Overview
Table 1.1: Progress against the targets
Table 1.1 summarises progress against the seven Closing the Gap targets for each state and territory. The child mortality target was not met at the national level. Due to data quality issues there are no state specific child mortality targets. All jurisdictions, except for the Northern Territory, are on track for the early childhood education target. The national level, South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory are on track for the Year 12 or equivalent target. The life expectancy target is not on track at the national level, nor for New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory, the three jurisdictions with life expectancy targets. The remaining targets of school attendance, literacy and numeracy and employment have not been met.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Progress against the targets Table 1.1.
Chapter 1: Child Mortality
Figure 1.1: Child mortality rates, 0–4 year olds, 1998–2018a,b,c
Figure 1.1 shows child mortality rates, 0–4 year olds, by Indigenous status for the period 1998-2018 including the 2018 target end point. In the 2008 target baseline year, the Indigenous child mortality rate was 157 per 100,000. The rate decreased to 141 per 100,000 in 2018. This remains twice the rate for non-Indigenous children (67 per 100,000 in 2018). The 2018 Indigenous child mortality rate was not within the range required to meet the target (94 per 100,000).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Child Mortality 1 Figure 1.1.
Figure 1.2: Child mortality rates, by jurisdiction, 2014–2018
Figure 1.2 shows child mortality rates, by Indigenous status and by jurisdiction, for the period 2014-2018. The Northern Territory continued to have the highest Indigenous child mortality rate (305 per 100,000) over the period 2014 to 2018. The gap was also largest in the Northern Territory (209 per 100,000). New South Wales had the lowest Indigenous child mortality rate with 95 per 100,000. In the same period, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia recorded, 146, 132 and 192 Indigenous child deaths per 100,000, respectively.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Child Mortality Figure 1.2.
Chapter 2: Early childhood education
Figure 2.1: Early childhood education enrolment rates, 2016–2018
Figure 2.1 shows early childhood education enrolment rates between 2016 and 2018 by Indigenous status and the target trajectory. The 2016 Indigenous enrolment rate in early childhood education was 76.7 per cent. This increased to 86.4 per cent in 2018. This was higher than the agreed trajectory point of 80.5 per cent for 2018 to reach the target by 2025. The 2016 non-Indigenous enrolment rate was 91.9 per cent and this decreased slightly to 91.3 per cent in 2018.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Early Childhood Education Figure 2.1.
Figure 2.2 Early childhood education enrolment rates, by jurisdiction, 2018
Figure 2.2 shows early childhood education enrolment rates by jurisdiction in 2018. In 2018, Victoria, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory achieved full enrolment for Indigenous children. Western Australia (97.7 per cent) and Tasmania (98.5 per cent) achieved close to full enrolment. The other three jurisdictions––New South Wales (75.7 per cent), Queensland (86.7 per cent) and the Northern Territory (76.4 per cent)––had relatively lower proportions of Indigenous children enrolled.
All jurisdictions are on track to meet the early childhood education target by 2025, except for the Northern Territory.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Early Childhood Education Figure 2.2.
Figure 2.3: Attendance rates, by remoteness, 2018
Figure 2.3 shows attendance rates by remoteness in 2018 by Indigenous status. Indigenous early childhood education attendance rates decrease with increasing remoteness. In 2018, the attendance rate for Indigenous children varied from 96.6 per cent in Inner Regional areas, to 79.7 per cent in Very Remote areas. The non-Indigenous rates remained fairly similar across remoteness areas, ranging from 97.9 per cent in both Inner and Outer Regional areas to 96.6 in Remote areas.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Early Childhood Education Figure 2.3.
Chapter 3: Attendance
Figure 3.1: Student attendance rates in Semester 1, Years 1–10, 2014–2019
Figure 3.1 shows attendance rates by Indigenous status between 2014 and 2019. Non-Indigenous attendance rates were around 93 per cent in 2014 and 92 per cent in 2019. Indigenous attendance rates were around 84 per cent in 2014 and 82 per cent in 2019. The 2019 target attendance rate for Indigenous students was 92 per cent.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.1.
Figure 3.2: The gap in attendance widens throughout secondary school, Years 1–10, Semester 1 2019
Figure 3.2 shows the school attendance rates by Year level (1 to 10) by Indigenous status in 2019. From Year 1 there was a gap in school attendance between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The gap in attendance widens during secondary school. For non-Indigenous students, the attendance rate was 93 per cent in Year 1 and 89 per cent in Year 10. For Indigenous students, the attendance rate was 84 per cent in Year 1 and 72 per cent in Year 10.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.2.
