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous school attendance by 2018.
STATUS: Not on track.
WHY: School attendance was relatively unchanged in 2015 from 2014 at around 83.5 per cent for indigenous students, with non-indigenous 93.1 per cent.
TARGET: Halve the gap for indigenous children in reading, writing and numeracy
achievements by 2018.
STATUS: Mixed progress.
WHY: Across the eight areas (reading and numeracy for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9), the proportion of indigenous students achieving national minimum standards is on track in four areas.
TARGET: Halve the gap for indigenous Australians aged 20-24 in Year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020.
STATUS: On track.
WHY: Apparent retention rates to Year 12 for indigenous students up from 32 per cent in the late 1990s to 60 per cent in 2014.
TARGET: Halve the gap in employment outcomes between indigenous and non-indigenous
Australians by 2018.
STATUS: Not on track.
WHY: No progress has been made against the target since 2008.
TARGET: Close the gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians within a generation.
STATUS: Not on track.
WHY: Improvements in the indigenous mortality rate from chronic diseases, particularly from circulatory disease. However, indigenous cancer mortality rates are rising and the gap is widening.
