2016-02-10
Recommendations by the Close the Gap Steering Committee that call for a national inquiry into racism in healthcare and Close the Gap targets for Aboriginal people with disability and imprisonment rates have been welcomed by the Australian Greens.
“It is that time of the year again where we assess progress on Closing the Gap. Once again it doesn’t seem to be looking good”, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert said.
“This can be partly attributed to the Government ripping half a billion from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services in the 2014-15 budget, as well as the chaotic rollout of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy.
“As part of the Close the Gap Progress and Priorities Report 2016 the Close the Gap Steering Committee has turned its attention to the exacerbated disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait people with disability.
“Just yesterday in estimates the Ageing and Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner confirmed that Aboriginal people with disability face the double whammy of both race and disability discrimination and have barriers to finding work.
“There is an urgent need to address this and we support the call for targets on disability. We also support the on-going call for targets on incarceration.
“Institutional racism in the health sector is particularly worrying in light of data that shows it impedes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from receiving lifesaving treatment. I support the report’s call for a national inquiry.
“The rollout of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy caused distress to local Aboriginal service providers and those accessing the services. It needs to be fixed.
“I will continue to urge the Government to consider recommendations that will help Close the Gap heading into 2017. We are a wealthy nation, we can afford to Close the Gap for just 3% of our population that face disproportionate disadvantage”.