Analysis of NT Intervention and Closing the Gap on Indigenous Health

This report provides a comparative analysis of the Northern Territory Intervention and the Closing the Gap initiative, both of which address health disparities within Indigenous communities in Australia. The Northern Territory Intervention, implemented in 2007, focused on addressing violence and child sexual abuse through welfare, law enforcement, and land tenure changes. Conversely, the Closing the Gap campaign, initiated by NGOs, aims to improve the health and life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as non-Indigenous Australians with limited access to healthcare. The report explores the differences and similarities between these two government strategies, including their objectives, approaches, and impacts on health outcomes, considering factors such as health service inequalities, legislation, and the role of human rights. The analysis references key documents and research to provide a comprehensive overview of the two policies and their effectiveness in improving Indigenous health.

THE NORTHERN TERRITORY INTERVENTION AND
CLOSING THE GAP - INDIGENOUS HEALTH
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY INTERVENTION AND THE
CLOSING THE GAP INITIATIVE..........................................................................................................3
REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................6
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DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
INTERVENTION AND THE CLOSING THE GAP INITIATIVE
The Northern Territory National Emergency Response is also called as the intervention
that was developed as a package of changes that has provision of welfare, law enforcement, land
tenure and other dimensions (Bray, Gray, Hand, & Katz, 2014). These measures are introduced
by the Australian federal government in the year 2007. This is also useful in addressing
allegation of proliferating child sexual abuse. This is chiefly adopted in Aboriginal communities.
Chiefly, the intervention was directed for the purpose of addressing the disproportionate levels of
violence that happens in indigenous communities in the Northern Territory of Australia
(Northern Territory Intervention 2007, 2015). However, on the other hand, the health aspects of
Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has become poorer; hence considering
this aspect, several NGOs and other human rights organizations have been founded. These
organisation work together for the purpose of enhancing health aspects of people and along with
the same, it also aids in bringing quality services for Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people (The difference between Close the Gap and Closing the Gap - and why it
matters, 2013).
This is referred as “Close the Gap Campaign” which is established for the main purpose
of closing the health and life expectancy gap prevailing among aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people. However, at the same time it also includes non- indigenous people of Australia
who do not have much access to prominent health services (Pittock, Hussey & Dovers, 2015).
Basically, the campaign is developed for the purpose of improving the health status of people.
This includes all such services that can be provided within a short period of time. This has been
considered as a national priority wherein it is essential for the health care entities to focus on
bringing specific services that will prove to be beneficial for Australian population (Bray, 2016).
It also aims to set out human right based approach that enhances the health prospects of
Australian people. However, at the same time, The Northern Territory National Emergency
Response includes a number of legislation that affects specified indigenous communities in the
Northern Territory (How has the Northern Territory Intervention affected Aboriginal health,
2011).
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Though, it also focuses on enhancing public services; however there are various
provisions that belongs to diverse aspects. It also includes restrictions on alcohol, welfare
programs, acquisition of parcels of land, education department, employment and health
dimensions and major restrictions on pornography (Proudfoot & Habibis, 2015). After a certain
period of time, changes were introduced in the intervention for the purpose of enhancing the
health prospects of people. The intervention has been started as health association in Australia
have identified several ways to improve the health aspects which also increases wellbeing of the
community. On the contrary, The Close the Gap campaign is independent of government and it
is also able to offer several policy advice by looking towards different aspects (The Northern
Territory Emergency Response: a chance to heal Australia’s worst sore, 2007). It is also
introduced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander organizations which represents that there is a
requirement of improving health aspects. This is not just a campaign; however it supports the
aboriginal people by making decisions for themselves and also through adopting numerous
provisions for leadership in health (Bray, Gray, Hand & Katz, 2014).
