The regression of key targets as part of Closing the Gap is "deeply concerning" and needs a coordinated and meaningful approach, the peak body for Indigenous health organisations has said.
Speaking to the Select Committee on Measuring Outcomes for First Nations Communities, chief executive of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (NACCHO), Pat Turner, highlighted the backwards slide in several metrics, including the placing of Aboriginal children in out-of-home care (OOHC), youth incarceration, and suicide rates.
"The fact that these targets are going backwards is deeply concerning," Ms Turner said.
"Poor progress in one area compounds poor outcomes in another. We cannot continue to allow our children and young people to be failed by systems that refuse to change."
Whilst the government has committed to closing the gap and has invested significant funds into remote communities, criticism has been levelled at an inability to pull more levers to prevent states and territories from enacting policies which experts say deliberately harm Indigenous children.
These include proposals to allow judges to circumnavigate the child placement principle, lowering the age of criminal responsibility and the tightening of bail laws.
The latest data reveals Indigenous incarceration rates - both for children and adults - continue to rise, with numerous jurisdictions actively pushing for more children to be housed in prison, contravening the Closing the Gap agreement and recommendations from the Indigenous deaths in custody royal commission.
The treatment of people in prison - especially First Nations inmates - has continued to be highly criticised by human rights, legal and Indigenous campaigners. There have been at least 587 Indigenous deaths in custody since 1991.
Despite condemnation from experts, children are often incarcerated in adult facilities.
The Closing the Gap targets have been signed by all jurisdictions, yet Ms Turner noted many of these targets are being flagrantly violated.
"Frankly, state and territory governments need to start pulling their weight," she said.
"The time for tinkering at the edges is over. We need urgent implementation of the Priority Reforms and the establishment of independent mechanisms to ensure government accountability."
It mirrors comments by leading Indigenous barrister, Tony McAvoy SC, who told a senate inquiry last month jurisdictions across the country "appear to be openly abandoning our country's international human rights obligation".
"Unless there is some commonwealth action, this will continue to be the case. It is not a question of if the commonwealth should act, but what it should do," he said.
Independent MP Lidia Thorpe has also been vocal in her criticism of the government's supposed lack of strong handing the states, using the Senate to call for government intervention and arguing: "We know their [Indigenous children's] human rights are being abused".
Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, last month said the government was "deeply troubled around the rising rates of remand" across the country, highlighting the levels of overcrowding seen in facilities, including in the NT, and noted a letter had been sent to all jurisdictions to follow up where they were at with remand changes.
Ms Turner said the progression on Closing the Gap targets lay with ACCHOs, as well as other community-controlled organisations.
"The evidence is clear – community-led solutions work," she said.
"Our model of care delivers better health outcomes, higher treatment adherence rates, and greater cost-effectiveness than mainstream services. Yet, ACCHOs continue to be underfunded while facing a greater burden of disease."
This week, the government launched a national strategy to address food insecurity in remote communities, and has also invested in housing and jobs, to help close the gap.
Ms Turner, who declined to criticise the government during her appearance at the senate inquiry into youth justice, nevertheless pointed to examples such as the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care as an effective example of governments working with Indigenous communities.
"The First Nations Health Division has demonstrated what is possible when governments genuinely partner with us," she said.
"The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group on COVID-19 was a testament to this – when Aboriginal leadership is recognised and supported, we save lives."