Figure 3.3: Indigenous student attendance rates, by jurisdiction, Semester 1 2014–2019
Figure 3.3 compares Indigenous student attendance rates by jurisdiction in 2014, 2017 and 2019. Attendance rates for Indigenous students declined to some extent in all jurisdictions over the five years to 2019. Except for the Northern Territory, this decline largely occurred between 2017 and 2019. In 2019, school attendance rates in all jurisdictions were below the target rate.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.3.
Figure 3.4, part 1: Indigenous attendance rates, Semester 1 2016–2019a
Figure 3.4, part 1, shows Indigenous school attendance rates by remoteness in 2016 and 2019. Indigenous attendance rates were lowest in Very Remote areas. Very Remote areas also saw the largest decline in attendance rates between 2016 (around 66 per cent) and 2019 (around 61 per cent).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.4, part 1.
Figure 3.4, part 2: Indigenous population, 5–16 years, 2016b
Figure 3.4, part 2, shows the distribution of the Indigenous population age 5 to 16 years by remoteness in 2016. Major Cities accounted for the highest share of the population (around 36 per cent) while Remote Australia had the lowest share (6 per cent).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.4, part 2.
Figure 3.4, part 3: Non-Indigenous attendance rates, Semester 1 2016–2019a
Figure 3.4, part 3, shows non-Indigenous school attendance rates by remoteness in 2016 and 2019. Non-Indigenous attendance rates were lowest in Very Remote areas. Remote and Very Remote areas also saw the largest decline in attendance rates between 2016 and 2019 (1.4 percentage points).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.4, part 3.
Figure 3.4, part 4: Non-Indigenous population, 5–16 years, 2016b
Figure 3.4, part 4, shows the distribution of the non-Indigenous population age 5 to 16 years by remoteness in 2016. Major Cities accounted for the highest share of the population (around 73 per cent) while Very Remote Australia had the lowest share (less than 1 per cent).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.4, part 4.
Figure 3.5: Primary school attendance rates for Indigenous students, by jurisdiction, by remoteness, Semester 1 2019a, b
Figure 3.5 is a map showing the attendance rate for Indigenous primary school students by remoteness and jurisdiction in 2019. Attendance rates were above 80 per cent across Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania, as well as in Inner Regional and Major Cities areas of Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Attendance rates were below 60 per cent in Very Remote areas of the Northern Territory.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.5.
Figure 3.6: Secondary school attendance rates for Indigenous students, by jurisdiction, by remoteness, Semester 1 2019a, b
Figure 3.6 is a map showing the attendance rate for Indigenous secondary school students by remoteness and jurisdiction in 2019. Attendance rates were above 80 per cent across Victoria and Tasmania; and the Major Cities, areas of New South Wales and Queensland and also the Inner Regional areas of Queensland and South Australia. Attendance rates were below 60 per cent in Remote and Very Remote areas of the Northern Territory; and the Very Remote areas of Western Australia and South Australia.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: School Attendance Figure 3.6.
Chapter 4: Literacy and Numeracy
Figure 4.1: Students at or above national minimum standards for reading, 2008-2018a
Figure 4.1 shows the proportion of students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 meeting national minimum standard in reading by Indigenous status between 2008 and 2018. Over the decade to 2018, the gap in reading outcomes has narrowed by between 3 percentage points and 11 percentage points. However, the target was not met in any of the Year levels in 2018.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Literacy and Numeracy Figure 4.1.
Figure 4.2: Students at or above national minimum standard for numeracy, 2008–2018a
Figure 4.2 shows the proportion of students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 meeting national minimum standard in numeracy by Indigenous status between 2008 and 2018. Over the decade to 2018, the gap in numeracy outcomes has narrowed by between 4 percentage points and 10 percentage points. However, the target was not met in any of the Year levels in 2018.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Literacy and Numeracy Figure 4.2.
Figure 4.3: Proportion of Year 3 Indigenous students at or above national minimum standard in reading, 2018a, b
Figure 4.3 is a map showing the proportion of Indigenous Year 3 students at or above national minimum standard in reading by remoteness and jurisdiction. More than 85 per cent of Indigenous Year 3 students living in Major Cities were above the national minimum standard in reading in 2018. Outside Major Cities, there was considerable variation in Year 3 reading outcomes. Reading outcomes were lowest (below 45 per cent) in Very Remote areas of the Northern Territory and South Australia.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Literacy and Numeracy Figure 4.3.
