A message from Barry Lenihan – General Manager, First Nations
At Mercy Community, our mission is to create a world where individuals, families and communities are safe, healthy, and resilient.
Our purpose is to support people who are facing challenges in their lives and our values of respect, compassion, courage, and integrity guide everything we do.
That’s why we are highlighting the ongoing disparities that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by marking National Close the Gap Day (21st March).
Close the Gap Day is a day of action aimed at closing the gap in health outcomes between First Nations and non-Indigenous people. It is held annually on the third Thursday in March.
The campaign was started by Oxfam Australia and is now supported by a range of organisations and individuals across the country. The aim of Close the Gap Day is to raise awareness of the health and social inequalities faced by First Nations people, and to encourage people to take action to address these issues.
On Close the Gap Day, a range of events and activities are held across the country, including marches, rallies, and community gatherings. These events are designed to bring attention to the need for urgent action to close the gap in health outcomes, and to promote greater understanding and reconciliation between First Nations and non-Indigenous people.
In addition to the events and activities held on Close the Gap Day, there are a range of ongoing initiatives and programs aimed at improving the health and well-being of First Nations people. These include programs to address chronic disease, mental health, and maternal and child health, as well as initiatives to improve access to healthcare services and promote cultural safety in healthcare settings.
While some of the 19 national socio-economic targets, set by the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, are on track to reach their 2031 goal, several have seen no change, are not on track to reach their target, or have worsened.
Please note that the following content may be confronting and/or disturbing and contains mentions of suicide.
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children commencing school were developmentally on track in 2021.
was the age-standardised rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prisoners in 2023.
was the suicide age-standardised rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in 2022.
View up-to-date data on all Closing the Gap targets here.
