Close the gap

There is also a litany of government reports and research which show us the path. Governments, working in partnership with Indigenous peoples, have identified the solutions and have committed to implementing them.

But to date, the rhetoric has not been matched with action. This is unacceptable.

In my Social Justice Report 2005 to the Australian Parliament, I called for a campaign to achieve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health equality within a generation.

That is how long it will take if we act now and with determination.

We are beyond hearing about general commitments without timeframes. We need bipartisan support to make overcoming this difficult challenge a national priority. All governments need to work together collegiately, in partnership with Indigenous communities and all sectors of Australian society.

Since I released the Social Justice Report last year, I have been working with a growing coalition of organisations who are determined to make a difference on Indigenous health. Thirty of these organisations signed an open letter to governments in December last year highlighting the Indigenous health crisis.

Many are represented in the Close the Gap campaign we are launching, which has come from that partnership.

We will continue to work together and are determined that this issue be treated as a national priority. This means putting it on the top of the agenda of the Council of Australian Governments - something that is currently not the case.

Our primary message is not to simply scream “crisis”. Our message, and our goal, is to champion hope and to focus on solutions. This crisis is not insurmountable. We can triumph. We are making steps, but they are too slow and not broadly focused enough. It will require additional funds, although this alone is not the solution.

It will also require a focus on the social determinants of health - living conditions, overcrowding in housing, education and employment. This is not just a health sector responsibility. This requires a whole-of-government, cross departmental approach.

We have no evidence of this occurring to date, despite the recommendations of the Social Justice Report and the existence of arrangements to coordinate federal Government activity across all areas of Indigenous life.

And make no mistake, genuine progress requires genuine partnerships - between governments, Indigenous organisations, the corporate and philanthropic sectors and the broader community.