Today the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet published updated data on Indigenous representation, by agency, for each Commonwealth public sector agency as at 30 June 2016.

This data includes individual agency targets. Each agency target reflects its current Indigenous representation and regional footprint.

In March 2015, the Government announced a target of three per cent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation in the Commonwealth public sector by 2018.

The target is underpinned by the Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment Strategy and supported by an implementation guide for agencies, which is available on the Australian Public Service Commission’s website.

In 2015-16, both the number and proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees in the Commonwealth public sector increased—from 6, 879 employees (2.2 per cent) at 30 June 2015 to 8,154 employees (2.4 per cent) at 30 June 2016.

While this progress is encouraging, growth in Indigenous employment must be sustained in order to meet the three per cent target by 2018.