Similarly, in this context both the government strategies aims to improve the health
dimensions of people through changing health care provisions. The Closing the Gap is a
powerful intervention that aims to generate health inequality within 25 years and it was usually
developed for the purpose of giving response to Social justice report 2005 which focuses on
social values and norms (Close the Gap: Indigenous Health Campaign, 2017). It also includes
monitoring of change according to the Council of Australian Government. This has various
measurable targets which aims to improve the health and well-being of the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander population. Among the major targets, chief focus has been laid on closing the gap
in life expectancy. Similarly, it also ensures that all indigenous four years-olds living in remote
communities needs to have suitable access to early childhood education within the next five
years (Pittock, Hussey & Dovers, 2015).
Nonetheless, the generous timeframes critically recognise that the wickedness of the
challenges faced by the government and nation needs to be more effective and integrated so that
it can contribute in health aspects (Northern Territory National Emergency Response
Legislation, 2007). It also includes other effective strategies and policies that are useful in
sustaining for a longer time period so that the objectives of health care improvements can be
attained. In this respect, it can be said that the intervention has also improved the health
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provision in Australia (What is Closing the Gap. 2016). In the context of health care services,
The Northern Territory National Emergency Response also includes inequalities in health
services which not only creates barriers; but also affects people in many ways (What is the
Northern Territory Intervention, 2017). Thus, in that context the government has introduced The
Racial Discrimination Act 1975 which aims to protect human rights in Australia. The values
needs to uphold as that aims to ensure respect and dignity for the community (Proudfoot &
Habibis, 2015). Thus, it is evident that health changes have been arising in Australia health care
areas afterwards looking the issues of health crisis (Bray, 2016).
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REFERENCES
Bray, J. R. (2016). Seven years of evaluating income management‐what have we learnt? Placing
the findings of the New Income Management in the Northern Territory evaluation in
context. Australian Journal of Social Issues. 51(4). 449-468.
Bray, J. R., Gray, M., Hand, K., & Katz, I. (2014). Evaluating new income management in the
Northern Territory: final evaluation report. Social Policy Research Centre, University of
New South Wales.
Close the Gap: Indigenous Health Campaign. (2017). [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-social-
justice/projects/close-gap-indigenous-health>. [Accessed on 19th April 2017].
How has the Northern Territory Intervention affected Aboriginal health?. (2011). [Online].
Available through: <http://theconversation.com/how-has-the-northern-territory-
intervention-affected-aboriginal-health-1028>. [Accessed on 19th April 2017].
Northern Territory Intervention 2007. (2015). [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/northern-territory-intervention-2007>.
[Accessed on 19th April 2017].
Northern Territory National Emergency Response Legislation. (2007). [Online]. Available
through: <https://www.humanrights.gov.au/northern-territory-national-emergency-
response-legislation>. [Accessed on 19th April 2017].
Pittock, J., Hussey, K., & Dovers, S. (2015). Ecologically sustainable development in broader
retrospect and prospect: evaluating national framework policies against climate
adaptation imperatives. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management. 22(1). 62-
76.
Proudfoot, F., & Habibis, D. (2015). Separate worlds: A discourse analysis of mainstream and
Aboriginal populist media accounts of the Northern Territory Emergency Response in
2007. Journal of Sociology. 51(2). 170-188.
The difference between Close the Gap and Closing the Gap - and why it matters. (2013).
[Online]. Available through: <https://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2013/03/21/the-
difference-between-close-the-gap-and-closing-the-gap-and-why-it-matters/>. [Accessed
on 19th April 2017].
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The Northern Territory Emergency Response: a chance to heal Australia’s worst sore. (2007).
[Online]. Available through: <https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2007/187/11/northern-
territory-emergency-response-chance-heal-australia-s-worst-sore>. [Accessed on 19th
April 2017].
What is Closing the Gap?. (2016). [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/closing-the-gap/key-facts/what-is-closing-the-
gap>. [Accessed on 19th April 2017].
What is the Northern Territory Intervention?. (2017). [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/closing-the-gap/key-facts/what-is-closing-the-
gap>. [Accessed on 19th April 2017].
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