Closing the Gap Clearinghouse annual report

This report outlines the first year of operation and the significant achievements accomplished in that time. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has made a range of commitments to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians and in particular provide for a better future for Indigenous children. These commitments have re-focussed the efforts of everyone working for a better future for Australia’s Indigenous people. The Closing the Gap Clearinghouse was established as part of these commitments to bring together evidence-based research on what works to overcome Indigenous disadvantage within the seven building blocks laid out by COAG. Efforts to achieve the Closing the Gap targets all depend on access to timely, high quality and useable evidence within the building blocks of early childhood, schooling, health, economic participation, healthy homes, safe communities and governance and leadership. Improving the development and uptake of relevant research into government policy making processes is an international challenge. As an intermediary body linking researchers and policy makers dealing with the complex issues of Indigenous disadvantage, the Clearinghouse is at the leading edge of these efforts. By building on these attainments and refining the products and services we offer to our stakeholders and users, the Clearinghouse aims to continue its important contribution to Closing the Gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people