Greater opportunity for Indigenous Australians

The Government has acted decisively to deliver a better deal for Indigenous Australians.

The Government is working with Indigenous people to deliver improved outcomes for them. At the national level, a National Indigenous Council will advise the Government.

At a community level, the Government is negotiating Shared Responsibility Agreements to ensure funding meets the needs of each community and all parties commit to improving outcomes. This budget provides $86 million to continue to develop and implement Shared Responsibility Agreements.

Other key initiatives are:

• $102 million to improve the health of Indigenous babies and children through initiatives at 83 sites Australia-wide
• $40 million to improve access to primary health services, $10 million to increase access to hearing services and a further $18 million to help address substance abuse
• $103 million for the Healthy Indigenous Housing Initiative to improve Indigenous housing
• ensuring the continued effective operation of the native title system at a cost of $73 million

• establishing an Indigenous Economic Development Strategy to foster Indigenous businesses, and a reformed Community Development Employment Projects Programme that will create more genuine jobs
• $9 million to give one year of tutorial assistance to Indigenous students who leave remote areas to attend educational institutions away from their support base.

Government spending on Indigenous-specific programmes has grown from $1.7 billion in 1996-97 to $3.1 billion in 2005-06.