Closing The Gap 2019

A week of activities has been held to mark the release of the 2019 Closing the Gap report. It included a fun run and walk in Canberra, an Indigenous Business Trade Fair and the announcement of new targets for Government spending.

Kicking off the week of awareness was the Closing the Gap Fun Run and Walk. Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF) director Rob de Castella said the Closing the Gap Fun Run was a great way for people to acknowledge the grassroots transformations taking place in communities across Australia.

‘Since 2010 IMF has spread our Run Sweat Inspire message across more than 40 Indigenous communities from the very remote, to country towns and major cities,’ Mr de Castella said.

‘Walking is good but it takes too long; we need to close the gap quicker – that’s why we run.’

On Tuesday, February 12, business leaders from around the country gathered in Canberra for the Indigenous Business Trade Fair, showing off a wide range of goods and services.

It was announced during the week that Indigenous businesses had risen to the challenge of providing more than $1.83 billion of goods and services to the Federal Government over the past 3.5 years, surpassing previous targets.

The Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP), launched in July 2015, has seen more than 11,930 contracts issued and more than 1,470 businesses engaged by Government.

More opportunities will flow from July 2019, when the IPP will be expanded with a target of 3% of the value of all of the Government’s procurement spending.

The 2019 Closing the Gap report was released on Thursday, showing that early childhood education and Year 12 attainment targets were on track and important progress had been made in health. The full report can be read at Report 2019.