The Future of Indigenous Australia

1
Australia 2020 Summit The Future Of Indigenous
Australia
April 2008
2
These background materials aim to tell an
evidence-based story about how Australia is
faring. They are not intended to be definitive or
comprehensive, but were put together to stimulate
discussion on the main challenges and
opportunities facing the country and the choices
to be made in addressing them. They do not
represent government policy. The materials end
with a set of questions. We hope that these,
along with many other questions, will be the
subject of conversation both prior to and during
the Summit.
3
Australia's Indigenous population is largely
urbanised, and is significantly younger than the
rest of the population
Australia's Indigenous population is around
510,000, or 2.5 of the total national
population
1. Indigenous TFRs vary across the states and
territories. The highest Indigenous fertility
rate in 2003 occurred in the Northern Territory
(2.83 babies), followed by Western Australia
(2.32) and Queensland (2.21) Source ABS, 4704.0
The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Peoples 2005, 4705.0
Population Distribution, Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Australians 2006, ABS, Census
Tables 2001 Productivity Commission, Overcoming
Indigenous Disadvantage 2007
4
The Indigenous population faces a 17 year life
expectancy gap action is required across a wide
range of social issues
Early childhood development and growth
Economic participation and development
Early school engagement and performance
Life expectancy
Effective environmental health systems
Positive childhood and transition to adulthood
Functional and resilient families and
communities
Substance use and misuse
Indigenous
All Australians
1. In the period 19962001, using the Bhat method
(ABS 2004c), the life expectancy at birth for
Indigenous Australians was estimated to be 59.4
years for men and 64.8 years for women, compared
with 76.6 years for all men and 82.0 years for
all women for the period 19982000 Source ABS
4704.0, The Health and Welfare of Australia's
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
2005 ABS, Census Tables Productivity
Commission, Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage
2007 "Strategic areas for action"
5
Indicators of disadvantage are severe across all
Indigenous populations
Indigenous
Non-indigenous
1. Age standardised 2. Based on the Canadian
National Occupancy Standard for housing
appropriateness Source Productivity Commission,
Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage 2007
6
Education outcomes in particular differ
significantly between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous students
Indigenous
Non-indigenous
Source ABS 4713.0, Population Characteristics,
Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander
Australians (2008)
7
Disadvantage carries into Indigenous peoples'
working lives
Indigenous
Indigenous
Non-Indigenous
Non-Indigenous
1. Includes 23,200 Indigenous people aged 15-24
years (25.2) who were still at school and
689,400 non-indigenous people aged 15-24 years
(26.2) who were still at school Source
Productivity Commission, Overcoming Indigenous
Disadvantage (2007)
8
Mainstream attitudes towards Indigenous
disadvantage are generally constructive, but the
public is not well informed
There is a general spirit of public support...
...although knowledge of the facts can be
tenuous...
...and appetite for increased government action
is still mixed
"I think we all have a role to play in improving
life for Aboriginal people"
"The average life expectancy of males in
Australia is around 72 years. How much less do
you think the average Aboriginal male is expected
to live?"
"I think the government should spend more on
programs for Aboriginal people"
Deeper understanding is required
Source Reconciliation Australia, Attitudes
towards Indigenous people and reconciliation 2007
9
Australia could learn from effective initiatives
overseas
Example the Harvard Project in the USA
Other countries are reporting successfully
narrowing the gap

• The Harvard Project aims to "understand and
  foster the conditions under which sustained,
  self-determined social and economic development
  is achieved among American Indian nations". Four
  of the project's key findings are as follows
• Sovereignty matters when indigenous nations
  make their own decisions about what approaches to
  take, they consistently out-perform external
  decision makers on matters as diverse as
  governance, natural resource management, economic
  development, healthcare, and social service
  provision
• Institutions matter assertions of sovereignty
  must be backed by capable institutions of
  governance
• Culture matters successful economies stand on
  the shoulders of legitimate, culturally grounded
  institutions of self-government
• Leadership matters nation building requires
  leaders who introduce new knowledge and
  experiences, challenge assumptions, and propose
  change