Figure 4.4: Proportion of Year 3 Indigenous students at or above national minimum standard in numeracy, 2018a, b
Figure 4.4 shows the proportion of Indigenous Year 3 students at or above national minimum standard in numeracy by remoteness and jurisdiction. More than 85 per cent of Indigenous Year 3 students living in Major Cities were above the national minimum standard in numeracy in 2018. Outside Major Cities, there was considerable variation in Year 3 numeracy outcomes. Numeracy outcomes were lowest (below 45 per cent) in Very Remote areas of the Northern Territory.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Literacy and Numeracy Figure 4.4.
Figure 4.5: Proportion of students by NAPLAN attainment band, Year 3, 2018a, b
Figure 4.5 shows the proportion of Year 3 students in each NAPLAN attainment band (including exempt students) for reading and numeracy outcomes by Indigenous status in 2018. For Indigenous students, the distribution in outcomes across the attainment bands was skewed towards the middle bands (bands 2 to 4). For non-Indigenous students, the distribution in outcome was more skewed towards the top two bands (bands 5 and 6).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Literacy and Numeracy Figure 4.5.
Figure 4.6: Proportion of Indigenous students by NAPLAN attainment band, Year 3, 2008 and 2018a, b
Figure 4.6 shows the proportion of Year 3 Indigenous students in each NAPLAN attainment band (including exempt students) for reading and numeracy in 2008 compared with 2018. Over the decade to 2018, reading and numeracy outcomes have improved across the distribution. More Indigenous students are achieving in higher attainment bands (bands 3 to 6) and fewer are achieving in the lower attainment bands (bands 1 to 3).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Literacy and Numeracy Figure 4.6.
Table 4.1: Target outcome for reading and numeracy areas, by jurisdiction, 2018
Table 4.1 shows the target outcomes in 2018 across the 64 result areas. The result areas cover each of the eight jurisdictions results measured across the four year levels (Years 3, 5, 7 and 9) for both reading and numeracy NAPLAN outcomes.
Thirteen result areas met the target. The target for Year 9 numeracy was met for students in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and the ACT. In numeracy, the target was also met for: Year 5 students in Queensland and Tasmania; as well as Year 7 students in Tasmania and the ACT. In reading, the target was met for: Year 3 students in Queensland; Year 5 students in Queensland and Tasmania; as well as Year 9 students in the ACT.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Literacy and Numeracy Table 4.1.
Chapter 5: Year 12 attaintment
Figure 5.1: National Year 12 or equivalent attainment rate, 20–24 year olds, 2008–2019a
Figure 5.1 shows a comparison between the proportion of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous 20-24 year olds attaining year 12 or equivalent for the years 2008 to 2018-19. Indigenous attainment rates increased by 21 percentage points between 2008 and 2018-19, while the Non-Indigenous attainment rates increased by 5 percentage points.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Year 12 Attainment Figure 5.1.
Figure 5.2: Indigenous Year 12 or equivalent attainment rate, by jurisdiction, 20–24 year olds, 2008–2019a
Figure 5.2 shows the Indigenous attainment rates for Year 12 or equivalent, by jurisdiction for 20-24 year olds, across the period 2008-2019. Rates across this period were on average lowest in the Northern Territory and highest in the ACT.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Year 12 Attainment Figure 5.2.
Figure 5.3: Indigenous Year 12 or equivalent attainment rate, by remoteness, 20–24 year olds, 2012–2019a
Figure 5.3 shows Indigenous attainment rates for Year 12 or equivalent, by remoteness, for 20-24 year olds over the period 2012-2019. The Year 12 attainment rate at the end of this period is 85 per cent in Major Cities compared with 38 per cent in Very Remote areas. Major Cities experienced the largest increase in the proportion of Indigenous students who had attained Year 12 or equivalent over the period 2012-2019.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Year 12 Attainment Figure 5.3.
Figure 5.4 Indigenous Year 12 Attainment gap, by remoteness, 20–24 year olds, 2012–13 and 2018–19
Figure 5.4 shows the Indigenous Year 12 attainment gap for 20-24 year olds, by remoteness, over the period 2012–13 and 2018–19. In 2018–19, the gap in Year 12 attainment rates was narrowest in Major Cities (6 percentage points) and widest in Very Remote Australia (52 percentage points). Between 2012–13 and 2018–19, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians widened in all areas, except for Major Cities.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Year 12 Attainment Figure 5.4.
