This is How You Close the Gap
We’ll never ‘Close the Gap’ as long as we prioritise race over need. Indigenous funding needs a rethink — and an audit.
This week the government released their annual update to Closing the Gap.
The “gap” is the differences in outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians across a range of economic, educational, and well-being measures.
Disappointingly, the government’s response did not include two crucial areas of reform recommended by the Productivity Commission in 2024.
This is nothing new.
And I’ve been consistent and forthright in my criticisms of how the Albanese Labor Government has handled addressing Indigenous disadvantage.
But I’ve got more big-picture concerns about the Closing the Gap report and overall process.
Because I don’t believe we can really trust the data.
That’s not to say there isn’t a “gap” that needs closing, of course there is.
But the fact is not all Indigenous Australians are marginalised or struggling; but by treating the whole Indigenous population as a monolithic group, the Closing the Gap process simply repeats the same mistakes we’ve seen over and over again.
It is, once again, trying to help people based on race and not on need.
So of course we’re not meeting the targets.
In my view, we’ve also seen identification of Indigeneity grow in an unnatural way, skewing the baseline for the data and so we’re not getting a true indication of how Closing the Gap is or isn’t working.
Governments continue to throw money at the same problems and are not getting anywhere.
That’s why we need a full and frank audit into spending in Indigenous affairs so we can get to the bottom of what works and what doesn’t.
And then we must focus on economic empowerment and directing assistance to people based on need not race.
Until we do that, the gap will remain stubbornly wide and it’s our most marginalised who pay the price.
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Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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Mam Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
18 February 2025
My wife and I also watched Australian story on Sunday night . You story was presented and we both found it to be very enlightening We both admire you for the struggles you have been through and how you have come thought my wife and I are just a few of those people who have the opinion of division of Australian culture race
By race is a hindrance . Great work Mrs. price .
Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
18 February 2025
My wife and I also watched Australian story on Sunday night . You story was presented and we both found it to be very enlightening We both admire you for the struggles you have been through and how you have come thought my wife and I are just a few of those people who have the opinion of division of Australian culture race
By race is a hindrance . Great work Mrs. price .
I don’t watch much ABC ,so missed Senator Price’s life on “Australian Story ‘but, I do know a lot about her mother’s +her heroic battles to eliminate Paedopillia , tribal Child Marriage often to an old man with already a wife, the endemic Domestic Violence , the drunkeness,the tragedy of drugs+ petrol -sniffing killing the young, the belief in witchcraft (“Pointing the Finger “). I lived + was friends with Indigenous who visited Mintabie Opal Fields . Mylast WhiteHusband spoke the language + was taught how to hide his tracks, etc. I was asked to be on a jury in Coober Pedy as a man had murdered his woman in broad daylight in front of Whites in Mintabie. I was pleased to be exused for genuine health problems + as I was living in Adelaide . Just one of many sad cases. Continuing to throw money at a Race , only lines pockets of the Elites who buy French/Italian designer clothes + live in best hotels Overseas . The marginalised Aborigines see no improvement -like clean water, plumbing, sewerage ,proper housing, etc. Great pity Liberals did not find a position for Warren Mundine ! Position of Overseas Ambassador for Indigenous Affairs should be , in my opinion , be scrapped . It is held by a Muslim, non-Aboriginal, I am informed.
Many Aborigines are involved in pro-Palestian Marches.The Muslims want some of their annual billions of Grant Money. I don’t know how this” friendship'”between Radical Pro -Marxist Aborigines+ Islam is going to work as both want to own all of Australia + impose a Special Tax on all non Aboriginals + on all non-Muslims? Muslims want to Rule Whole World . Koran preaches “Death to all Infidels!” which means all Aborigines will have to convert , kneel + pray 5 times a day in direction of Mecca, be one of 4 wives at any one time. Koran permits wife beating + stoning to death of suspected adulterous wives, paedophilia, slavery , no alcohol, etc. I think the Aborigines will come to hate living as Muslims, but, if they leave the religion, they will be hunted + murdered ! I wish Senator Price good luck inthe election +her hope for her people. My children are part .Aborigines. I knew myyoung husband had Full Blood relatives , but, did not know his ancestry until 2 Aborigine relatives came to his Adelaide funeral from Broken Hill so his spirit could rest in peace ! We are all One, God’s children. I pray every night that Muslims do not take over Australia .