Aboriginal peak bodies push for new approach to Closing the Gap strategy

ABORIGINAL peak bodies across Australia have written to Council of Australian Governments

Australian Aboriginal peak bodies are urging for a new approach to the Closing the Gap strategy

ABORIGINAL peak bodies across Australia have written to Council of Australian Governments (COAG) ministers to seek a new approach in “refreshing” the Closing the Gap strategy.

The letter, signed by 13 peak bodies, proposes an urgent meeting of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak bodies with COAG representatives to determine a framework for reaching agreement on a refreshed approach to the decade old policy.

It’s the second letter the group has written to COAG. They failed to receive a response to their initial letter, sent in early October, from any government except for the Northern Territory.

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation chief executive Pat Turner said they understood that new targets would be settled in a December meeting

“We are calling on COAG to hold off doing this and instead put in place a proper partnership mechanism with us. The new targets haven’t been published and indigenous peaks are uncertain what the targets will be and therefore we cannot provide our support,” he said.

The request is scheduled to be put to COAG for consideration on December 12.