Chapter 6: Employment
Figure 6.1: Employment to population rate, 15–64 year olds, 2008–2019a, b
Figure 6.1 shows the employment rate for the working age population by Indigenous status between 2008 to 2018-19. The Indigenous employment rate has increased from 48.2 per cent to 49.1 per cent over this period, while the non-Indigenous rate has decreased from 75.0 per cent to 74.6 per cent.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Employment Figure 6.1.
Figure 6.2: Employment to population rate, by jurisdiction, by Indigenous Australians, 15–64 year olds, 2008 and 2018–19a, b
Figure 6.2 shows the Indigenous employment rate in the working age population by jurisdiction for the years 2008 and 2018–19. Only in New South Wales and the Northern Territory did the employment rate increase. The confidence interval for each jurisdiction in 2018–19 overlaps with that jurisdiction’s 2008 confidence interval, suggesting that changes up or down are the result of random variation and that caution should be used when interpreting results.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Employment Figure 6.2.
Figure 6.3: Employment rate gap by jurisdiction, 15–64 year olds, 2008 and 2018–19
Figure 6.3 shows the gap in the Indigenous employment rate for the working age population by jurisdiction for the years 2008 and 2018-19. The gap has decreased in New South Wales and the Northern Territory only.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Employment Figure 6.3.
Figure 6.4: Employment to population rate for Indigenous Australians, 15–64 year olds, by remoteness, 2008–2019
Figure 6.4 shows the Indigenous employment rate for the working age population by remoteness area between 2008 to 2018-19. There is a decline in employment rate with remoteness, but no common trend across remoteness areas over the time series.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Employment Figure 6.4.
Figure 6.5: Employment rate gap, 15–64 year olds, by remoteness, 2018–19
Figure 6.5 shows the Indigenous employment rate gap in the working age population by remoteness for 2018-19. The gap increases with remoteness. The largest gap was in Very Remote areas where the Indigenous employment rate was 49 percentage points less than the non-Indigenous employment rate. The smallest gap was in Major Cities (15 percentage points).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Employment Figure 6.5.
Figure 6.6: Indigenous employment rates, 15–64 year olds, by jurisdiction, by remoteness, 2018–19a, b
Figure 6.6 is a map showing the Indigenous employment rates in the working age population by jurisdiction and remoteness for 2018-19. The highest employment rates (over 60 per cent) are seen in the capital cities and the regional areas of South Australia and Queensland. The lowest employment rates (under 30 per cent) are in Remote and Very Remote Western Australia.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Employment Figure 6.6..
Figure 6.7: Non–Indigenous employment rates, 15–64 year olds, by jurisdiction, by remoteness, 2018–19a
Figure 6.7 is a map showing the non-Indigenous employment rates in the working age population by jurisdiction and remoteness for 2018-19. The highest employment rates (over 60 per cent) covers the vast majority of the country while the lowest employment rates (30 to 40 per cent) are found in Remote Queensland and South Australia only.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Employment Figure 6.7.
Chapter 7: Life expectancy
Figure 7.1: Life expectancy at birth by Indigenous status, 2015–2017
Figure 7.1 shows life expectancy at birth by Indigenous status, 2015–2017. In 2015–2017, life expectancy at birth was 71.6 years for Indigenous males and 75.6 years for Indigenous females. In comparison, the non-Indigenous life expectancy at birth was 80.2 years for males and 83.4 for females.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Life Expectancy Figure 7.1.
Figure 7.2: Life expectancy at birth by jurisdiction, 2015–2017
Figure 7.2 shows life expectancy at birth by jurisdiction, 2015-17. In 2015–2017, Indigenous life expectancy was highest in Queensland (72.0 years for males, 76.4 years for females) and lowest in the Northern Territory (66.6 years for males, 69.9 years for females).
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Life Expectancy Figure 7.2.
Figure 7.3: Age-standardised mortality rates, trajectory to 2031 targeta,b
Figure 7.3 shows age standardised mortality rates by Indigenous status and trajectory to the 2031 target. In 2018 the Indigenous age-standardised mortality rate was 927 per 100,000—around 1.7 times the non-Indigenous rate (539 per 100,000). The Indigenous rate was not within the range required to meet the target of 462 per 100,000 in 2031 to close the gap.
Closing the Gap 2020 Report: Life Expectancy Figure 7.3.
Technical appendix
Figure 1 Normal distribution with 95 per cent confidence intervals
Figure 1 depicts a ‘bell curve’ associated with a normal statistical distribution, with confidence intervals within that distribution set at a 95 per cent level. A confidence interval is a specified interval, with the sample statistic at the centre, within which the corresponding population value can be said to lie with a given level of confidence. The confidence intervals used in this report are at the 95 per cent level of probability.