Closing the Gap targets

Across Australia, there is a significant gap in the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous people.

Based on currently available data, the status of Indigenous Queenslanders in relation to the national targets is as follows.

Target 1: Close the gap in life expectancy within a generation

Indicator - life expectancy

Life expectancy
Indigenous males	58.9 years
All Australian males	76.6 years
Indigenous females	62.6 years
All Australian females	82.0 years

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2007) Deaths Australia 2006, 3302.0; ABS (2005) Deaths Australia 2004, 3302.0. Further work is being undertaken by the ABS to improve the accuracy of life expectancy calculations.

Target 2: Halve the gap in mortality rates for Queensland Indigenous children under 5 within a decade

Indicator - childhood mortality (children who have died before reaching 5 years old)

Childhood mortality (2004-2006)
Indigenous	2.5 per 1000
Non-Indigenous	1.2 per 1000

Source: Registered deaths, Australian Bureau of Statistics; Registered live births, Registrar-General, Queensland. Data analysis undertaken by Queensland Health.

Target 3: Halve the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Queenslanders within a decade

Indicator - employment status

Unemployment rate (2006)a
Indigenous	23.5%
Non-Indigenous	4.5%

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2006 (unpublished data)

^(a)Community Development Employment Projects participants are included in the unemployment rate.

Target 4: Halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for Queensland Indigenous children within a decade

Indicator - Years 3 and 7 reading, writing, numeracy (percentage of students meeting the standard)

Reading (2007)	Year 3	Year 7
Reading
Indigenous	87.0%	61.5%
All students	93.5%	84.2%
Writing
Indigenous	89.0%	91.6%
All students	95.1%	96.3%
Numeracy
Indigenous	77.6%	49.0%
All students	90.2%	77.4%

Source: National Report on Schooling in Australia, 2007

Note: Years 3,5 and 7 data only currently available. Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 reading, writing and numeracy results will in future be available through the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), which started in 2008.

Target 5: Ensure all Queensland Indigenous 4-year-olds in remote communities have access to early childhood education within 5 years

Indicator - preparatory education enrolments (as a proportion of the estimated 5-year-old population)

Preparatory education enrolments of 5-year-olds
Indigenous	55.6%
Non-Indigenous	59.6%

Source: Department of Education, Training and the Arts

Note: Reliable data not available for 4-year-olds. Current data relates only to 5-year-olds.

Target 6: Halve the gap for Queensland Indigenous students in year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020

Indicator - Year 12 attainment or equivalent

	OP eligible, no VET	OP eligible with VET	OP ineligible with VET	OP ineligible, no VET
Non-Indigenous young people	47.1%	18.2%	22.6%	12.1%
Indigenous young people	17.0%	8.1%	38.8%	36.1%

Source: Queensland Studies Authority

Note: OP = 'overall position'; VET = 'Vocational Education Training' qualification