The United States, Canada and New Zealand report
life expectancy gaps of around six to eight years
between their Indigenous and mainstream
populations Australia's gap is around 17
years Furthermore, these nations report recent
improvements in Indigenous life expectancy, while
Australia's figures have remained flat Although
there can be complexities in data comparison
across countries and difficulties in the accurate
reporting of Indigenous mortality, Australia
appears to have stagnated in improving outcomes
for Indigenous Australians while other countries
are showing improvement
Source Cooke, M. et al, Indigenous well-being in
four countries An application of the UNDP's
Human Development Index to Indigenous Peoples in
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United
States (2007) Oxfam Australia, Close the Gap
Solutions to the Indigenous Health crisis facing
Australia (2007) Kennedy School of Government,
Harvard Project on American Indian Economic
Development (2007)
10
Outcomes have not improved significantly in
recent decades future efforts must be effective
and have real accountability
The future of Indigenous policy
Evidence based policy design
New program evaluation models
Specific responsibilities
Policy design should focus on proven effective
interventions and international
experience Effective implementation is as
important as good policy design Some calculated
risks may be necessary in policy implementation
we must recognise that not all interventions will
be effective We must be brave in attempting
ambitious reforms
Creative evaluation techniques should be
considered in program design, although effective
implementation is equally as important as good
policy design An example of an innovative model
for evaluating new initiatives might be the use
of randomised trials
Formal accountability has always existed for
Indigenous affairs, however there may be room for
this burden to evolve into a national
responsibility, with specific roles assigned to
key representatives Policy risk is a reality and
must be recognised, however identifying and
discontinuing ineffective interventions more
systematically would also represent legitimate
progress
"The ultimate test of our worth as a democratic
nation is how we treat our most disadvantaged and
vulnerable"1
1. Sir William Deane, Address at the opening of
the Mission Australia National Conference
(February 1998)
11
Considerable urgency is required if we are to
preserve Australia's Indigenous languages and
traditions
8
The future of Australian Indigenous traditions
Indigenous culture is under threat
Indigenous Australians still identify strongly
with their tradition, but trends indicate that
some connections are weakening Future
conversations must be founded on respect and a
national sense of pride in our living Indigenous
culture "The purpose of preserving and
maintaining Australia's indigenous languages is
not just that these languages serve a
communication purpose within indigenous societies
(for in many communities they often do not), but
because they are inherently valuable as part of
the country's rich heritage. "These languages
comprise the identity of their custodians and are
the primary words by which the Australian land
and seascape is named and described. "These
languages are intimately related to the nature
and spirit of the country that all Australians
now call home."2
"The situation of Australias languages is very
grave and requires urgent action. Of an original
number of over 250 known Indigenous languages,
only about 145 are still spoken and the vast
majority of these, about 110, are in the severely
and critically endangered categories."1
For more on the importance of the Indigenous art
sector, see Creative Australia (p8)
1. AIATSIS, National Indigenous Languages Survey
Report 2005 2. Noel Pearson, The Australian 10
March 2007 Source ABS 4704.0, The Health and
Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Peoples 2005
12
Questions

• What is required for Australians to come to
  understand the complexity of Indigenous
  disadvantage, so that they will have a better
  understanding of the resources and timeframes
  required to close the gap?
• What would improve access to mainstream services
  for Indigenous Australians living in urban and
  regional areas?
• What targeted interventions have the best hope of
  achieving change in remote communities?
• What is the role of Indigenous leadership
  development?
• What can be done to best promote and preserve
  Indigenous culture, languages and traditions?
• Where will Indigenous culture be placed in 2020?
  What is the Indigenous role in what Australia as
  a whole aspires for in terms of identity and
  culture?
• What is the role for non-Indigenous Australians
  in working with Indigenous communities towards
  shared goals?