Closing the gap billions must be evaluated

The Prime Minister’s annual Closing the Gap speech unsurprisingly revealed that for yet another year we have failed to deliver on the majority of the seven targets. As a result, Mr Turnbull has dedicated billions more to a project that has seemingly already hoovered $130 billion out of the nation’s coffers.

Closing the gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is essential. However, given that the government has committed to reviewing its entire strategy, it seems a bit premature to be announcing a raft of new funding measures.

Take the $184 million Turnbull just committed to reducing rates of smoking in the Indigenous population. In 2010, $100 million was allocated to resolving this problem. In 2016, another $116 million was granted.

Undoubtedly, smoking is a major health issue and must be addressed. Indigenous smoking rates fell 9% between 2002 and 2014-15. This is notable progress, but given overall Australian smoking rates more than halved in this period it must be asked where all that funding went.

Similar questions must be asked about the $4.4 billion education funds loading increase for Indigenous students. Year 12 attainment and early childhood education targets are on track. However, reading and numeracy measures are not.

Before this multibillion dollar increase is confirmed, it is important to investigate the developments over the last decade. What is behind these successes? Can it be replicated? How can previous mistakes be avoided?

It seems particularly strange to endorse such a large funding increase when — by the government’s own admission — the Closing the Gap strategy is in significant need of a refresh.

Before any more funding is committed the government must get serious about integrating greater evaluation and accountability into the $6 billion spend on Indigenous programs and service delivery.

Closing the gap is the bottom line, however, these services are the day to day coalface. Making sure each and every program is working is essential to success.

Previous CIS research has revealed that the impacts of an overwhelming number of Indigenous programs are not being evaluated. It is time to resolve this, otherwise the government risks committing more billions over the next 10 years without have learned the lessons of the past 10.