Half the Gap in Employment by 2018: A 'Closing the Gap' Strategy

'Closing the Gap' is a government strategy to reduce disadvantage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This presentation focuses on the target to half the gap in employment by 2018, with information on the historical background of unemployment, social and cultural issues, and the future progression of the target. Unemployment has negative impacts on health awareness, holistic approach, cultural competence, and person-centered healthcare. The presentation also includes figures on employment rate comparison and gender, as well as references for further reading.

Half the gap in
employment by 2018
A ‘Closing the Gap’ strategy

‘Closing the Gap’ Strategy
 ‘Closing the Gap’ is a government
strategy
 Reducing disadvantage among
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people
 Supporting Early education,
Healthcare and employment

‘Closing the Gap’ Targets
 Close the gap in life expectancy by 2031
 Half the gap in child mortality by 2018
 95 percent early childhood education by 2025
 Half the gap in education by 2018
 Half the gap in year 12 attainment by 2020
 Half the gap in employment by 2018.
 Close the gap in school attendance by 2018

Half the gap in employment by 2018
 Financial benefit by the
employment
 Health Benefits of employment
 Educational benefits of
employment

Historical background of Unemployment
 Limited market opportunity
 Discrimination
 Poor training and skill level
 10%employement rate before
2005
 15% employment rate between
2005 to 2010

Social and Cultural Issues
Factors
 Discrimination
 Unacceptability
 Poor social awareness
 Low cultural value
 Social negligence
Outcomes
 Socio-psychological
inferiority
 Increasing stigmatization
 Lack of internist in
improvement
 Stereotypes within the
Aboriginal communities

How is a gap in employment an important consideration for
health professionals?
 Unemployment reduces health
awareness
 Gap in Holistic Approach
 Lower Cultural competence
 Gap in person centered
healthcare
 Poor social and cultural
understanding

How much target has achieved?
Figure 1: Employment Rate Comparison
Source: ()

How much target has achieved?
Figure 2: Employment Rate by gender
Source: (Closingthegap.pmc.gov.au., 2018)

Future Progression of target
 Community Development
Program
 Disability Employment Services
 Parents-Next
 Prison to Work
 Building an Indigenous
workforce in the public sector
 The Transition to Work service
 Career Trackers

Conclusion
 Career based education
 Employment Services
Tracking and Monitoring
 Sustainable improvement
of indigenous employment
 More investment on
employment services
 Increasing awareness in
community

References
Closingthegap.pmc.gov.au. (2018). Employment | Closing the Gap. Retrieved from https://
closingthegap.pmc.gov.au/employment
healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au. (2018). Closing the Gap - Health System - Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet.
Retrieved from https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/learn/health-system/closing-the-gap/
Gray, M., Hunter, B., & Lohoar, S. (2012). Increasing Indigenous employment rates. Retrieved from: http://
hdl.handle.net/1885/57798
Brereton, D., & Parmenter, J. (2008). Indigenous employment in the Australian mining industry. Journal of
Energy & Natural Resources Law, 26(1), 66-90., doi: 10.1080/02646811.2008.11435178
Daly, A. E. (2018). The employment of Aboriginal Australians in the labour market. Canberra, ACT: Centre for
Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR), Research School of Social Sciences, College of Arts and
Social Sciences, The Australian National University. Retrieved from: http://hdl.handle.net/1885/145447
Altman, J. C., Biddle, N., & Hunter, B. H. (2009). Prospects for ‘closing the gap’in socioeconomic outcomes
for Indigenous Australians?. Australian Economic History Review, 49(3), 225-251., doi:
10.1111/j.1467-8446.2009.00264.x
Biddle, N., Taylor, J., & Yap, M. (2009). Are the Gaps Closing?: Regional Trends and Forecasts of Indigenous
Employment. Australian Journal of Labour Economics, 12(3), 263. ISSN: 1328-1143.